Cardio with regard to keeping gains but dropping fat

[rexthedog]

Whats everyone's opinion on the best form(s) of Cardio to lose stubborn fat but not rob as much muscle as say running long distances. I know most will say some form of HIT or interval training, but what exactely is your routine? I'm currently coming off a light 8week OT/winny cycle and I'm about to start PCT. I've been able to get decent results as far as lean muscle gain with little/no bloat and lost a decent amount of fat as well. I've been training with weights about 4 days per week and doing cardio 3 days per. The cardio I've been doing has been intervals on the eliptical machine (30mins) and running( not more that 2 miles per session). I'd like to switch the cardio in to high gear and really melt off the existing fat and further cut up. So i was wondering whats everyones opinion on the best way to do this and what some possible routines are? Any advice help will be much appreciated. Thanks

[Bob Smith]

This article has an excellent write-up on intervals and different methods. http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do...ydra?id=459414

[kenneth]

Since you're looking for opinions, personally I have the most success with the jump rope..and the least success with distance running, actually I take that back..I'd put distance running above using cardio machines but that's just me, I've had no success with the eliptical or things of the sort. I've been trying to cut up right now, cardio 5 or 6 days a week, 4 or 5 of those days jumping rope and 1 or 2 doing sprints, both of which are forms of interval training. So far so good like everytime I resort to the jump rope, the fat is melting off nicely.

[baja222000]

Agree Kenneth I have also used the rope for some time now .I to see the gym cardio machines as ...well a waste of my time but sure many now how to make them work .Find a steep uphill climb in your area .Do a 15 minute light run .Hit the hill and blow the sucker away the more you show off your power the better ..lol...I go back to a light jog for 15 minutes again .Stop and stretch now for 5 minutes .This time jog for 5 minutes and a higher output .Hit the hill again and attack ...suck it up ...show off your power ....I do this 5 days a week at night when it is cool .Two of those days I change to only 15 minute but at a very high pace then hit the hill the same way ...Its cheap and fun and in my case done without test.will turn you into a race horse lol.....make you lean and very defined .Do it for a year and it will change your life ....Anyway thats my program and this is cool would like to hear from others

[rexthedog]

The article from T-nation.com was excellent, in fact I'm going to try the 400m runs starting tonight. Its interesting to hear other opnions on this, I spent many years putting in long runs every chance i can get which did a great job of keeping my weight down but never really cut me up like I would have liked. I think the hardest part about interval training is the mental, its damn tuff to go all out three or four times and then want to do it all again the next night. But if it was easy, we'd all be huge, cut and drug free for that matter. Its also interesting to see that both you guys do your cardio 5 times per week. How are you combinding weight training with this cardio? I was thinking off going to 3 days per week weight training and 5 days cardio, with a double session on the overlapping day.

[Bob Smith]

I liked the increasing intervals, but after the 4th or 5th one I was swearin up a storm in agony!