Cardio and Bulking up

[Dirk Diggler]

What's going on guys? Stumbled across this forum today on my search for cardio information. I must say there is some pretty useful information on here, as well as tons of funny posts.

Anyways, this my turn into a long winded post because I wanted to give a little info about my eating habits and my workout routine so perhaps I could get a better answer to my question.

I started hitting the weights again early August - hadn't worked out in nearly 2 years or so. Before I started back at the gym I decided to start eating a lot more and ensured I was eating healthier foods. I probably weighed 150 pounds or so at 5'7". I've been in the gym for about 5 months now. I hit the weights 4 days a week and run 3 days during the week. I now weigh around 165 pounds and can't seem to put on anymore weight. I think this could be due to two different things.

1. I run WAY to much - probably about 5 to 7 miles a week.
2. I'm not eating enough.

So my question is, how much cardio is enough or if any while trying to add on a few extra pounds? I seem to get conflicting answers about this question. Some people say don't run at all, while others say yes to the cardio. Cardio twice a week after hitting the weights or early in the morning before weights? I would like to be at around 180 pounds or so by this summer.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[BEAST]

First welcome to SM.

We have to see your diet break down so we can help you the right way, without that it's all guessing game. But I do say you should take out running if you wanna put some size on to begin with. If you wanna do some light cardio(about 20 mins) twice a week that's fine but you can't get your hearth rate to high.

[Dirk Diggler]

We have to see your diet break down so we can help you the right way, without that it's all guessing game.

Ya, I'm currently trying to tweak that right now.

But I do say you should take out running if you wanna put some size on to begin with. If you wanna do some light cardio(about 20 mins) twice a week that's fine but you can't get your hearth rate to high.

So 20-30 mins on a stationary bike, or some running on the treadmill or around the neighborhood she be ok? What do you think about doing things like burpees, mountain climbers, and wall jumps with a high number of reps for cardio, opposed to just running? I plan to start eating like a fucking horse. As much as possible so I can stack on some pounds. I've gotten some pretty good ideas from other members on this site I think I'll try.

Here's my workout schedule:

Monday - chest (20 mins cardio)
Tuesday - off
Wednesday - back (20 mins cardio)
Thursday - shoulders, biceps, tri's
Friday - legs
Saturday - off
Sunday - off

I'm currently doing periodization training.

Thanks bro!

[BEAST]

It's simple bro. Calories in calories out. Of course for you to gain quality muscle you have to eat quality food but if you are burning more calories a day then what you are taking in you are not going make any gains. There is no way around it.

You should train 5 days on two days off with couple 20 mins of light cardio squeezed in between those days and take out all the burpies, mountain climbers and all the other shit that makes you burn those precious calories you take in every day.

You are 5'7" 165 lbs and you wanna put on 15lbs in next a few months that is not an easy task.

[Dirk Diggler]

Don't think I can pack on 15 pounds by May? I got you on all the cardio shit, I've just had this mentality that if you're eating a shit ton - whether it be healthy or not - you're going to look somewhat over weight without doing some kind of cardio. I'll let you know in a couple months were I'm at.

[BEAST]

There is absolutely no point in eating shit food and gaining ton of shit weight. And guess what after all that you gonna be struggling to loose all that fat because you gonna feel like shit. Take my word for it because I'm already there.

Even if you ate perfect, trained perfect you are lucky to gain 5 pounds of lean quality muscle in next a few months. So if you gonna do it do it right otherwise there is no point of fucking up your body.

[Mr I]

You like to run so no need to stop IMO, 3 miles twice a week shouldn't halt your goals and you keep your mobility

[alwaysgrowing]

You like to run so no need to stop IMO, 3 miles twice a week shouldn't halt your goals and you keep your mobility

I agree with this. Squeeze in an extra meal, or add in some extra calories during the days you do cardio.

Then again, if you are strictly worried about size, beast is dead on.

So it depends with how much extra weight you are okay with carrying (when bulking, you should put on some extra fat even if you are eating clean, just less of it) and how important cardiovascular health is to you.

[BEAST]

You like to run so no need to stop IMO, 3 miles twice a week shouldn't halt your goals and you keep your mobility

He is 5'7" 165lbs hard gainer. I say stop the running until he gets on a proper gaining diet and training regimen gain a couple of pounds of quality muscle and re asses from there. Until then 6 miles a week is to much running for him.

[Dirk Diggler]

Hey thanks for all the replies guys.

There is absolutely no point in eating shit food and gaining ton of shit weight. And guess what after all that you gonna be struggling to loose all that fat because you gonna feel like shit. Take my word for it because I'm already there.

I don't plan on eating shitty food, only healthy. I pretty much eat all healthy foods as it is, just not enough of it. I take a multivitamin and get in my omega-3 as well. I train pretty hard with a couple of friends and hear all the time how much better I look from people at the gym and work, but I wanna take it to the next level. I think I've been putting in 110 percent at the gym, but only getting back 50 percent due to my diet.


I'm gonna cut down on the cardio and eat like a maniac and see how that treats me these next couple of months. Again, thanks for all the replies guys. I'm definitely glad I found this forum because there seems to be a wealth of knowledge on here and people that know what they're talking about.

[Bouncer]

I agree with everything beast said.

[Mr I]

He is 5'7" 165lbs hard gainer. I say stop the running until he gets on a proper gaining diet and training regimen gain a couple of pounds of quality muscle and re asses from there. Until then 6 miles a week is to much running for him.

6 miles a week aint too much for a little guy like that, especially broken into two, or say 4 miles a week broken into two.

Thing is all to many times these runners stop, train weights then after 6 months get pissed off feel muscle bound or too heavy what ever. He likes to run so let him keep that I say. Its not like he's running long distance.

He's about Rado's height and Rado can still run

[Dirk Diggler]

I actually love lifting, more so then running. When I started out lifting in August, I wasn't doing but maybe an hour a week of cardio. I was up to about 170. Then a friend and I joined this cardio class - due to all the women - and I started dropping that weight fast. It's called cardio challenge and let me tell you, it's definitely what the name says. It's some pretty intense shit.

He's about Rado's height and Rado can still run

I've seen this name tossed around the site. How much does he weigh and how much is he running? Just for future reference, when is a good time to start cutting if you wanted to be shredded for the summer time? Say start of May, beginning of June.

[Mr I]

Bah start now bro, do it slow

Rado is a little guy but he's about 210 and solid at times, he made some big claims about his 400m time a while back

[Mr I]

Bah start now bro, do it slow

Rado is a little guy but he's about 210 and solid at times, he made some big claims about his 400m time a while back