When it comes to cardio, there are perhaps infinitely many different approaches. By all means, people should feel free to do the cardio that pleases them. Perhaps it can be accepted that different athletes will be required to train their energy systems with methodology that specifically prepares them for particular endeavors. However, if a physique athlete is spinning their wheels and not making improvements, it may be time to reevaluate. John Meadows is the author of this article below about cardio, which aims to point physique athletes in the right direction towards improving muscle to fat ratio. While keeping the SAID (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands) principle in mind, some main takeaways from this article include:
-Do cardio in a way that minimizes need for recovery. Avoid taxing the body. Keep it slow and easy.
-Do cardio in a way that compliments resistance training. Think about doing the cardio version of maximal strength training. Keep it fast and torrid.
-The middle ground may potentially be counterproductive in improving muscle to fat ratio.
“Still, when it comes to doing cardio for fat loss, bodybuilders – if they want to preserve their muscle mass – need to take it either slow and easy or fast and torrid. The middle ground can actually make you fatter.”
All in all, this John Meadows article is a great read. There is a lot to learn here so please feel free to check it out as he goes into greater detail and specifics!