Elite Physique
Dan Kennedy
Educated at the University of Western Ontario, Dan employs his degree in Kinesiology as the foundation of his personal training business Elite Physique. He’s also a National level bodybuilder and judge. Dan’s earned a reputation for his knowledge and his tell-it-like-it-is approach to performance enhancement!
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Off-Season Cardio Question
Q: What are your thoughts on performing cardio training in the off-season? Is it going overboard?
A: I like it—if kept within reason. For the less-muscled athlete (bikini and physique), cardio should be part of the daily workout routine. As CrossFit-types of workouts are common in this group, fitting cardio in shouldn’t be a problem. Athletes who are focused on maximizing muscle gains should limit the amount of cardio they perform. I really see no problem with doing a few sessions each week, but doing too much will be counterproductive when it comes time to cut up. For example, if you’re doing 45 minutes of cardio five days a week, where do you go? One hour? Seven days? Who the hell has time for that? We like to keep cardio to a minimum and manipulate food choices and intake to keep body fat at acceptable levels. Cardio is also a good option for offseason athletes when their hunger levels have stalled. Nothing is worse than forcing down chicken breast after chicken breast.
Throw in some cardio, and I’m certain you’ll get a boost in your appetite. Another reason I have my athletes do cardio is if their conditioning level is affecting their workouts. We think the best approach to putting on mass is to keep rest between sets down so that a maximum pump is attained. If our clients get out of breath and can’t keep or get a pump because they need to rest too long between sets, then cardio will be added. Cardio does have an advantage in the off-season, but only if used strategically.
To read more about the Do's and Don't of a successful off-season, click here!
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