You train like a bodybuilder because you want to look like a bodybuilder, right? You would train like a powerlifter if your goals were numerical based and involved the major lifts. You would train like a ballerina if your goal was to be the best man in tights on his toes. Your training reflects your goals. It’s always been this way for good athletes. Sure, some beginner trainers may erroneously train like powerlifters when their goal is to gain muscle, but it’s a mistake that is usually quickly rectified.
 
Just as with weight training, the type of cardiovascular training you use should reflect the goals you have in the gym. If you are a powerlifter, then you will want to use cardiovascular training that would keep your body weight low (in order to make weight) and would allow you the stamina to complete very heavy lifts for just a few repetitions. Short and intense bursts would be needed form the lungs, and you would use sprints and other maximum intensity cardio techniques to become proficient in this area.

Today’s discussion will revolve around cardiovascular techniques and exercise selection which most benefit the bodybuilder. The goal would be a reduction of body fat, an elevation of the metabolism, and an overall ability to maintain muscle while getting leaner. You wouldn’t be all that concerned with your distance or speed or any other benchmarks in terms of numbers read on that machine. Rather, you would use the mirror as your indicator for success or failure. Let’s examine a few of the factors that come into play when setting up a bodybuilding cardiovascular exercise plan.
 
Exercise selection
The most effective exercise for bodybuilding cardio is – surprise – plain old walking! Beyond that, any low-grade, simple movement, including the elliptical, stationary bike, and stair-stepper would be beneficial for bodybuilders. Walking or running outdoors or on a track could be very detrimental to the knee joint, which already takes a beating from the heavy weights you move on leg day. Keep your cardio indoors whenever possible.

Pace
The top bodybuilders in the world do not train with a great deal of intensity when they’re knocking out the cardio. The top athletes in the world, however, use a great deal of intensity. You burn a lot of muscle when your legs are moving quickly during cardiovascular training. You tend to burn fewer calories, but burn up a lot more body fat, when you are using low-speed training. This would most benefit bodybuilders. Keep the pace for walking at a moderate 3.5 mph or so. Running at 5 or 6 mph will only cost you hard earned muscle.
 
Duration
If you have ever watched the DVDs of top bodybuilders, you will notice that many of them will turn on SportsCenter and just plug away slowly for an hour. This allows them to use the aforementioned slow pace needed to keep muscle. However, the drawback is that you will need to train longer. Expect to spend 45 to 60 minutes on your slow-paced cardio exercise as a show approaches if you want to shed fat and keep muscle.

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