Powerlifting/Weightlifting and Cardio

maranarasauce93

I just switched completely to strict powerlifting programming from Crossfit in July, and I noticed that I am gaining a bit of weight, although eating relatively similarly to what I was when I did crossfit. So, I have decided to dedicate 1day a week to cardio training--since I am doing 4 days of powerlifting programming. I was just wondering if other powerlifters out there were adding cardio into their programming and if so, how they were doing so. I just did a 1.9mile run today--first time I've run since doing crossfit and I dead wahh!

TR0berts

I walk 1-2 miles (usually 1.5) almost every weekday at lunch. I just recently re-added some bike work. My schedule is 4-day - upper, lower + light bike, rest, upper, lower, rest, rest. I'm adding a heavier bike session either after my second lower day or my first of the two consecutive rest days.

rybo

Easy runs, cycling, rowing are all options to add to an off day or after one of your lifting sessions. Some places to get good information on this type of training is by googling Alex Viada, Hybrid Athlete, & Complete Human Performance.

SonyaCele

For serious competition training, my PL trainers instruct me specifically not to do steady state cardio like jogging and to do HIIT for cardio type exercise. Or things like tire flipping or sled pulls/pushes.

Willbenchforcupcakes

I only do intentional cardio a handful of times a year. And I ask permission from my coach first. He's never said no, but he has made sure that I keep it light and easy.

Now that being said, I'm up and moving most of the day, typically logging more than 20,000 steps as per my Fitbit.

sarahkw04

My trainer has started incorporating HIIT/circuit warm ups. I hesitate to call them "warm ups" as some of them are pretty intense, but it's been a good way to get some cardio work in before picking up heavy stuff. This morning, for instance, we did 21-15-9 reps of box jumps, push presses, and a quarter mile run before getting into lower body work.

Yesterday was a real treat. 3 circuits of hang cleans, KB swings, burpees, and thrusters, 1 minute each, 15 second rest between, then one minute rest between circuits.