In this article we'll cover how cardio should be done in conjunction with your JRF workout program. 

Cardio is a useful tool for burning calories. There are also a host of benefits of cardiovascular exercise. They include: improved heart health, increased metabolism, improved hormonal profile, and improved recovery ability. So with these benefits in mind cardio is never not recommended, it's just understanding to what extent it's recommend and how these recommendations correlate to you and your goal. This article is divided into sections in order to make it easier to understand. 

You first need to understand what it is your objective is; are you doing cardio in order to improve/maintain your general health? Or are you using cardio as a direct weight loss tool? Another point to consider is; are you cutting - focusing on weight loss, or bulking - focusing on building lean muscle mass? 

- You should know by now that in order to lose weight you need to be in a calorie deficit. So let's assume you're in enough of a calorie deficit by way of diet and weight training alone that you do not need to do cardio to induce further weight loss. But you want to do cardio to help improve/maintain your general health. This is absolutely fine, just keep in mind the cardio does not need to be as intense as it would be if weight loss was the goal of your additional cardio sessions.

JRF Cardio Recommendation: Although weight loss is the goal if you're cutting, it's not why you're including cardio - in this scenario. However, be aware that this additional cardio will induce further weight loss as you're essentially increasing your calorie deficit. Keep cardio sessions at a low-mild intensity and do no more than 1-3 sessions per week. 

- In this scenario your goal is bulking, however the objective of the additional cardio is still general health related. Remember, regardless of how much cardio you're doing you're still going to be expending energy - or burning calories. But because general health is the goal of your additional cardio and you're in a calorie surplus - bulking, it is probably not going to be enough to worry about the calories you will be burning as a result of this additional cardio. 

JRF Cardio recommendation: Keep cardio sessions at a low-mild intensity and do no more than 1-3 sessions per week. Anymore than this and you should ideally be increasing your calories to compensate for the additional cardio. 

- This scenario is the most straight forward. You're wanting to use cardio as a tool to burn more calories. Whether it be in addition to a weights based program or not, the recommendations are as follows. 

JRF Cardio recommendation: Begin by doing 2-3 sessions per week as you can always increase as needed. Do no more than 6 sessions per week as you should always have at least 1 true rest day per week. Mix sessions up between low intensity sustained state(LISS), moderately intensity sustained state(MISS) and high intensity interval training(HIIT), as doing too much HIIT in conjunction with a weights based training program can be very taxing on your central nervous system(CNS).

- If you're bulking you shouldn't be looking to use cardio as a weight loss tool, after all, your goal is to consume enough calories to be in a calorie surplus, not burn all the calories you're trying to consume. However, there is one exception, and that is if you have such an appetite you're basically using the cardio to control your weight as opposed to eating less. For most this won't be worth it, but for some the additional calories will be worth doing the extra cardio.

JRF Cardio recommendation: No cardio. However, if you're the exception to the rule only do what you need to burn off the extra calories you're choosing to consume. In reality you shouldn't be doing more than 3-5 sessions per week, as that is a lot of unnecessary work when you could simply consume less calories. 

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