Cardio seems to be one of those things people either overdo or completely ignore once they’re enhanced. I’ve been on both sides of that, and neither works long term. When you’re running compounds, cardio stops being about “burning calories” and starts being about keeping the body running smoothly.
Enhanced or not, your heart doesn’t care how strong your squat is. Blood pressure, resting heart rate, conditioning between sets, and recovery all matter more once bodyweight and food are higher. I’ve noticed my training sessions feel noticeably better when cardio is consistent,pumps are cleaner, rest times feel shorter, and I’m not breathing like I sprinted a mile after leg sets.
For me, low intensity steady state has been the most sustainable. Walking on an incline, stair mill at a controlled pace, light bike stuff that keeps the heart rate up without wrecking legs or interfering with recovery. I want to finish cardio feeling better than when I started, not cooked. When cardio becomes another max effort competition, it usually backfires.
That said, there’s still a place for higher intensity work depending on the phase. Short bursts, sled pushes, or brief intervals can help conditioning if volume is managed. The key is not letting cardio steal from training performance or joint health. Enhanced lifting already puts stress on the system cardio should support it, not compete with it.
One thing I’ve learned is consistency beats creativity here. Same time each day, similar duration, same modality. It becomes routine, not a mental battle. When cardio is predictable, everything else tends to stay more predictable too, appetite, recovery, sleep, and even mood.
Curious how others here approach it. What type of cardio do you prefer while enhanced, and why? Do you adjust intensity based on compounds, or keep it the same year round?
Enhanced or not, your heart doesn’t care how strong your squat is. Blood pressure, resting heart rate, conditioning between sets, and recovery all matter more once bodyweight and food are higher. I’ve noticed my training sessions feel noticeably better when cardio is consistent,pumps are cleaner, rest times feel shorter, and I’m not breathing like I sprinted a mile after leg sets.
For me, low intensity steady state has been the most sustainable. Walking on an incline, stair mill at a controlled pace, light bike stuff that keeps the heart rate up without wrecking legs or interfering with recovery. I want to finish cardio feeling better than when I started, not cooked. When cardio becomes another max effort competition, it usually backfires.
That said, there’s still a place for higher intensity work depending on the phase. Short bursts, sled pushes, or brief intervals can help conditioning if volume is managed. The key is not letting cardio steal from training performance or joint health. Enhanced lifting already puts stress on the system cardio should support it, not compete with it.
One thing I’ve learned is consistency beats creativity here. Same time each day, similar duration, same modality. It becomes routine, not a mental battle. When cardio is predictable, everything else tends to stay more predictable too, appetite, recovery, sleep, and even mood.
Curious how others here approach it. What type of cardio do you prefer while enhanced, and why? Do you adjust intensity based on compounds, or keep it the same year round?