Energy balance
Fasted cardiovascular exercise is commonly recommended by bodybuilding coaches (67%), primarily to synergize with fat-burning supplements like yohimbine and clenbuterol, despite systematic reviews showing no superiority over fed cardio for fat loss in general populations.
Bodybuilding coaches frequently prescribe fasted cardio (67% of respondents) not because it burns more fat than fed cardio, but to allow the use of fat-burning supplements like yohimbine or clenbuterol. If you are not using these specific supplements, fasted cardio offers no fat-loss advantage over fed cardio. Focus on total weekly energy expenditure and recovery.
Approximately 67% of participant coaches reported utilizing fasted cardiovascular exercise with their athletes. Common reasons for using fasted cardiovascular exercise included the concurrent use of fat-burning supplements as well as the athlete’s preferred time of day to complete cardiovascular exercise.
Why this rating
The practice is based on coach preference and supplement synergy, not direct evidence of superior fat loss in bodybuilders.
Source
Bodybuilding Coaching Strategies Meet Evidence-Based Recommendations: A Qualitative Approach
Alexa Rukstela et al. · Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology · 2023
DOI 10.3390/jfmk8020084
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