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There is a common belief in the fitness community that cardio inhibits muscle growth. However, the evidence is mixed, with some studies showing that cardio can be beneficial for muscle growth and others showing that it can impede it. The key factors that determine whether cardio will help or hinder muscle gain include the type of cardio, the duration and intensity, the frequency, the timing in relation to strength training, and the individual's nutrition and overall workout routine. While cardio can be an excellent way to improve endurance and heart health, it is important to find a balance between cardio and weight training to optimize muscle growth.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Can cardio cause muscle gain? | Research is inconclusive, but some evidence suggests that cardio can cause muscle gain. |
| Recommended cardio frequency | 2-3 times per week |
| Recommended cardio duration | 15-30 minutes per session |
| Heart rate recommendation | 100-120 beats per minute |
| Cardio and resistance training | Spacing out cardio and resistance training by at least 6 hours is ideal. Doing cardio and resistance training in the same session may impair muscle growth. |
| Cardio and muscle gain | Excessive cardio may prevent muscle gain by depleting the resources required for muscle growth, such as nutrition and recovery time. |
| Cardio and health benefits | Cardio is essential for cardiorespiratory fitness and can reduce the risk of death from any cause by 11-17%. |
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What You'll Learn
Cardio and muscle gain: Separating fact from fiction
Cardio and muscle gain have long been thought of as incompatible bedfellows in the world of fitness. The idea that cardio kills muscle gains is a common belief in the fitness community, but is it fact or fiction?
The Evidence
There is conflicting evidence on the impact of cardio on muscle growth. Some studies suggest that cardio can impede muscular adaptations to strength training, while others claim that it does not interfere with muscle growth and may even enhance it. A 2012 meta-analysis showed that combining cardio and lifting impairs muscle growth and strength gains. However, the latest meta-analysis found that cardio didn't interfere with muscle growth at all, and some people even noticed the opposite effect.
Expert Opinion
Exercise science experts dispute the myth that cardio kills muscle gains. They argue that both cardio and resistance training are essential for optimal health and that the health benefits outweigh any potential negatives. Samantha Coogan, a registered dietitian nutritionist, explains that cardio is crucial for cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiometabolic function. She adds that aerobic activity increases blood flow, improves muscle endurance, and enhances muscle protein synthesis, which plays a vital role in the body's response to resistance training.
Tips for Combining Cardio and Muscle Building
- Space out your workouts: It is recommended to separate cardio and resistance training by at least six hours, with 24 hours being ideal.
- Prioritize your goals: If muscle growth is your priority, perform resistance training before cardio.
- Fuel correctly: Ensure you are consuming enough calories and the right nutrients to support muscle growth.
- Choose low-impact cardio: Opt for low-impact cardio exercises such as cycling, swimming, or walking, which provide cardiovascular benefits without causing excessive stress on your joints and muscles.
- Monitor your heart rate: Keep your heart rate between 100 and 120 beats per minute during cardio to avoid compromising your recovery.
- Balance your routine: Find a balance between cardio and weight training to improve cardiovascular endurance without sacrificing muscle gains.
In conclusion, while there is conflicting evidence on the impact of cardio on muscle gain, it is possible to successfully combine the two without inhibiting gains. By following the tips outlined above, you can incorporate cardio into your routine and potentially enhance your overall fitness and health.
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The pros and cons of concurrent training
Concurrent training, or doing cardio and weight training together, has been a controversial topic in the fitness community. Some believe that cardio inhibits muscle growth, while others argue that it does not. So, what are the pros and cons of concurrent training?
Pros
Concurrent training offers a way to get a full-body workout in a short time. It has been shown to increase fat loss compared to resistance training alone, making it ideal for those seeking fat loss and general conditioning. Additionally, it improves cardiovascular fitness and cardiometabolic function, which are essential for overall health and exercise performance. Research suggests that aerobic activity helps increase blood flow, improve muscle endurance, and enhance muscle protein synthesis, leading to increased muscle size and fibre size.
Cons
The primary concern with concurrent training is its potential to hinder muscle growth and strength gains. The AMPK metabolic pathway, activated during cardio, can downregulate the mTOR pathway, which promotes muscle growth. This interference in molecular pathways may result in a compromise in adaptation, known as the "Concurrent Training Effect" (CTE). However, the impact of CTE varies, with some individuals experiencing negative effects on strength adaptations, while others achieve significant gains.
Furthermore, the high volume and intensity of concurrent training can lead to fatigue, making it challenging to maintain the intensity required for optimal muscle growth. The recovery period between workouts may also be affected, compromising overall progress.
In conclusion, while concurrent training has its benefits, it is essential to be mindful of its potential drawbacks. To mitigate these, individuals can space out their workouts, prioritize exercise types based on their goals, and ensure proper nutrition to support muscle growth and recovery.
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How to balance cardio and weight training
Cardio and weight training can be combined in several ways to achieve a balanced workout routine. Here are some tips to help you balance the two:
Understand the Benefits of Each
Cardio, or aerobic exercise, focuses on elevating the heart rate and keeping it elevated for an extended period. It improves cardiorespiratory fitness, cardiometabolic function, and overall heart health. Cardio also increases blood flow to internal organs, improving the function, strength, and efficiency of the lungs and heart.
Weight training, or resistance training, on the other hand, involves challenging the muscles with sufficient weight and repetitions to induce muscle fatigue and growth. It improves bone density, balance, and resting metabolic rate, helping you burn more calories even at rest.
Space Out Your Workouts
When combining cardio and weight training, it is recommended to space out your workouts. Avoid performing them back-to-back, and instead, allow at least six hours between sessions. Ideally, you should aim for a 24-hour gap to give your body time to recover.
Prioritize Based on Your Goals
If your primary goal is to increase strength or muscle size, prioritize weight training before cardio. If you're aiming for muscle hypertrophy, keep your cardio sessions under 90 minutes to avoid increased protein breakdown.
Manage Intensity and Duration
The intensity and duration of your workouts will depend on your fitness level and goals. You can increase the intensity of your cardio workouts by going for a longer duration, increasing resistance, or raising the incline. For strength training, gradually increase the weight, which may require reducing the number of repetitions initially.
Include Warm-ups and Cooldowns
While the research is inconclusive, incorporating warm-ups and cooldowns can help activate your body before aerobic exercise and gradually bring down your heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure post-workout.
Listen to Your Body
Ensure you get adequate rest and recovery time. Listen to your body, and if you feel tired, adapt your workout or take an extra day off. It's essential to give your body time to recover and rebuild between workouts to maximize muscle growth.
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The role of nutrition in muscle gain with cardio
Cardio and resistance training are both essential for optimal health. While cardio may not directly cause muscle gain, it can help the process in several ways. For example, aerobic activity increases blood flow, improves muscle endurance, and enhances muscle protein synthesis.
However, doing cardio too frequently, intensely, or for too long can hinder muscle gain by compromising recovery. This is because cardio and strength training draw on the same resources required to build muscle. Therefore, it is important to space out cardio and resistance training sessions, with a gap of at least six hours, and ideally 24 hours.
Nutrition plays a vital role in muscle gain, especially when combined with a cardio and resistance training programme. A well-balanced diet that includes healthy carbohydrates, fats, and sufficient calories is essential. Protein is particularly important, as it is the building block of muscle. Leucine, an amino acid found in eggs, is important for building muscle and managing blood sugar levels. Other good sources of protein include salmon, chickpeas, peanuts, and various types of meat.
Supplements such as creatine and protein powders can also support muscle gain when combined with a good diet and exercise programme. However, it is important to ensure that your diet and exercise regimens are adequate before considering supplements.
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Low-impact cardio options for muscle gain
Cardio and resistance training are both essential for optimal health, and the health benefits they bring are more significant than any possible negatives when it comes to your performance-specific goals. While cardio may not be necessary for muscle growth, it also shouldn't prevent hypertrophy (muscle growth) or cause you to lose the muscle you have.
However, performing cardio too frequently, too intensely, or for too long can certainly prevent you from gaining muscle from your strength training workouts. This is because you draw on the same resources that you need to build muscle, such as good nutrition, rest, and recovery time. Therefore, it is recommended to do a form of cardio that has the ability to enhance your muscle-building phase.
- Swimming incorporates elements of cardio, strength, and flexibility. The buoyancy of the water reduces stress on your body by supporting your weight. A basic freestyle stroke engages muscles throughout your upper and lower body, especially your shoulders, triceps, pecs, and quads.
- Skating provides a counter-stimulus to the muscles and joints of your lower body, which most often move in the front-to-back, or sagittal plane. It is a great way to work your glutes, hip abductors, and inner thighs.
- Cycling is a great low-impact cardio option that can be done both outdoors and indoors, on a stationary bike.
- Walking is another simple yet effective low-impact cardio option.
- Rowing is a low-impact way to get your heart rate up.
- Climbing stairs is another effective cardio exercise that can burn calories, upwards of almost 700 calories per hour when clearing 77 steps per minute.
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Frequently asked questions
It depends. Cardio can be beneficial for muscle growth when performed correctly. However, doing too much cardio can negatively impact your gains.
Cardio sessions that exceed three times per week and 20-30 minutes per session are not recommended. If you are an athlete and need to perform cardio for longer durations, it may slightly slow down muscle growth, but the endurance gains are worth it.
You can do low-impact cardio such as cycling, swimming, or walking, which will improve your cardiovascular health without causing too much stress on your joints and muscles. It is also important to space out your cardio and resistance training sessions by at least six hours, with 24 hours being ideal.
