Regular cardiovascular exercise provides many health benefits, such as lowering cholesterol, improving bone strength and reducing your risk of heart disease. However, many weightlifters looking to bulk up shy away from such exercise for fear of losing muscle. If your goal is to increase muscle size, cardio can still have a place in your fitness routine.
Problems with Cardio and Muscle Gain
You gain muscle when you're eating more calories than your body burns each day. Not only does cardiovascular exercise burn a high number of calories, your body can start drawing on glycogen in your muscles for energy as you exercise, leading to muscle loss. Too much cardio can slow or stop your progress during bulking, but with shorter periods of cardio, you can still reap the benefits without compromising your muscle.
High Intensity Interval Training
High intensity interval training involves alternating between short spurts of intense physical activity and periods of low to moderate intensity activity. For example, a HIIT session may consist of a five-minute warmup followed by four cycles of a one-minute sprint and four-minute jog. HIIT combines resistance and endurance training to preserve your muscle tissue while still giving your heart a workout.
Cardio Timing
HIIT sessions can take a heavy toll on your energy, and if building muscle is your primary objective, you should perform three cardio sessions per week on days when you're not lifting. If you have to fit resistance training and cardio into the same day, always finish your resistance training first when your body is fresh and energized. Instead of HIIT, do 20 to 30 minutes of low- to moderate-intensity cardio.
Nutrients During Cardio
During cardio exercise, your body will begin drawing on glycogen stores in your muscles for energy if you're not fueling it with food. Half an hour to an hour before your cardio session, have a meal containing an easy-to-digest carbohydrate and protein at a ratio of four to one, suggests Len Kravitz, professor and researcher at the University of New Mexico's College of Education Exercise Science Department. Kravitz also recommends consuming a carbohydrate source within an hour of finishing your workout to replenish glycogen in your muscle tissue.
References
- MayoClinic.com: 7 Benefits of Regular Physical Activity
- Health Services at Columbia; The Skinny on Cardio and Muscle Gains in Men; July 2005
- American Council on Exercise; Is it Better to Do My Cardio Workout Before or After My Strength Training Exercises?; Trish Schwartz
- University of New Mexico; Nutrient Timing -- The New Frontier in Fitness Performance; Ashley Chambers, M.S. and Len Kravitz, Ph.D.;
