There is much debate and controversy on the
subject of doing cardio while building muscle. Once and for all I am
going to set the record straight. So without further adieu, here's the
real deal on doing cardio while trying to gain size and strength...
If you are a beginner who also happens to be a ripped ectomorph who has
to fight for every ounce he gains (e.g. a classic hardgainer), I
suggest that you lay off cardio almost entirely for at least 8-12
weeks. Get your training and diet down and pack on some size. In that
time you should be able to gain at least 15lbs of muscle if not 20+.
After you have done that you can add in some cardio. I would start with
three weekly sessions of twenty minutes of moderate intensity cardio;
no intervals. Use a bike to limit the amount of eccentric stress or
pounding on the joints. And remember there are actually things known as
real bikes that go outside, not just stationary bikes that people park
themselves on to watch Oprah. Although, if you choose that route, get
one with a well padded seat that will not lead to the death of your sex
life.
If you are beyond the beginner level you should always be doing some
kind of cardio on a regular basis, be it intervals, moderate intensity
steady state, or low intensity, long duration steady state. Again,
don't limit yourself to machines indoors; get outside and drag a sled,
run sprints, jump rope or play a sport. That's a lot more fun anyway. I
think everyone should be doing something like this at least three days
per week for at least 30 minutes. It's healthy and prevents a host of
health problems, not to mention that it keeps you in shape and looking
good.
Contrary to what many people believe, cardio can actually be of great
benefit to those looking to get bigger and stronger. Not only does it
improve the cardiovascular system and thus improve the quality of your
weight training workouts but it allows you to eat more muscle building
calories while staying lean. To pack on 20-30 pounds of muscle you have
to eat an inordinate amount of food. Doing some cardio will help ensure
that you don't get fat from all the excessive eating.
The bottom line is that everyone but absolute beginners should be doing
some kind of cardio type activity at least three times per week for
thirty minutes. This will not inhibit size or strength gains in the
least but may actually enhance them. You should vary your activities
and intensities as much as possible. You can do cardio immediately
after you train, although I prefer to do it on non weight training days
or later in the day after training because I am usually too spent after
lifting to give it my all on the cardio. Doing it on off days is
usually a better option anyway because it serves as an active recovery
activity and also gets you burning some calories on those days.
Jason Ferruggia is a world famous fitness expert who is renowned for his ability to help people build muscle as fast as humanly possible. He is the head training adviser for Men’s Fitness Magazine where he also has his own monthly column dedicated to muscle building. For more great muscle building information, please visit http://www.musclegainingsecrets.com/
