Comments on: 1 More CONFIRMED Reason Not To Do Cardio!

By: Jose

Jose — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:45:47 +0000

Hi,

I’ve always known that I shouldn’t do cardio if I’m trying to bulk up. That said, I do 10 minutes of running before my weight training routine to warm up. Is that considered cardio? I do run, so I don’t just “walk fast.” I’ve read that warming your body up is important, but I don’t know what the cutoff for duration/intensity is for it to be considered “cardio.” At the same time, a trainer once told me that 10min isn’t even touching the surface….that cardio needs to be at least 30min to be considered cardio.

confused,

By: Fawaz

Fawaz — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 12:49:50 +0000

Hey Mark,
I’m currently bulking and training for an upcoming physical proficiency test. To get a gold I gotta run 2.4km in less than 9min45s. I’ve been doing HIIT sprints once a week for 3 weeks now, but im wondering.
Is that running part of my routine holding me back from better muscular gains and cardio fitness?

Thanks in advance

By: Justin

Justin — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 04:24:13 +0000

@John A Davis: A day is going to be 24 hours, unless you’re talking about 9pm then 9am.
…so that, according to the study, is sufficient time. I always wait AT LEAST 24 hours after a fairly short cardio session(15-20mins) to do any weight lifting.

By: John A Davis

John A Davis — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 19:48:53 +0000

It looks like the testing exercises covered chest and legs so my deduction is that doing aerobics is not muscle specific when it comes to reducing strength within a certain window (4, 8 hours).

I’m wondering where this strength is at 12 hours? That would be the next day at the same time I worked out (and did cardio if so) the day before.

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:34:48 +0000

@Jimmy C. I always tell people not to stop any enjoyable aspect of their life for the sake of their muscles. Play your football and enjoy it. Just don’t do any additional cardio on top of it. The best tip I can give you is to already have your THT workout done before you play football later in the day.
@T-Dog. These people were doing this aerboic work only for a period of the year, right? Even I recommend aerobic work when people are prioritizing getting cut. The advice in this article is only applicable to bodybuilders on bulking cycles.
Yes, the rare individual can succeed and put on plenty of mass even when doing “cardio”. The question is, would they have gotten there faster without it? I would say “yes” to that. Furthermore, these people really are rare. ‘Genetics’ is a huge issue that most overlook. For these genetic factors, see my post here…
https://musclehack.com/can-we-all-be-as-big-as-arnold-bodybuilding-genetics-explained/

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:26:02 +0000

@Justin. Doing cardio before lifting is a disaster. TSPA definitely does not recommend such a practice.
Cardio first thing before eating in the morning will tap into fat stores because your insulin levels are low, which allows fat to be released from the fat cells. On TSPA, the combination of the correct balance of carbs, fat, and protein, within a caloric deficit means that you’ll be creating this same hormonal environment all the time, thereby tapping into your fat stores all day long! What could be better than that!? 🙂 Thanks for recommending my site.

By: T-Dog

T-Dog — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:12:53 +0000

Mark,

I have been thinking a lot about cardio lately but mainly in connection to the sports of collegiate and freestyle wrestling. Dan Gable used to run a lot. He had a wrestler on his team that he had running 10 miles 2 or 3 times a week right before the NCAA Championships. For that matter, the great boxer Rocky Marciano used to run many miles while in training.

I totally agree with you about cardio. But, I am a bit confused. Did Gable succeed (trained 6 to 7 days a week up to winning the Olympic gold medal) because of his training or “despite” his training. Can a person overtrain? Science would seem to say so. Maybe Gable was something different and special.

Any thoughts?

By: Jimmy C

Jimmy C — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 08:23:36 +0000

Hey Mark, Really get the message about cardio and bulking, Only problem is I just love playing football too much. Oh why do two of the things I love most have to conflict each other! 🙁 Obviously playing football (twice a week for an hour each) will be a hinderance to any gains but is this likely to be detrimental? i.e. Should I choose sections of the year to either play football or weight train and not both? (that would break my heart!). Looking to start a bulking cycle in May love to know your feedback man, as ever thanks.

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 03:48:30 +0000

Nice to have some factual evidence to back up the assertions against cardio when bulking up. A very informative post.

By: Justin

Justin — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 02:49:24 +0000

I saw somewhere that on TSPA you would be doing cardio at the “right” time. Other than adequate time before lifting, I haven’t found a “good” time to do cardio. I have read/heard that doing cardio in the morning or before eating will force your body to use your fat stores for energy. The legitimacy of this…not too sure. It does make a little sense, but I would also think that your body would begin to break down more muscle 1st without enough fuel. I jump rope for about 15-20 minutes about twice a week. I don’t feel like that is going to hinder my gains at all. I continue to progress in my work outs.
Mark, Total Anabolism has helped me tremendously. I have had MULTIPLE people ask me what I do when working out. I just tell them all to come to your site. 😀
Thanks a bunch man

By: mike

mike — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 21:51:36 +0000

Mihai, i was just making a joke. it meant that cardio is a dirty word. I used to do cardio after wieght training and saw absolutley no results of getting bigger. Now i follow Marks routines and diet plan as closley as i can, i see my muscles growing, and my numbers are increasing. and its not just my imagination. Like Mark says TRAIN WITH INTENSITY you will get results. Mike in Wisconsin.

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 21:12:45 +0000

@beguinner 1976. No. It doesn’t sound intense enough to have any negative impact.
@Paul. I would recommend a cutting diet first and foremost. Diet is 90% of fat loss. But it has to be done right so you don’t lose muscle. If you haven’t thought about purchasing Total Six Pack Abs, you should. You need a structured, scientific approach to this.
@Mihai. To get ripped is mostly a matter of diet and weight training. Cardio can and does play a supplementary role though. But can you MAINTAIN that level of body fat with sufficient calories and no cardio? Yes indeed.
@John. Like I say in the article, you should read my other work on this, particularly this article which answers all your questions….
https://musclehack.com/attention-bodybuilders-the-case-against-cardio/
Can I show that strength training has cardiovascular benefits? Surely you jest. Of course it does. Please read that article I linked to. The part on cell metabolism is especially enlightening regarding your query. In actual fact, cardio is an inefficient way to get these benefits. Weight training does the job much better. That’s why aerobics should be called aerobics. Calling it ‘cardio’ makes people think that this type of exercise alone produces any cardiovascular benefits, which is nonsense.
To get really good information on this, I highly recommend a book by Dr. Doug McGuff called, “Body By Science”. High Intensity Weight Training beats everything else.
Do I know any 75 yr old lifters? Plenty. Why not do a quick google or YouTube search to find some. You’ll be in much better shape and health by lifting throughout your life than running all over the place.

By: Mihai

Mihai — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 19:25:29 +0000

@Mike – What do you mean ?

By: John

John — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 19:17:32 +0000

The #1 cause of death in the U.S.A. is cardiovascular disease – mostly stroke and heart attack. Cardio has been proven to reduce the risk of these. Can you show evidence that strength training has? Cause if not, you’re risking early death to get big muscles. Know any 75 year old power lifters? They all seem to die in their 50’s or early 60’s.

By: mike

mike — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:51:56 +0000

cardio is a four letter word trying to trick us by being spelled with six. ya feel me.Mike in Wisconsin

By: Mihai

Mihai — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:32:42 +0000

Can you still look ripped, by doing intense workouts, eating just enough calories to sustain muscle growth, and rest ? Or if you want to get ripped you have to do some cardio ?

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:20:34 +0000

Hi Mark,

Firstly, you training methods have helped me no end over the past 12 months, so thank you! Question – I have some fat around my lower abdomen which I am trying to remove, would you recommend HIIT rather than cardio to burn this. I am hearing that much info, much of it contradicting each other I am not sure where to go! Just so you know I eat very controlled during the week and more liberally on weekends with a few beers thrown in.

Thanks mate

Paul

By: Alex "Dude Where's My Muscle" Siddy

Alex "Dude Where's My Muscle" Siddy — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:11:32 +0000

I couldn’t agree more. I stay far away from cardio during a bulking cycle. Nice to have some additional proof to help support this argument, which I was sold to me a long time ago.

By: beguinner 1976

beguinner 1976 — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:52:40 +0000

Dear Mark,

Besides lifting, I also swim 2 x week. I do it because I really like it, it helps me with stress and to sleep better. Do you think it can really damagem my hypertrophy training?

By: sabry

sabry — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:29:44 +0000

Thanks Mike.

By: ian

ian — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:16:12 +0000

hi on cardio in general, since when have humans beings neede to run/swim/crosstrain, for marathons etc, we are a species of evolved ape that basically wants to sit around, eat, sleep, play a bit (have sex) and then sleep and eat again. i suppose the idea is we are ‘healthier’ if we run etc loads, but is that really true, what is the evidence that doing tons of cardio actually decreases the death rate in millions of people in any nation?

what one should do is High intensity cardio, that is if on your cross trainer, do a very easy walking pace and then do a minute of high speed, do intervals like that for about 20-30 mins twice or so a week, thats the way to strenghthen your heart, if marathon runners/long distance etc cardio performers are so healthy why do they seem to break down so easily,

To build muscle you have to train intensely for a short period, eat enough fuel to repair the damage and then build new flesh, within an appropriate rest period that will vary from person to person dependent on numerous factors

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:05:43 +0000

@Sabry. This article is about doing cardio when on a bulking cycle. Cardio IS recommended when cutting, as in TSPA. I’m assuming you mean HIIT when you said HIT? So yes, you’re doing fine as you are.
@Josh. Yes. Walk your dog, live your life, climb a tree, lol. Just don’t go adding intense cardio when bulking in a futile attempt to cut fat.

By: sabry

sabry — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:00:24 +0000

Mike… I m in a TSPA program. Currently into HIT twice a week and I am planning to increase it to trice per week.. Should I do the increase to 3, or should i stick to 2 HIT per week or should I drop the HIT from my schedule?

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:58:12 +0000

Heard loud and clear! I remember you said in another article that it doesn’t mean you can’t go for a walk and stuff like that. Is that still the case?