Cardio for muscle gain is always overlooked because people pay more attention to strength training for muscle building. But there is a relation between cardio and muscle gain which we will understand in this article.
Fitness enthusiasts always prioritize strength training over cardio without understanding they need both to get effective results. Cardio helps to burn fat and enhance endurance and overall health. Strength training, on the other hand, is for building strength, enhancing physique and boosting metabolism.
Cardio and muscle gain can co-exist when combined strategically. Cardio can help to enhance overall health and aid in muscle gain. All you have to do is understand how cardio can help you build muscle and how you can integrate it into your exercise routine to support muscle strength.
Understanding cardio and muscle gain
It is essential for you to understand the relationship between cardio and muscle gain so you can balance cardio with strength training to get effective results.
Cardio:
Cardio, also known as cardiovascular exercises, refer to activities that raise your heart rate and increase blood circulation throughout the body. Cardio includes exercises like aerobics. This means it relies on oxygen to fuel the activities for a long time. Some common cardio exercises include running, cycling, swimming, and rowing. Involving yourself in cardio exercises can help you to get numerous health benefits. It helps to improve heart health, enhance lung capacity and aid in weight management because it burns calories which is essential to reduce body weight.
Muscle gain:
Muscle gain, also known as hypertrophy, is the process of increasing muscle mass with the help of resistance training. You will include exercises that challenge your muscles against an external force. The external force could be weightlifting, bodyweight exercises, or resistance bands which help in building muscles. One trains their muscles against an external force with the aim of creating microtears in muscle fibers which then repair and grow stronger and leather during the muscle recovery process. People undergo strength training for various reasons including improvement in strength, metabolism, and overall functional capacity.
Common misconceptions regarding cardio
People often think muscle gain and cardio do not go hand-in-hand, but reality is in fact opposite. One needs to add both cardio and strength training to get effective results. Below we have discussed some of the misconceptions associated with the relation between cardio and muscle gain.
Cardio burns muscle:
People often think that when done excessively cardio can burn muscle leading to muscle loss. But you need to understand that excess of anything is bad. When one does cardio extensively without proper nutrition they might experience catabolism which is muscle breakdown. Ensure to schedule your medium-intensity cardio sessions and take proper nutrition while on the journey of muscle gain.
Cardio only supports fat loss:
Cardio only supports fat loss because it helps to burn calories, yes, right but it also helps in muscle gain. The exercises that come under the umbrella of cardiovascular activities help to improve endurance, enhance recovery, and even help in blood circulation which can aid in muscle gain. Cardio is essential to maintain your overall health.
People also think that cardio won’t help to build muscle. Cardio alone might take time and you won’t see effective results but combining cardio with strength training strategically can help you build muscles.
The science behind cardio and muscle gain
Effectively integrate cardio into your muscle-building regimen by understanding the science behind cardio and muscle gain.
Here are several ways in which cardio can affect your muscle growth:
Caloric expenditure:
Cardio helps to burn calories which can impact muscle gain because for effective results you need to create a calorie surplus. Create a state where you consume more calories than you burn so cardio does not hinder your muscle growth by depriving the body of the necessary energy to build and repair muscle tissues.
Muscle protein synthesis vs. breakdown:
Muscle growth occurs when muscle protein synthesis exceeds muscle protein breakdown. If you indulge in intense cardio it will lead to an increase in MPB, especially if performed without adequate nutrition. Ensure to include cardio in your strength training regimen with proper nutrition which can allow muscle growth.
Fiber type conversion:
Different types of exercise impact different sets of muscles. For instance, strength training helps with the growth of Type II muscle fibers also known as fast-twitch fibers. They are stronger and larger. On the other hand, cardio helps to enhance Type I muscle fibers also called slow-twitch fibers which are less prone to hypertrophy due to them being fatigue-resistant. You can balance both these exercises to get the best results.
Hormonal responses
Cardio and muscle training brings different hormonal responses which are crucial for muscle gain.
Cortisol:
Cortisol is the stress hormone which can be released in the body because of the physical stress. The increase in cortisol levels are normal when they are short-termed but chronically elevated levels can lead to muscle breakdown and hinder recovery. To minimize this effect, ensure to manage cardio intensity and duration which will help in efficient muscle recovery as well.
Testosterone:
Resistance training helps to boost testosterone levels and support muscle gain. However, high-intensity cardio for prolonged periods can lower your testosterone levels. Ensure to have moderate amounts of cardio in your routine and balance both cardio and resistance training.
Growth hormone:
Growth hormone supports both muscle growth and fat metabolism. Though both cardio and strength training can help to increase HGH levels, the effects can vary based on some factors like exercise intensity, duration and individual levels.
Energy expenditure and recovery
Cardio requires energy levels which can influence your overall ability to recover from workouts which is essential for muscle growth.
Energy balance:
If you are incorporating cardio in your muscle gain regimen, ensure to manage the energy levels. You need to create a caloric surplus needed for muscle growth. Ensure to consume more calories than you burn so cardio cannot impact or hinder your muscle growth process,
Glycogen depletion:
High-intensity cardio can deplete muscle glycogen stores which are essential for fueling resistance training sessions. A decrease in glycogen stores can impact your strength workouts leading to reduced performance and impaired muscle growth.
Recovery time:
Cardio helps to add additional time to your recovery process. Once indulge in strength training you need to give rest to your muscles so the tissues can repair and recover themselves. Including cardio sessions can help your body get adequate rest.
Balancing cardio and muscle gain
You need to achieve balance between cardio and muscle gain which requires careful consideration of the type, frequency, duration, and timing of your cardio sessions. Ensure to do it correctly, and maintain a balance between cardio, resistance training, and nutrition.
Choose the right type of cardio:
Cardio includes various activities but when it comes to muscle gain not all cardio is created equally. You need to choose the right cardio for yourself that can have a significant impact on the muscle building process.
You can choose steady-state cardio which involves jogging, cycling, and swimming at a steady pace.
Other activities like sprinting could also be a part of your cardio for muscle gain which comes under high-intensity interval training.
Include low-impact cardio activities like walking, working, or using an elliptical machine. These activities are less stressful on the joints and muscles.
Frequency and duration:
You need to tailor your cardio sessions according to your health goals. If your primary focus is to gain muscle, limit your cardio sessions to 2-3 per week. You can increase the frequency of the sessions according to your specific health needs and goals. For instance, if you want to gain weight along with maintaining cardiovascular health you can increase the frequency of the sessions to 3-4 per week.
The duration will also vary according to your health goal. Include short sessions which lasts for 15-30 minutes which will not hinder your muscle growth process and ensure to perform them at moderate intensity.
Long sessions that last for 30-60 minutes should be done at a lower intensity to avoid excessive fatigue and caloric deficit. These sessions can help you to build endurance, however you need to balance your nutrition along with cardio.
Cardio to enhance muscle gain
If incorporated correctly, cardio can help to enhance muscle gain contributing to better muscle definition.
Improved cardiovascular health:
Cardio helps to improve cardiovascular health by enhancing workout performances because with cardiovascular fitness your body becomes more efficient at delivering oxygen and nutrients to your muscles during strength training.
Your will experience improved stamina which enables you to endure longer and more challenging strength training sessions.
Cardio also helps your body to have adequate recovery time so your muscle tissues can recover and repair themselves.
Increased recovery capacity:
Cardio supports active recovery because low-intensity cardio like walking, swimming, or cycling can help with blood circulation without stressing your muscles. Improved blood circulation can help with oxygen and nutrient transfer to the muscles which aids in the muscle repair process. It also helps to reduce soreness.
Decrease in muscle soreness:
Light cardio can help reduce muscle soreness by keeping your body in motion. Regular movements can prevent stiffness and promote quick recovery.
Muscles are repaired faster through cardio because it results in effective blood circulation which brings more amino acids and other nutrients to your muscles, accelerating the recovery process.
Body fat reduction:
Cardio is an effective tool to burn calories which reduces body fat. This can help you to reveal the muscle definition on which you are working. Reduced body fat helps your muscles to appear more defined and toned.
Cardio, strength training, and proper nutrition can help to prevent lean muscle mass.
Cardio is also attributed to improve metabolism which makes it easy to gain muscle because of the improved nutrient absorption and energy availability for workouts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you do cardio if trying to build muscle?
Ans. Yes, you can do cardio when trying to build muscles because it has its own benefits. It helps to improve cardiovascular health, enhance endurance and improve blood circulation all of which will help your muscles to grow stronger.
Can you do cardio and strength training on the same day?
Ans. Yes, you can add cardio and strength training on the same day. Include a shirt 15-20 minutes cardio sessions before you lift your weights. Incorporating both can help in the muscle-building process along with keeping a check on your cardiovascular health.
Is too much cardio bad for muscle gain?
Ans. Yes, excess cardio sessions could hinder your muscle gain. High-intensity cardio will eventually lead to burning calories whereas you need to create a calorie surplus instead of a deficit to gain muscle.
