The impetus is to figure out whether stacking 60-90 minutes a week of running on top of 3-4 lifting workouts, 1-2 conditioning workouts (bodyweight circuit, kb swings or sled drag) and daily walking will contribute in any meaningful way toward the goal of increasing muscle mass. I’m leaning towards probably not.
I use running as an example because I’m not driving to the gym just to use a cardio machine.
Good idea. I’ll have to make use of this method
I agree.
Pwn has some great stuff, and the results to prove it. I’d look more in that direction than toward steady state cardio.
I do appreciate that sentiment. It’s worth appreciating that periodization is a recurring them in my training/life, and I DO have blocks where sustained long, slow distance cardio regularly features. It has benefits that can’t be obtained elsewhere, which the author of “Tactical Barbell” goes into great detail to discuss.
…BUUUUT…that style of training just does not resonate with me in the slightest, so I don’t do it unless I have to…which is why I sign up for half marathons, haha.
For my $0.02, I don’t know how much improving your cardio will increase your muscle mass, but regressing your cardio will hurt your ability to build muscle. Good cardio fitness improves your ability to handle volume within a session and your ability to recovery between sessions. Not to mention you get to eat a little more, key to hypertrophy, without being a slob.
The smart folks have spoken on methods, but I do think there’s a place for, at minimum, maintaining cardiovascular fitness in all training blocks. Similar to having an indicator exercise when dieting (so we can assure ourselves we aren’t losing muscle), it’s probably wise to have a performance goal as a North Star for your cardio. As an example, say you run a mile in 7 minutes, that lets you just do the minimum running you need to do each week to hold that without having to think about it too much.
I agree with all this. A few years back I was a bit lazy with doing cardio. I started finding high reps on everything hard, especially on squats and deadlifts, and I was needing longer rest periods. Being in decent shape, and it’s a fairly low level required, will definitely help with being able to do the work required to increase muscle mass.