Cardio Conundrum: Debunking the Myth of Cutting Out Cardio While Bulking

AvatarByGenny Wilkinson Priest

Are you planning to bulk up and achieve your desired muscle mass? Congratulations on taking your fitness journey to the next level! But perhaps you’re wondering, “Should I still do cardio when bulking?” This question has been a highly debated topic in the fitness world, with some arguing that cardio can hinder muscle growth while others claim it’s essential for overall health. With so much conflicting information, it can be overwhelming to know what’s best for your body. In this article, we’ll dive into the science behind cardio and bulking, and provide an answer to this burning question once and for all. So grab your protein shake and let’s get started.

The Importance of Cardio During a Bulking Phase

During a bulking phase, the main goal is to gain muscle mass and size. Many people believe that cardio should be avoided during this time in order to prevent any potential interference with building muscle. However, incorporating cardiovascular exercise into your bulking routine can actually have numerous benefits.

First and foremost, maintaining cardiovascular fitness is important for overall health and well-being. Regular cardio can improve heart health, decrease the risk of chronic diseases, and increase overall endurance and stamina. Even during a bulking phase where the focus is on gaining muscle, it is still crucial to prioritize overall health.

In addition, incorporating cardio into your bulking routine can actually enhance your muscle-building efforts. Cardiovascular exercise improves blood flow throughout the body, aiding in delivering necessary nutrients and oxygen to muscles. This can result in better pumps and faster recovery times between training sessions. Furthermore, regular cardio can help improve your stamina and endurance during weightlifting workouts, allowing you to push through more reps or heavier weights.

It is also important to note that weight gain during a bulking phase can often be accompanied by an increase in body fat. While some amount of body fat gain may be inevitable when trying to build muscle, incorporating cardio into your routine can help keep excess body fat in check. Cardio helps burn additional calories, allowing you to maintain a caloric surplus while also preventing excessive body fat gain.

The Best Types of Cardio for Bulking

When it comes to choosing the best type of cardio for your bulking phase, there are a few key factors to consider:

– Low-impact: High-intensity forms of cardio such as sprints or HIIT may be too taxing on the body while trying to build muscle. Stick to low-impact forms of cardio such as cycling or swimming.
– Moderate intensity: While high-intensity forms may be too difficult, it is still important to maintain a moderate intensity in order to reap the benefits of cardiovascular exercise. Aim for a heart rate of about 120-140 beats per minute.
– Time-efficient: During a bulking phase, your main focus should be on weightlifting and building muscle. Therefore, it is important to choose forms of cardio that don’t take up too much time. Aim for 20-30 minutes, 2-3 times per week.

Based on these factors, some of the best types of cardio for bulking include:

– Low-intensity steady state (LISS) cardio such as walking, jogging on a treadmill, or cycling at a moderate pace.
– Swimming or water aerobics can provide a low-impact yet efficient form of cardio.
– Cycling, either outdoors or on a stationary bike, is another great option for maintaining cardiovascular fitness during a bulk.

In addition to these traditional forms of cardio, incorporating some form of metabolic conditioning can also be beneficial for both building muscle and maintaining cardiovascular health. This includes exercises such as kettlebell swings, battle ropes, or circuit training with weights and bodyweight movements.

Tips for Incorporating Cardio into Your Bulking Routine

Now that you understand the importance of incorporating cardio into your bulking routine and which types may be best suited for this phase, here are some tips to help you effectively implement this into your workout schedule:

1. Prioritize weightlifting: Remember that during a bulking phase, your main focus should still be on lifting weights and building muscle. Make sure to schedule your weightlifting workouts first and then plan your cardio sessions around them.

2. Start slow: If you’re not used to incorporating cardio into your routine, start slow and gradually increase both the duration and intensity over time. This will prevent excessive fatigue or potential injuries.

3. Mix it up: Avoid getting bored by incorporating different forms of cardio throughout the week. For example, you can do a shorter LISS session on the treadmill one day and switch to a swimming session the next. This will also prevent overuse injuries from doing the same type of cardio repeatedly.

4. Consider fasted cardio: Some individuals find that doing their cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach can help optimize fat burning while still maintaining muscle mass. However, this is not necessary and may not work for everyone.

5. Be mindful of nutrition: While doing regular cardio during a bulking phase, it is important to make sure you are still consuming enough calories to support muscle growth. Be mindful of your nutrition and adjust your caloric intake if necessary to ensure you are in a slight caloric surplus.

In short, there is no reason to completely cut out cardio during a bulking phase. Cardio has numerous benefits, including improving overall health, enhancing muscle-building efforts, and preventing excessive fat gain. The key is to choose appropriate forms of cardio that don’t interfere with your weightlifting workouts and to be mindful of your nutrition in order to support both muscle growth and cardiovascular fitness. Incorporating these tips into your bulking routine can help you achieve optimal results both in terms of building muscle mass

Bulking Process Breakdown: An Overview

Bulking is a key aspect of bodybuilding that involves increasing muscle mass while minimizing body fat. It is a necessary step in achieving the muscular and toned physique that many athletes and fitness enthusiasts strive for. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced lifter, understanding the bulking process is crucial for achieving your desired results.

The bulking process can be broken down into three main phases: the calorie surplus, progressive overload, and recovery. Each phase plays a critical role in building muscle mass and ensuring that you see significant gains during your bulk. Let’s take a closer look at each phase to gain a better understanding of the bulking process.

Calorie Surplus: The Foundation of Bulking

The first phase of bulking is creating a calorie surplus. This simply means consuming more calories than your body needs to maintain its weight. The extra calories provide the fuel your body needs to build muscle tissue. The general rule of thumb is to consume 500-1000 extra calories per day above your maintenance level. This may vary depending on your body type, metabolism, and training intensity.

It’s important to note that not all calories are created equal when it comes to bulking. In order to see optimal muscle growth, it’s essential to focus on consuming nutrient-dense foods rather than empty calories from processed or junk foods. A balanced diet consisting of lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats will provide your body with the nutrients it needs for efficient muscle growth.

Progressive Overload: The Key to Muscle Growth

The second phase of bulking is progressive overload. This involves consistently pushing your muscles beyond their current capabilities through resistance training. As you lift weights, your muscles are forced to adapt and grow in order to handle the increased workload. This is known as muscular hypertrophy, and it is the key to building muscle mass.

In order to ensure progressive overload, it’s important to regularly increase the weight, sets, and reps of your exercises. This will keep your muscles challenged and prevent them from plateauing. It’s also recommended to change up your workout routine every 4-6 weeks to prevent your muscles from becoming too accustomed to a certain routine.

Recovery: The Time for Muscle Repair and Growth

The final phase of bulking is recovery. This is often the most overlooked aspect of training, but it is crucial for optimal muscle growth. During recovery, your muscles repair and rebuild themselves, resulting in larger and stronger muscles. If you do not allow enough time for recovery, you risk overtraining and hindering your muscle growth.

Proper recovery includes rest days in between workouts, getting enough quality sleep each night, and consuming enough protein to support muscle repair. It’s also important to listen to your body and give yourself extra rest days if you feel fatigued or sore.

The Role of Cardio During Bulking

Now that we have a better understanding of the bulking process, let’s address the question at hand – should you still do cardio when bulking? As with most things in fitness, the answer depends on your individual goals and preferences.

Firstly, let’s debunk the myth that cardio will hinder your muscle gains during a bulk. While excessive cardio can impact your ability to gain muscle mass by increasing your calorie expenditure, moderate amounts of cardio can actually be beneficial for bulking. Cardiovascular exercise helps improve heart health, increase endurance, and can even aid in muscle recovery by promoting blood flow.

That being said, incorporating too much cardio into your bulking routine can be counterproductive. As mentioned before, a calorie surplus is essential for gaining muscle mass during a bulk. If you are burning too many calories through excessive cardio, you may not be in a caloric surplus and could potentially hinder your muscle growth.

How Much Cardio is Appropriate During Bulking?

As a general guideline, it’s recommended to do 20-30 minutes of low-intensity steady-state (LISS) cardio 2-3 times a week during a bulk. This can include activities like walking, cycling, or jogging. This moderate amount of cardio will still provide cardiovascular benefits without impacting your calorie surplus.

Alternatively, if you are someone who enjoys higher intensity cardio or participates in sports that require more cardiovascular endurance, you can incorporate 1-2 sessions of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) per week during your bulk. However, it’s important to make sure you compensate for the extra calorie burn by increasing your food intake or reducing the duration/intensity of your HIIT sessions.

The Benefits of Cardio During Bulking

Aside from maintaining overall health and cardiovascular fitness, incorporating moderate amounts of cardio into your bulking routine can bring additional benefits. These include:

– Improved recovery: As mentioned before, cardiovascular exercise promotes blood flow throughout the body which can help deliver important nutrients and oxygen to the muscles for faster repair and recovery.
– Better endurance:

1. Is it necessary to continue doing cardio while bulking?
Yes, incorporating some form of cardio exercise into your bulking routine can have numerous benefits for your overall health and physique.

2. Can I lose muscle if I do cardio while bulking?
No, as long as you are consuming enough calories and protein to support muscle growth and recovery, incorporating cardio into your routine will not cause you to lose muscle mass.

3. How often should I do cardio when bulking?
The frequency of your cardio sessions when bulking may vary depending on your individual goals and preferences. However, it is generally recommended to aim for at least 2-3 sessions per week, with a duration of 20-30 minutes each.

4. What type of cardio is best when trying to bulk up?
Low-intensity steady state (LISS) cardio is typically recommended when trying to bulk up, as it helps improve cardiovascular health without interfering with muscle growth.

5. Can excessive cardio hinder muscle growth while bulking?
Yes, excessive amounts of high-intensity or long duration cardio can interfere with the body’s ability to recover from weight training and may negatively impact muscle growth.

6.What are the benefits of incorporating cardio into my bulking routine?
Cardio can help improve cardiovascular health, increase endurance and stamina for weightlifting, promote recovery by increasing blood flow and flushing out lactic acid build-up in muscles, and aid in maintaining a healthy body composition during the bulking process.

In conclusion, the question of whether one should still do cardio when bulking is a highly debated topic in the fitness world. While there is no one-size-fits-all answer, it ultimately depends on an individual’s specific goals and their body’s response to different training methods.

From our discussion, it is clear that incorporating cardio exercises into a bulking routine can have both benefits and drawbacks. On one hand, it can help maintain cardiovascular health, improve endurance and aid in fat loss. On the other hand, excessive cardio can interfere with muscle growth and hinder progress in weight gain.

Therefore, it is important to strike a balance between strength training and cardio during a bulking phase. This can be achieved by adapting a customized workout plan that suits an individual’s needs and goals. It is also essential to listen to your body and make adjustments accordingly.

Moreover, nutrition plays a crucial role in optimizing the results of both bulking and cutting phases. Consuming adequate protein and calories along with proper rest and recovery are essential for building lean muscle mass while minimizing fat gain.

Ultimately, whether or not to include cardio when bulking should be based on an individual’s preferences, goals, and fitness level. It is important to understand that the ideal approach may differ for each person, and there

Author Profile

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Genny Wilkinson Priest
Genny Wilkinson Priest began her journey into Ashtanga yoga in 2000 while working as a journalist in her native New York City. Initially drawn to the practice for its physical benefits, Genny soon discovered the profound mental advantages, especially during the challenging period following the 9/11 terror attacks.

Which she covered as a journalist for Reuters. Her professional career took her to Singapore, where she wrote for Time Magazine, and then to Paris, before she finally settled in London.

As her family expanded to include four boys, Genny decided to leave full-time journalism to immerse herself in yoga studies. She achieved certification as a Shri K Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute Authorised Level 1 teacher, a British Wheel of Yoga teacher, and a Yoga Alliance-certified teacher.Genny’s passion for yoga philosophy led her to pursue a Master’s Degree in the Traditions of Yoga and Meditation at SOAS in London.

From 2024, Genny Wilkinson Priest has started writing an informative blog on the “Niche Name” niche. She writes informative posts and answers queries on topics that people seek in the niche. This transition marks a significant shift from her previous focus on journalism and traditional media to a more interactive and digital form of communication.

Genny’s blog aims to provide valuable information and foster a community of yoga enthusiasts who can learn and grow together. Her extensive background in both journalism and yoga practice ensures that her content is both authoritative and engaging.