Cardio Training - For Any Goals?

 You'll have probably heard something along the lines of 'cardio kills gains'.

 

But is this really true? 

 

Mostly, no it is not true. Some people will tell you it is. Some people will tell you it's not. I will tell you it depends. 

 

Lets look at the physiology. As we all know, to make 'gains', you must resistance train and have enough calories. 

Cardio can burn a lot of calories, which is why it can be so effective for losing weight. And, why it can be tougher to build muscle alongside heavy cardio. 

Muscle building from weight training generally results in increased Type 2 muscle fibres. Type 2 muscle fibres are larger than Type 1 muscle fibres, which are developed with cardio training. So, logically, to build more muscle you want to focus more on the Type 2 fibres.  

 

However, cardio improves our heart, lungs, blood vessels and blood. This improves our bodies ability to deliver oxygen, nutrients, hormones and everything else we need around our bodies. And, if we can get everything to our working muscles more efficiently, we can train harder, lift heavier, recover quicker, and ultimately see more results. Not only this, but cardio also reduces the risk of various diseases, illnesses, and helps maintain a healthy weight. 

 

So, to cardio or not to cardio?

 

Definitely cardio - to a point. If you decide to run a marathon three days a week, then be ready to say goodbye to those gains.  However, a 20 minute jog, circuit training, or HIIT training can be hugely beneficial to our goals! Make sure you still have enough calories to build muscle, and if you want to gain muscle, focus more on resistance training, but never underestimate the power of a good cardio session!