Cardio while bulking? If any, how much?

salisburyalex
salisburyalex Posts: 35 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Personally I really enjoy my cardio sessions and find them to be rather therapeutic. This is my first ever bulk after cutting weight for a few years. Do you guys/girls keep your cardio routines consistent during a bulk? Any information is appreciated.
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Replies

  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,088 Member
    I try not to cardio on a bulk. I'm would be eating in the 4500+ range of calories and any cardio would only mean I would have to eat that much more to be in a surplus.

    That being said, scheduling them with my goals in mind would be a priority and I would keep them consistent if nothing else but for proper rest which is a huge component of bulking.
  • Red_Pill
    Red_Pill Posts: 300 Member
    If you enjoy it do it. However you'll be burning more calories so you may have to eat more.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    I do lots of cardio (cycling, hiking) while I bulk. I'm not willing to give these activities up. I don't enjoy lifting heavy things, and I enjoy the hell out of a bike ride. :smile:

    I have to do less cardio because lifting takes time, and my honey wants some time with me too.

    I have to eat more because bulking means gaining weight, and cardio exercise reduces the number of calories available for building muscle.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,181 MFP Moderator
    The only time people recommend dropping or decreasing cardio is when they can't keep up with calories. So as long as it isn't impeding, cardio away. I know when I bulk, I will be doing HIIT.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
    I try to never do cardio. Bulk, cut, or maintenance. If it's therapeutic to you, go for it. Gotta make sure you're in a surplus and that it's not messing up recovery time.
  • richardgavel
    richardgavel Posts: 1,000 Member
    another question is whether or not your body will get sufficient rest time to make use of the lifting you did to build new muscle.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
    richardgavel wrote: »
    another question is whether or not your body will get sufficient rest time to make use of the lifting you did to build new muscle.

    Or rather, if you will get sufficient recovery in order to maintain a progressive overload to build muscle.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    If you enjoy cardio, go for it. Just make sure you are fueling adequately to stay in a surplus and you prioritize your lifting.

    Last time I bulked I did a bit of cardio but had to cut it out because I couldn't keep up with the eating. This time I am doing none.. I don't have time to workout that much nor do I have time to eat that much !
  • jolive7
    jolive7 Posts: 283 Member
    For your cardiovascular health and mood I would keep cardio in no matter what.. and then have something like a protein cookie/milkshake etc that is calorie dense :-) I am like you, I love my cardio sessions
  • travisk8s
    travisk8s Posts: 24 Member
    The purpose for doing cardio is to improve ur cardiovascular health- what does that have anything to do with bulking or losing weight?

    When did ppl start to associate it with fat loss or keeping lean lol
  • jolive7
    jolive7 Posts: 283 Member
    travisk8s wrote: »
    The purpose for doing cardio is to improve ur cardiovascular health- what does that have anything to do with bulking or losing weight?

    When did ppl start to associate it with fat loss or keeping lean lol

    There are a lot of people who are only interested in aesthetics, there are so many lean people in my gym who are NOT "fit". To me, that's absolutely crazy!
  • travisk8s
    travisk8s Posts: 24 Member
    Haha, I guess sexiness is conspicuous health. I blame mainstream media!
  • jolive7
    jolive7 Posts: 283 Member
    travisk8s wrote: »
    Haha, I guess sexiness is conspicuous health. I blame mainstream media!

    Why not have both :wink:
  • travisk8s
    travisk8s Posts: 24 Member
    #firstworldproblems
  • Anvil_Head
    Anvil_Head Posts: 251 Member
    travisk8s wrote: »
    The purpose for doing cardio is to improve ur cardiovascular health- what does that have anything to do with bulking or losing weight?

    When did ppl start to associate it with fat loss or keeping lean lol

    When you're bulking, you're intentionally in a caloric surplus. Cardio burns calories, which can reduce/eliminate the surplus. If one is going to do cardio during a bulk, they have to make sure they're compensating for the calories burned by increasing their intake.

    Vigorous cardio (such as HIIT) can also impose demands on the CNS which hinders recovery, which hinders your strength workouts, which can ultimately also hinder growth.
  • travisk8s
    travisk8s Posts: 24 Member
    Do you realise how much cardio is needed to interfere with total calorie intake to the extent where its a problem as you are claiming?

    I need to stop coming here....
  • travisk8s
    travisk8s Posts: 24 Member
    It depends on how much of a surplus or calories over maintenance you're actually getting and your macros(how much if it is protein/carbs/fats) I recommend 40/40/20 protein/carb/fat && a 500-700 calorie surplus over maintenance. If he replaces the calories burned from cardio via diet and still gets his surplus it won't do a damn thing in terms of fat loss.

    We are not talking thermogenics here- it's calories in calories out.

    I understand more about physiology than you do
  • Anvil_Head
    Anvil_Head Posts: 251 Member
    edited October 2016
    travisk8s wrote: »
    It depends on how much of a surplus or calories over maintenance you're actually getting and your macros(how much if it is protein/carbs/fats) I recommend 40/40/20 protein/carb/fat && a 500-700 calorie surplus over maintenance. If he replaces the calories burned from cardio via diet and still gets his surplus it won't do a damn thing in terms of fat loss.

    We are not talking thermogenics here- it's calories in calories out.

    I understand more about physiology than you do

    Which is pretty much exactly what I said (although we're talking about bulking, not fat loss - and nobody has said anything about thermogenic substances, so I'm not sure where that came from). Thanks for reinforcing my point.

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