Gaining muscle despite a lot of cardio

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f1redshoes
f1redshoes Posts: 79
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I have no choice but to continue training while I'm attempting to gain muscle, but everything I read says to cut cardio right down when you're trying to gain. I don't mind eating more to compensate for it, but is it going to be a problem that between training (dance, gymnastics) and rehearsals (dance) I have a bare minimum of 7hrs a week, with an average of 15hrs a week and a maximum (currently) of 25hrs like this week. Some of it is mostly strength, like the hour-and-a-half of gymnastics I've got later tonight, and I'm obviously going to be doing more strength to gain muscle.

So the question is: is cutting cardio down normally recommended so that you don't have to eat more, or is there another reason?

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  • terizius
    terizius Posts: 425 Member
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    Is your main goal to gain muscle or to gain strength? If you want to get stronger, then most research suggests that cardio and weight training should be done on different days. This is because cardio reduces your glycogen stores, which means you can't lift with the same intensity (in other words, you'll be too tired to lift very heavy). Strength is built by lifting progressively heavier weights, essentially forcing the body to adapt.

    If your primary interest is "bigger" muscles, an interesting study has shown that even though power output is reduced if you perform cardio first, increases in muscle size over time are not decreased over doing weights alone.

    Let me know if this clears things up or if you have more questions and happy training :)

    Here are two interesting articles that discuss the issue:

    http://www.prohormonepodcast.com/bodybuilding/cardio-increases-muscle-hypertrophy/

    http://weighttraining.about.com/od/techniquesandstrategies/a/cardio_weights_2.htm
  • Sandigesha
    Sandigesha Posts: 226 Member
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    2 sessions of cardio per week are preferable (you can do moderate intensity for 30 min, or low for hour+, or 15-20 min high) (separate from weight training) for cardiovascular health. May the rest be your gym work.
  • f1redshoes
    f1redshoes Posts: 79
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    Is your main goal to gain muscle or to gain strength? If you want to get stronger, then most research suggests that cardio and weight training should be done on different days. This is because cardio reduces your glycogen stores, which means you can't lift with the same intensity (in other words, you'll be too tired to lift very heavy). Strength is built by lifting progressively heavier weights, essentially forcing the body to adapt.

    If your primary interest is "bigger" muscles, an interesting study has shown that even though power output is reduced if you perform cardio first, increases in muscle size over time are not decreased over doing weights alone.

    Let me know if this clears things up or if you have more questions and happy training :)

    Here are two interesting articles that discuss the issue:

    http://www.prohormonepodcast.com/bodybuilding/cardio-increases-muscle-hypertrophy/

    http://weighttraining.about.com/od/techniquesandstrategies/a/cardio_weights_2.htm
    It's a bit of both, really. I'd like to get some of the muscle back in my arms that I used to have, and I'd like to get my abs back to that stage and then further. I'd also like to be a lot stronger generally, but particularly upper body and core since they're particularly relevant to what I do at the moment. I'm not going to be doing a lot of lifting in the traditional sense (see my posts here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1171211-is-it-possible-without-lifting) so I'll have my work cut out for me to manage it, but it's good to know that my other training won't be sabotaging my efforts too much - thanks! I'll have a read at the articles and report back if I have any questions :)
    2 sessions of cardio per week are preferable (you can do moderate intensity for 30 min, or low for hour+, or 15-20 min high) (separate from weight training) for cardiovascular health. May the rest be your gym work.
    Something tells me you didn't read my original post where I explained I have very little option but to do 15+ hours a week, or you wouldn't have suggested only doing 2...
  • grantdumas7
    grantdumas7 Posts: 802 Member
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    Fit strength training in where you can. You DON"T need to do cardio and weights on different days, in fact I believe it's best to do them on the same day. This should give you more rest days.
    The reason for cutting cardio while trying to gain, is conserving calories and the belief that cardio slows down or prevents muscle gain. For the most part this is untrue. Distance runners will have a hard time gaining muscle especially in their legs.
    Here is a good podcas with Layne Norton discussing cardio. It's episode number 3

    http://www.rxmuscle.com/2013-01-11-01-57-36/muscle-college.html
  • OverDoIt
    OverDoIt Posts: 332 Member
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    Your body will adjust to anything you put it through. Do what you have to do and your body will adjust. If you find you are not gaining the muscularity you desire then it is a calorie issue. Also changing your lifting routine frequently will help. Everyone is different, your mind and body will tell you what you really need better than anyone can.
  • grantdumas7
    grantdumas7 Posts: 802 Member
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    Your body will adjust to anything you put it through. Do what you have to do and your body will adjust. If you find you are not gaining the muscularity you desire then it is a calorie issue. Also changing your lifting routine frequently will help. Everyone is different, your mind and body will tell you what you really need better than anyone can.
    I agree with everything except the frequent changing of lifting routines. Changing routines too often is a mistake. You don't allow your body a chance to progress each workout.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
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    EAT.

    and then EAT MOAR.

    :flowerforyou:
  • manda1978
    manda1978 Posts: 525 Member
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    eat.... lots..... then eat some more protein.
  • SteveJWatson
    SteveJWatson Posts: 1,225 Member
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    I'd agree, except the protein bit - keep your intake at 1-1.5g/lb lean bogy mass and carb up.
  • CarlHelgesson
    CarlHelgesson Posts: 34
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    You have to sit down and calculate all the calories you are burning on yourr acitivities.

    Add the calories from your weight session, and your BMR.

    Then you will see how much you really need to eat to gain weight. And to put on weight you need of course to stay 200-700 kcal (depending on your body type) over.

    Eating 40/40/20 would be optimal for putting on muscles. (40% protein, 40% carbs, 20% healthy fats)


    Regarding the must of cardio and weight training on different days, I have to disagree. You can do them on the same day, but it's optimal that you separe them from each other. Like if you do your dance/cardio in the morning, then do your weight workout in the evening, or vice versa.

    It's not optimal to do both cardio and weight training following each other.

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