Cardio on a Bulk?
There are a multitude of benefits to having a high level of cardiovascular fitness. In fact, cardio would have been what we used to think of when we heard the term “fitness” before the popularity of weight training over the past decade. The only time we might question whether or not to train for cardiovascular fitness, is one enters a “bulk” or “gaining phase”. An extended duration of eating in a caloric surplus, combined with progressive resistance training, in a bid to build muscle mass.
Cardio should be included in one’s training plan, no matter which training phase one is in.
Cardio Won’t Kill Your Gains
The fear that cardio will impede hypertrophy is not completely unfounded. But for this to occur, one of two situations must occur:
The quantity of cardio is so significant that it affects your ability to achieve a caloric surplus.
It is so intense that it diminishes your performance in the gym.
Quantity
Let’s take point number 1, surrounding quantity. The vast majority of calories we burn are via our Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). This is the energy expended simply by keeping our organs functioning and the other processes that would occur, like clockwork, even if we were to be completely immobile all day.
Exercise accounts for a very small portion of calories expended. Let’s assume one is consuming a surplus of 300 calories per day. Over the course of seven days, this totals 2,100 calories. The average person will struggle to come close to burning even half of those calories through cardiovascular training when their weekly routine of resistance training, work, family, hobbies and other commitments are considered.
But even in the case of someone, who, for example, trains something like boxing or MMA twice per week, in addition to their resistance training, and is burning a boatload of calories, it can make sense to simply offset those calories by consuming some fast carbs before, during or after these sessions. For example, on my way to a boxing class, I’ll snack on a 400-calorie flapjack and consume another 100 calories immediately after the session with a 500ml can of coconut water.
So ideally, you are performing 2-3 light 20-30min cardio sessions per week. Anything more frequent or higher in volume will warrant eating back some of the calories burned. 50% would be a good target.
Intensity
When it comes to intensity, this is where the type of cardiovascular training chosen is essential.
The lower the intensity, the better. Also, the less strain on the tendons and ligaments, the better. This is to limit all sources of fatigue that could carry over into our weight training sessions.
Thus, I would rank order types of cardio as follows, starting from the most ideal to the least ideal:
Low intensity, low impact on the joints. Examples include cycling, the elliptical trainer and skipping.
Fartlek-type training involving different levels of intensity mixed together. The lower impact on the joints, the better. Examples include boxing, muay-thai, kickboxing, swimming and tennis.
Low Intensity, high impact on the joints. Examples include road running, soccer and basketball.
High Intensity, High Impact on the joints. This type of training will have the largest negative impact on your ability to perform your resistance training. Examples include Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, cross-fit type circuits and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).
The Benefits of Cardio on a Bulk
The health benefits of cardio training are many, but in particular, when on a bulk, there is specific utility in cardiovascular training:
Improved lung capacity for higher repetition training.
Improved nutrient partitioning, leading to a better ratio of hypertrophy to body fat accumulation.
Maintenance of a baseline level of cardiovascular fitness, which can be built upon, when you eventually look to increase this when cutting.
Providing a defence against the potential negative health outcomes from gaining bodyweight, in areas such as blood pressure, insulin sensitivity and blood cholesterol levels.
There is no advantage to ditching cardiovascular fitness on a bulk. Like anything else when it comes to health and fitness, manipulation of the dose and application is more beneficial than avoidance.