How much will cardio effect mass building negatively?

[Michaelpaul74]

I am starting a 12 week mass building routine next week. I am going to be using my local gym for my lifting days, but I plan on doing my cardio at home. I want to use my Insanity disks on my cardio days cause I love the workout, but I am worried how much it will effect my gains from lifting. I don't think it would effect my gains too drastically, but I was hoping someone here could shed some light on the subject for me. I don't ever plan on competing, or anything like that, I am just into being fit. Thanks for any input.

[*STEVE*]

Tons of variables .... your current amount of LBM , your diet , the type and how long the cardio is.

What is "Insanity" and what kinda cardio is it ?

[Michaelpaul74]

Tons of variables .... your current amount of LBM , your diet , the type and how long the cardio is.

What is "Insanity" and what kinda cardio is it ?

Didn't think about all that. My LBM is roughly 150lbs, I eat 5 meals a day that include lean proteins, complex carbs, and veggies. I would guess the calorie total to be about 2600-2800 daily. I supplement with protein shakes, and take a multivitamin. I also use pre/post workout supplements, and thats about it. Insanity is an intense cadio/plyo workout routine that takes about 45-60 minutes to finish.

[*STEVE*]

Didn't think about all that. My LBM is roughly 150lbs, I eat 5 meals a day that include lean proteins, complex carbs, and veggies. I would guess the calorie total to be about 2600-2800 daily. I supplement with protein shakes, and take a multivitamin. I also use pre/post workout supplements, and thats about it. Insanity is an intense cadio/plyo workout routine that takes about 45-60 minutes to finish.

Stats: 5'9", 160 lbs and your sayin you have 150 lbs of LBM .... oh lord , lol and


I think your slightly confused there brotatoe .... anyways , Im not a fan of those type of programs , if you wanna "bulk" like you said in your OP then IMO just do 3 short LISS bouts of cardio a week for 30 - 35 minutes.

[Michaelpaul74]

Stats: 5'9", 160 lbs and your sayin you have 150 lbs of LBM .... oh lord , lol and


I think your slightly confused there brotatoe .... anyways , Im not a fan of those type of programs , if you wanna "bulk" like you said in your OP then IMO just do 3 short LISS bouts of cardio a week for 30 - 35 minutes.

Well I guess if I do the math right at 10% BF I am closer to 144LBM. I would like to gain some lean mass, but I really like the intense cardio as well. I just didn't know how much harder it be would be to gain LBM with the extra cardio added to my routine..

[kairee]

You're 160lbs??? bro, don't do ANY cardio!!!! your thinking is not right (your approach is slightly off) if you want to build muscle, cut out the cardio completely and focus on heavy compound exercises and eat clean food, high protien, high carb. Eat more calories than your body needs and focus on trying to get stronger week to week. You're going to put on some fat, it's normal but you want most of that weight to be muscle. If you like cardio, limit that to maybe 1 LISS a week, no more. Insanity....get rid of it bro. That's good if you want to cut up and lose weight. Cardio is good for the heart, lungs, stress levels etc...but to build muscle, it's not good.

[bigtallox]

You're 160lbs??? bro, don't do ANY cardio!!!! (snip)
Cardio is good for the heart, lungs, stress levels etc...but to build muscle, it's not good.

Disagree. He's just got to do the right kind of cardio, stuff like this won't effect mass building but still offers the benefit of cardio...

[drudixon]

I am starting a 12 week mass building routine next week. I am going to be using my local gym for my lifting days, but I plan on doing my cardio at home. I want to use my Insanity disks on my cardio days cause I love the workout, but I am worried how much it will effect my gains from lifting. I don't think it would effect my gains too drastically, but I was hoping someone here could shed some light on the subject for me. I don't ever plan on competing, or anything like that, I am just into being fit. Thanks for any input.

Studies show that muscle protein absorption is highest for the 24hrs following weight training. Cardio within that period that could create a substantial caloric deficit will use protein as sugar, diminishing the amount of protein you could have absorbed had you not done cardio. Will it kill your gains? No. is it as good as doing no cardio? No.

[Michaelpaul74]

Thanks everyone, I really just wanted to reassure that I wouldn't lose all the gains I have made and gains i would like to make by adding some intense cardio. I just really enjoy it, and it makes me feel good, which is the whole reason I workout anyway.

[kairee]

Disagree. He's just got to do the right kind of cardio, stuff like this won't effect mass building but still offers the benefit of cardio...

That video you just posted...that's Anaerobic. We're talking about plain cardio or aerobic. You're referring to a different type of training big fella.

The guy weighs 160lbs...why would he want to do numerous amounts of cardio or even anaerobic training (pushing a truck down the street) to build muscle?? THAT I don't get whatsoever. Kudos to the dude pushing that truck, kudos to you for being a 6'8 giant with 50inch arms but bro, if you weigh 160lbs at around 10% BF (or so he states)...doing friggin cardio or even anaerobic training just isn't smart. Where's Lane Norton when you need him?

[bigtallox]

That video you just posted...that's Anaerobic. We're talking about plain cardio or aerobic. You're referring to a different type of training big fella.

Yes that's right, it's a different kind of training. That's my point, nobody does stuff like this, but they should.

The guy weighs 160lbs...why would he want to do numerous amounts of cardio or even anaerobic training (pushing a truck down the street) to build muscle?? THAT I don't get whatsoever.

Why? LOL, because it'll make him bigger and stronger that's why, but doing the type of "cardio" that he's suggesting will do the opposite.

[DaddyR]

You'd better be eating adequately to support it.

[candyflip69]

You'd better be eating adequately to support it.

^^^ yes.

[alex2363]

i dont cardio any longer, i been a runner all my life and the reason i never got big was to 2 much cardio, now i just lift and my gains have stayed and improved. you may do cardio like 3 times a week at hiit and for 20 mins tops.

[Tybalt71]

Cardio does not just apply to traditional cardio like treadmills/ellipticals etc. You can incorporate cardio into you're resistance training by having a nice consistent tempo, minimal rest periods etc, move around like circuits,set performance like incorporating super sets/drop sets etc will definitely get respiration & HR up. having read the OP's goals of mass building, not sure why then it is you want to do cardio and just go bulk & eat.-Ty

[goranothos]

I am starting a 12 week mass building routine next week. I am going to be using my local gym for my lifting days, but I plan on doing my cardio at home. I want to use my Insanity disks on my cardio days cause I love the workout, but I am worried how much it will effect my gains from lifting. I don't think it would effect my gains too drastically, but I was hoping someone here could shed some light on the subject for me. I don't ever plan on competing, or anything like that, I am just into being fit. Thanks for any input.

Do cardio. Your heart is the most important muscle in your body. I may take heat from this, but I don't care. Good luck!

[NYkarate]

Do cardio. Your heart is the most important muscle in your body. I may take heat from this, but I don't care. Good luck!

If you think you aren't working your heart by lifting, you simply aren't deadlifting or squatting with enough weight. Your heart can certainly get enough through weight training alone.

[HairyScandinavian]

If you like to do cardio then do it, just be sure to eat enough to cover for it if you're trying to gain weight. You said you're not going to compete so if it slows you down a little it's not that big of a deal.

[goranothos]

If you think you aren't working your heart by lifting, you simply aren't deadlifting or squatting with enough weight. Your heart can certainly get enough through weight training alone.

You are talking about the difference between anaerobic (short bursts of high intensity) vs aerobic (low intensity, long duration) "cardio" exercise. I believe we should do both. Aerobic exercise strengthens and enlarges the heart muscle, improves it's pumping efficiency, and reduces the resting heart rate. For example, I believe I remember reading that Lance Armstrong's resting heart rate was in the low 40s.

I know this is a bodybuilding forum and not a running or road cycling forum, and that you guys don't want to look like a 135lb marathon runner, but doing some aerobic exercise three to five days a week is very good for your heart and lungs.

[ZazenZone]

I am starting a 12 week mass building routine next week. I am going to be using my local gym for my lifting days, but I plan on doing my cardio at home. I want to use my Insanity disks on my cardio days cause I love the workout, but I am worried how much it will effect my gains from lifting. I don't think it would effect my gains too drastically, but I was hoping someone here could shed some light on the subject for me. I don't ever plan on competing, or anything like that, I am just into being fit. Thanks for any input.

Huge gray area. But my knee-jerk response would be 3 times per week, 20 to 30 minute sessions- 1 or 2 interval/intense sessions, 1 or 2 easy steady state sessions.

[JerryB]

I am starting a 12 week mass building routine next week. I am going to be using my local gym for my lifting days, but I plan on doing my cardio at home. I want to use my Insanity disks on my cardio days cause I love the workout, but I am worried how much it will effect my gains from lifting. I don't think it would effect my gains too drastically, but I was hoping someone here could shed some light on the subject for me. I don't ever plan on competing, or anything like that, I am just into being fit. Thanks for any input.

It depends on your caloric intake. You are going to need to eat a lot to add muscle mass and do the fast pace routines for the insanity routine.
It's going to be difficult to jump around like a teenager and add meaningful muscle mass.

[PopeGregorius]

Layne Norton (PhD in protein chemistry) posted here a few years ago & says cardio isnt catabolic per se. Just look at pro swimmers, there are some big guys ( short distance swimmers) & lanky guys (long distance swimmers), they all do cardio all day long.

[kimm4]

You'd better be eating adequately to support it.

Right here^^

If you're eating enough to support your goal, you won't have any problems...

[Taur]

Keep you cardio, as it is good for your health and you enjoy it. so why not? I do 90 minutes of cardio three times a week to keep myself in Climbing condition even when I am trying to bulk up. The Cardio is not going to cause your muscles to shrivel up and die. Next time the Summer Olympics are on go watch Male gymnastics; those guys have some monster upper bodies and they do hours and hours and hours of cardio every day.




But, you are going to have to Increase your calories to add weight.



Oxymoron: Bulking Cycle and 2600-2800 daily Calories. UP, UP,...UP!

[cmbean2002]

Just wanted to put in my worthless two cents here. I have been lurking for a while but gaining a wealth of knowledge on this forum. I have also been studying a few books on the following link, http://scivation.com/books/

There are several books on here that are free for download. A ton of knowledge with diet plans, workouts etc.