Can Too Much Cardio Sap Your Gains

[CanadianIce]

Hi All,

I got my start in weightlifting back in 1991, April to be exact, but it's been a long time since I lifted weights for mass. I always gained muscle fairly easy back in the day. However, I want to do it now while continuing with other sports at the same time in moderation. That is, in addition to weightlifting 3 days a week, which always worked for me, also:

1. 3-4 hours zone 2 on the bike

2. 2 days a week boxing/wrestling classes, about 75 minutes varying intensity HIIT.

3. 1 day a week 60 minute V02 max hill workout on the bike.

4. 2 times a week low intensity softball and volleyball (it is summer!)

Theoretically, with sufficient nutrition, there might not be any reason not to gain muscle. However, I'm concerned the body will be pulled in too many different directions regardless of nutrition and adapt by remaining lean.

Would love to hear from experienced bodybuilders and weightlifters out there about this topic. Can you gain muscle while spending more hours a week doing long slow cardio and HIIT type workouts....

Cheers!

[air2fakie]

Can you? sure. Will you? depends.

[coachcalande]

Ive always lost strength when I was doing lots of running and playing sports too.

Always stronger when only lifting.

[BeginnerGainz]

If you’re an endurance or distance runner? Probably.

If you’re a bro doing bro level cardio or things like hill sprints? No.

The idea cardio kills your gainz is outdated.

[TAWS6]

If you’re doing enough to put you in a calorie deficit then yes…

HIT will send your squat/dl lifts down because recovery will be down

[maksiiicon]

It will be incredibly difficult in the very beginning, but for extra practice, you can change the exercise each week, so you are not getting over exhausted with same schedule

[jademonkey]

I don't believe cardio itself will "sap your gains". I trained for bike racing and lifted at the same time for a short time and definitely made good gains lifting (for a while). However, you will never be able to optimize any one thing when splitting up so much.

1) Gotta eat in a surplus to make gains, and that may be harder to do with all that cardio.
2) Gotta recover well, and with all those extra non-strength workouts, you're gonna want a lot more sleep and better diet.
3) Even if you do recover well, eat well, eat enough, sleep a ton, that's still a lot of times you're gonna be nice and recovered for a workout and not lifting. So you will never make gains as fast or as much as you would focusing on only lifting.

All that said, if you are fairly beginner to strength training, don't expect to gain as fast as you could, and don't need to be the hulk or intend on competing in bodybuilding or strength, I think it's totally possible to "look like you lift" after a year or two.