Cardio is Counterproductive

Did you know endurance training will hamper your strength training? A meta-analysis of 21 studies was performed to examine the interference of endurance training with strength training. The primary objective was to discover which components of endurance training, e.g., modality, duration, frequency, are detrimental to strength training outcomes. “The unique and relatively distinct adaptations of endurance training, coupled together with an increase in total training volume, and therefore probability to overreach, result in a classic interference effect between endurance and strength training adaptations.”

(Wilson, J.M., et al. (2012). Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 26(8), 2293-2307.) Membership required for full article.

Our bodies are designed to adapt to specific stimuli for a specific outcome. Endurance training and strength training compete with each other for recovery requirements. In order to build the most amount of strength and muscle in the least amount of time, cardio is out. If getting lean is what you want, eat a “clean” diet, and adjust your carbohydrates accordingly. This is especially true for competitors. If you’re dieting for a bodybuilding competition, cardio is counterproductive to keeping and building muscle.