# cardio while bulking???



## build420 (Aug 2, 2017)

currently on test e 12 week cycle at 500mg/wk
i do 6 days of cardio for about 45-60min...is this too much for bulking?
thanks!!!


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## TeknoViking (Aug 2, 2017)

I feel like that is too much. Are you afraid of getting fat? Drop down to 4-5 days a week 30 mins at a time? I feel like 6 days a week 45-60 minutes at a time of cardio is counter productive while trying to bulk.

When you are trying to grow getting enough rest is extremely important. What do you estimate your body fat is?


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## slide (Aug 3, 2017)

If you're doing this now, how is it working out for you? Seems a bit much cardio (for/to me), but if it's working...I mean, I didn't do that much cardio for last show...so...

But, I agree with TeknoViking and personally would start it at 30mins a day...as Dante used to say, if you're going to sit in a chair and watch ESPN or whatever, might as well do that doing cardio. So, that's kind of how I approach it (I paraphrased what he said, but that has always stuck in my head and is something I tell people all the time). 

-s


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## Sully (Aug 3, 2017)

build420 said:


> currently on test e 12 week cycle at 500mg/wk
> i do 6 days of cardio for about 45-60min...is this too much for bulking?
> thanks!!!



I never really understood what "too much cardio for bulking" meant, exactly. 

Cardio isn't something that we should only do when we want to lose fat and get lean for a show. It's something you do to contribute to your general health and wellbeing. Or maybe to keep from putting on that fat in the first place. 

As with many things in life, sometimes what we do isn't as important as how we do it. HIIT cardio has been demonstrated in so many studies to be superior to LISS cardi, both for fat loss and for improving cardiovascular endurance and health. Would you better off doing 10 minutes worth of sprints rather than walking on the treadmill for a hour? Most definitely. Are you "killing your gains" by doing too much cardio? No. That's just more broscience bullshit.


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## mytreefiddy (Aug 3, 2017)

Sully said:


> I never really understood what "too much cardio for bulking" meant, exactly.
> 
> Cardio isn't something that we should only do when we want to lose fat and get lean for a show. It's something you do to contribute to your general health and wellbeing. Or maybe to keep from putting on that fat in the first place.
> 
> As with many things in life, sometimes what we do isn't as important as how we do it. HIIT cardio has been demonstrated in so many studies to be superior to LISS cardi, both for fat loss and for improving cardiovascular endurance and health. Would you better off doing 10 minutes worth of sprints rather than walking on the treadmill for a hour? Most definitely. Are you "killing your gains" by doing too much cardio? No. That's just more broscience bullshit.



I agree in regards to doing cardio has multiple benefits..... However, IN MY CASE in the off season I turn cardio WAYYYYY down... I've been a stick my whole life...gaining has always been a chore until recently... I feel it really depends on the person....if the objective is to retain calories why burn em?  i'll do 3x a week MAYBE in the offseason for heart health... but if the scale isn't moving how id like i'll back it down OR increase calories.....


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## Sully (Aug 3, 2017)

mytreefiddy said:


> I agree in regards to doing cardio has multiple benefits..... However, IN MY CASE in the off season I turn cardio WAYYYYY down... I've been a stick my whole life...gaining has always been a chore until recently... I feel it really depends on the person....if the objective is to retain calories why burn em?  i'll do 3x a week MAYBE in the offseason for heart health... but if the scale isn't moving how id like i'll back it down OR increase calories.....



I definitely agree, there is some individuality. And I know nothing about competition, so I don't speak about anything in that context. 

I've seen too many guys cut out cardio completely during a bulking cycle just so they can "get the most gains" on their cycle. But what they're really doing is just getting fat. These guys that brag about putting on 40 and 50 pounds during a cycle aren't building anywhere as much muscle as they think they are. At most they're putting on 10 pounds of lean muscle, the rest is just fat. That is completely counterproductive, but we've all seen it happen more times than we can count. 

For the average gym rat and AAS user, I would never recommend dropping their cardio. Like you said, you could always increase the calories, too. Food is cheap, and cardio is free.


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## psych (Aug 4, 2017)

Yeah just cut some time off and up the intensity, conditioning work...


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## aon1 (Aug 4, 2017)

If your just a gym rat like me leave the cardio in just up calories....my higher dose runs before this one I hit cardio almost every session and I felt healthy all around despite the doses.....this run I've almost eliminated it and I don't feel even close to as healthy as the other runs ....Im mentally drained and can't wait for the run to be done...breathing is not terrible but definitely worse and energy levels are lower. ...I won't sacrifice health for a few extra pounds again it just defeats the purpose.


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## whoremoan (Jun 13, 2018)

yes too much


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## montego (Jun 14, 2018)

I haven't done cardio in two years..... Put on about 30lbs of lean tissue in those two years.

I don't see any benefit from it while bulking besides an increase in appetite, if you need it or, heart health but, if you train your ass off that's a fair amount of conditioning for the heart too.


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## Aton (Jun 14, 2018)

I do 2-3 days a week of cardio for 20-30 min. When I cut the time between sets I cut back on the cardio. Because I’m getting enough conditioning during my training. 

Maybe try to ease back on it some while bulking up.


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## rippedfreak123 (Jun 14, 2018)

i think dependant on your calories and how clean your eating can dictate your cardio amount. If dirty eating is involved i don't think it hurts to burn some of those calories


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## AGGRO (Jun 21, 2018)

This is very individual. If someone is still gaining on a lot of cardio there is no issue. For most that would be too much cardio. I lower cardio a lot when bulking and mainly use it for health reasons.


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## BG (Jun 21, 2018)

Sully said:


> I never really understood what "too much cardio for bulking" meant, exactly.
> 
> Cardio isn't something that we should only do when we want to lose fat and get lean for a show. It's something you do to contribute to your general health and wellbeing. Or maybe to keep from putting on that fat in the first place.
> 
> As with many things in life, sometimes what we do isn't as important as how we do it. HIIT cardio has been demonstrated in so many studies to be superior to LISS cardi, both for fat loss and for improving cardiovascular endurance and health. Would you better off doing 10 minutes worth of sprints rather than walking on the treadmill for a hour? Most definitely. Are you "killing your gains" by doing too much cardio? No. That's just more broscience bullshit.





Doing an hr or close to an hour of cardio almost every day is... TOO much cardio if you are trying to gain. Growth phase is about taking in more calories than your body needs. If you're burning up those calories you can't grow. 
Also, the load its putting on your body to recover from an hr of cardio AND weight training is going to be too much for almost everyone.. almost. Take enough GH or test and you can prove me wrong easily


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## armada (Jun 28, 2018)

That is a lot of cardio. My question would be, when it's time for you to cut, do you ramp up the cardio? Because then you'd be looking at over 60 minutes of vardio 6 days per week right at the start of your cut.

I do like to do cardio while gaining weight, but I only do 2 or 3 "structured" cardio sessions per week. The rest is going on walks outside, etc.

My training sessions also work my cardio vascular system to some extent, as I'm doing things like muscle rounds, relatively short rest periods, etc.


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## jixxxer (Aug 2, 2018)

i'd drop it to 20 mins 3-4 days a week max


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## jp82088 (Aug 4, 2018)

I still do cardio for heart health and improvement of HDL levels


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## Viking (Aug 13, 2018)

Personally that is way too much for me. Cardio when bulking is great for health and to increase metabolism and appetite. But 45-60 mins is closer to what I would be doing in 1 week total and not 1 day! 15 mins HIT 4 times per week sounds about right. If I were to do steady state I would rotate the two and maybe do 30 mins tops per day.


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## striffe (Aug 15, 2018)

I need to do more cardio and often go without it when bulking. If I done as much as you it would definitely impact the amount of mass I could put on. I think 15-45 mins a few times each week is a good amount for most people.


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## odin (Oct 1, 2018)

jixxxer said:


> i'd drop it to 20 mins 3-4 days a week max



I would do the same. Cardio is important but when bulking keep it short but intense.


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## SURGE (Oct 17, 2018)

That is a lot of cardio for bulking. I know guys who don't do that much in contest prep. I should do cardio but when bulking my only cardio is walking my dog. Last time I dieted I also done no cardio in the gym. I know I should for the health benefits alone.


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## Ryan1007 (Oct 18, 2018)

I continue with cardio when bulking but usually drop it back to about 25 minutes 3 or 4 times a week.


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## weltweite (Oct 19, 2018)

If the cardio is low intensity you'll be burning more fatty acids. I feel 45 minutes of low intensity cardio would help your bulk.  Boosts metabolism, increases your appetite, great for your cardiovascular, improves insulin sensitivity which is important for growth and proper nutrient partitioning.

I doubt 45 minutes of low intensity cardio will really inhibit your muscle gains, especially because you are less likely to burn through your muscle glycogen.


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## ProFIT (Oct 23, 2018)

weltweite said:


> If the cardio is low intensity you'll be burning more fatty acids. I feel 45 minutes of low intensity cardio would help your bulk.  Boosts metabolism, increases your appetite, great for your cardiovascular, improves insulin sensitivity which is important for growth and proper nutrient partitioning.
> 
> I doubt 45 minutes of low intensity cardio will really inhibit your muscle gains, especially because you are less likely to burn through your muscle glycogen.



I agree as long as the required caloric needs are met each day to grow. You covered everything in your post. I think everyone should do some form of cardio regardless of their goal.


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## nalojeff (Oct 31, 2018)

My favorite off season cardio is hiking out in nature


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## Victory (Nov 2, 2018)

I prefer to do cardio outdoors. Brisk walking in a nice area is my favourite form of cardio. When cutting I usually up the intensity.


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## Big Dave Smith (Nov 5, 2018)

Cardio while bulking should be focused around heart health and lung capacity.  

15-20 min HIIT. 

Hard intervals of 15-20 seconds, cruise intervals of 40-45 seconds.  Get very out of breath, recover, repeat.  3-4x/week... 5 max.  

You’ll maintain better cardiovascular health, better performance, and won’t burn off too many calories, or waste any time.


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## koolio (Nov 18, 2018)

Old school theory (I am 59) was to do about 20 minutes of easy cardio after lifting...the thinking was you should have exhausted all of your glycogen reserves from lifting leaving only fat as fuel for the cardio....it has worked for me for 40 years now...


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## lycan Venom (Nov 18, 2018)

Koolio knows whats up. I tried the 20 min medium to high intensity cardio after a good 1hr weight session and I come out leaner and still maintain & obtain overall mass. Really keeps the midsection and hips leaner and i think helps to keep fat off thr organs. Some dudes dont store fat around their limbs or ab***inal area, it get stored around the arteries and organs. The cardio session with healthy food options keeps you from having those issue worsen while bulking... just my opinion.


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## phoenix13 (Nov 21, 2018)

I've become a believer in 10-20 min medium to high intensity full body work 2-3xweek over this past year.  I used to only do occasional LISS  during growth/offseasons, but now I'm sold on the benefits of regularly scheduled higher intensity, shorter duration sessions.  I feel healthier in general and have increased my work capacity for the "real" workouts...so it's good for both quality of life and quality of training.  Frankly, I wasn't expecting this -  I thought it would hinder recovery for bb'ing training, but so far it has enhanced it.


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## teejey (Nov 24, 2018)

I agree,with most posts here around 20-30 min. I gotta do it while bulking or ill feel like a slob. Helps with blood pressure which always starts to go up towards the end u
Of a blast.

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## Tank211 (Nov 28, 2018)

I always do cardio year round….atleast 3-4 times a week. It helps keep me alittle leaner, plus all the health benefits!


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## Deltz123 (Jan 19, 2019)

Never done it but going to do so as of now. For health purpose


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