Research
Adherence
Cardiovascular training should be minimized in frequency and duration to the lowest level necessary for fat loss to prevent interference with strength and hypertrophy adaptations.
Use cardio only as much as needed to lose fat. Do not overdo it, as too much cardio can hurt your muscle gains and strength. Try cycling or full-body modalities to minimize interference with your weightlifting.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Interference with strength training adaptations increases concomitantly with frequency and duration of cardiovascular training. Thus, the lowest frequency and duration possible while achieving sufficient fat loss should be used.
Why this rating
Based on narrative review of interference phenomenon literature.
Source
Recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: resistance and cardiovascular training.
Eric R. Helms et al. · PubMed · 2015
narrative_reviewCited 69×
Read the paper More from this paper
- Natural bodybuilders should train each muscle group 2-3 times per week with a volume of 40-70 reps per muscle group per session to maximize hypertrophic stimulus while managing fatigue during caloric restriction.Moderate
- Periodized resistance training (Block or Undulating) is superior to non-periodized training for maintaining muscle mass and strength during contest preparation.Moderate
Related findings · Adherence
- Regular physical activity (at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity) reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality by 20-30% and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25-35%.Strong
- Increasing physical activity from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one in middle adulthood significantly reduces the risk of coronary events compared to remaining sedentary.Strong
- Resistance exercise is the only intervention capable of consistently restoring muscle function and strength in sarcopenia, partially overcoming age-related anabolic resistance.Strong
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