Are you a hardgainer looking to bulk up but unsure if adding cardio to your routine will help or hinder your gains? The debate over whether to do cardio while bulking is a common one in the fitness world. In this blog post, we’ll explore the pros and cons of incorporating cardio into your hardgainer bulking routine and ultimately help you decide if it’s the right choice for you. Let’s get started.
Should You Do Cardio While Bulking? | Hardgainer Edition
Introduction
Bulking is a popular way to gain muscle mass and strength, but many people wonder if they should do cardio while bulking. Cardio, also known as aerobic exercise, involves activities that increase your heart rate and breathing, such as running, jumping rope, and swimming. While some people believe that cardio will interfere with their ability to gain muscle, others think it’s essential to include it in their routine. In this article, we’ll explore whether you should do cardio while bulking, its benefits, and drawbacks.
Cardio as Active Recovery
Including cardio in a routine can serve as active recovery, improving your ability to recover from lifting sessions. Cardio can increase blood flow and deliver oxygen and nutrients to your muscles, which can help reduce soreness and aid in recovery. An effective cardiovascular system can enhance nutrient transport, allowing your muscles to rebuild and recover more efficiently. Therefore, doing some cardio while bulking can be beneficial for recovery.
Conditioning Your Heart
The heart is a muscle, and conditioning it through cardio can improve its performance. Building a conditioned heart can improve overall health and reduce the risk of heart disease. People in better shape often have lower resting heart rates due to a more conditioned heart. Conditioning your metabolism through cardio can help handle more work, making it easier to recover from weight training sessions. By doing cardio while bulking, you can enhance your cardiovascular health and prepare your body for more strenuous activity.
Balancing Cardio and Weightlifting
When adding cardio to a routine, it’s essential not to overdo it and add easy aerobic activity each week. Too much cardio when bulking can lead to fat loss and take away from muscle building, which is not ideal for hard gainers. Nonetheless, adding cardio for a few weeks can improve your ability to handle more weight and reps in weightlifting. Consistent cardio in conjunction with weightlifting can help build more muscle. Therefore, including cardio while bulking can be beneficial, but it’s essential to find a balance that suits individual goals.
Cardio and Muscle Building
To bulk up and gain muscle, cardio can be beneficial. Cardio increases endurance, which can help you push through hard training sessions and lift heavier weights. Through cardio, you can also condition your heart and lungs, which can allow you to perform better during intensive weightlifting. Including cardio in a bulk can boost metabolism and help maintain good overall health.
Alain’s Approach to Bulking
Alain Gonzalez, the creator of the video, advocates that including 2-3 days of cardio per week while bulking can enhance overall fitness and health. In his free book, he explains how to bulk up quickly and achieve optimal results, including the role of cardio in hard gaining.
Conclusion
While many people believe that doing cardio during a bulk will interfere with muscle gains, the truth is that including some cardiovascular activity can enhance overall fitness and health. Cardio can help prepare your body for strenuous activity, increase endurance, and serve as active recovery. Furthermore, building a conditioned heart can improve overall health and reduce the risk of heart disease. Numbered lists and bullet points help to create an easy-to-read format and can clarify complicated information.
FAQs After The Conclusion
- How often should I include cardio in my bulk?
- The frequency of cardio depends on individual goals and fitness levels. As a beginner, including 2-3 days of cardio per week can be beneficial. However, it’s essential not to overdo it to avoid losing muscle mass.
- Can cardio interfere with muscle gain?
- Doing too much cardio can lead to fat loss and take away from muscle building. Therefore, it’s essential to find a balance that suits individual goals while including cardio in a bulk.
- What is the role of cardio in building muscle?
- Cardiovascular activity can increase endurance, condition your heart and lungs, and boost metabolism. By doing cardio while bulking, you can enhance your overall health and fitness.
- Can cardio help with recovery?
- Cardio can serve as active recovery. It increases blood flow and delivers oxygen and nutrients to your muscles, reducing soreness and aiding in recovery.
- Is it okay to skip cardio while bulking?
- While cardio is not a must-do while bulking, including it in your routine can have several benefits for overall fitness and health, making it worth considering.