Let’s get something clear. Cardio is not necessary for fat loss.
In fact, on an energy matched hypo-caloric diet, resistance training is as effective for fat loss as cardio[1,2], with the added benefit of maintaining muscle which cardio alone does not.[3]
However, unless you’re one of the lucky few (that the majority of us curse) who can achieve and/or maintain low body fat levels without cardio then you likely will have to incorporate it at some stage during a cut.
The majority of fat loss achieved via an energy deficit should come from the diet. One of the most common mistakes I see by individuals starting their cut is filling every spare minute with extra cardio!
While this may result in rapid weight loss, it’s definitely not the optimal way to incorporate cardio into your exercise regime in order to achieve those cover model abs.
The problems with too much cardio:
1. The interference effect also known as the concurrent training effect. Research has found that when an athlete trains for both resistance and endurance neither goal will develop optimally.[4] You can’t be a world class 100 metre sprinter and a marathon runner at the same time.
Why?
Because the adaptions required of the body are mutually exclusive.
Research has shown that compared to resistance training alone, concurrent training results in reduced strength, hypertrophy and power.[4,5,6] Importantly the negative effects depend on the frequency and duration of sessions. However, I will note that this varies largely between individuals.
To paraphrase Albus Dumbledore ‘ neither (training modality) can thrive while the other one survives (is being trained) ’…
You're doing how many hours of cardio a week!?
Not perfect but you get the point and I enjoy HP references.
2. Impeded recovery. Too much cardio can impede recovery from your resistance training. If you’re dieting remember that you should already have your energy intake in a deficit to burn fat. This means you will be spending more time in an energy depleted state. Maintaining/building muscle and recovering from workouts is an energy costly process to the body. If you’re adding on hours of cardio on top of that then we are exacerbating the effect and effectively burning energy that may have otherwise helped with recovery.
3. Risks increased muscle loss! In addition to point 2 as your body fat reduces and the body starts utilizing more body fat for daily energy needs it also increases the rate of protein breakdown.
Minimizing cardio, an appropriate resistance training plan and adequate protein intake will reduce this risk.
4. Limits long term progression. ‘Don’t fix something that isn’t broken’. If you’re losing weight at a steady rate there is no reason to add extra cardio. At some stage during your cut, you’re likely going to reach a plateau where weight loss stalls. This is to be expected as it is your body’s way of adapting to the dieting stimulus.
As Alan Aragon puts it:
“Cardio is a good ‘trump card’ to use if/when fat loss plateaus arise and other options are maxed out. If you use the card right from the outset, you won’t have any cards to pull when you need them. It can always be added incrementally on an as-needed basis.”
I bolded that last sentence because its important!
Those individuals who start their cut by drastically reducing calories and throwing in a ton of cardio have shown their cards and are now sitting there twiddling their thumbs wondering if they will ever reach their goal. If your already on low calories and doing a ton of cardio, where do you go from there?
Continually adding cardio will do nothing but wear you down further and limit long term progression.
You on the other hand just read a stellar article on cardio for fat loss and now know to keep your hologram, protective case, rare card in your hand till its needed.
So how much cardio should I do?
The minimal amount necessary to get the job done!
That’s the key.
Do the minimal amount of cardio that is required to lose weight for your appropriate goal, beginning with none.
By performing low volumes (frequency & duration) of cardio we can reduce the potential for interference effect with your resistance training which should always be your main priority. We also save time, reduce the likelihood of overuse injuries, improve recovery and maintain our precious lean mass.
Cardio is a good ‘trump card’ to use when needed and only minimal amounts to get the ball rolling again.
Remember we aren’t endurance athletes, we are closer to strength athletes. As a good rule of thumb weekly cardio shouldn’t exceed more than half the time you spend lifting. So If you train 5 times a week for 75 minutes a session we are looking at roughly 6 hours of resistance training. Therefor the most cardio you should look to do is 3 hours per week.
Smaller females may be the exception as obviously their food intake can be relatively small and therefore there is less food to reduce before it compromises health.
If you’re worried about missing out on specific adaptions to aerobic training that may benefit body composition, fear not. A review by Steele et al [7] found that many of the adaptions to traditional aerobic exercise such as up-regulation of mitochondrial enzymes, increased mitochondria and capillarization can be achieved with some higher rep to failure resistance training.
Your main focus in regards to training should be on progressing in the weights room. Focus your energy on the actions that have a large effect such as maintaining intensity during training sessions and eating the appropriate amount of calories and macronutrients needed to reach your goals.
Stay tuned for part 2 which will answer ‘What kind of cardio should I do?’
References:
1 Melanson EL, et al. Resistance and aerobic exercise have similar effects on 24-h nutrient oxidation. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002 Nov;34(11):1793-800
2 Bryner RW, et al. Effects of resistance vs. aerobic training combined with an 800 calorie liquid diet on lean body mass and resting metabolic rate. J Am Coll Nutr. 1999 Apr;18(2):115-21.
3 Kraemer WJ, et al. Influence of exercise training on physiological and performance changes with weight loss in men. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1999 Sep;31(9):1320-9.
4 Wilson JM, Marin PJ, Rhea MR, Wilson SM, Loenneke JP, Anderson JC. Concurrent training: a meta analysis examining interference of aerobic and resistance exercise. J. Strength Cond. Res. Oct 13 2011.
5 Hakkinen K, Alen M, Kraemer WJ, et al. Neuromuscular adaptations during concurrent strength and endurance training versus strength training. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. Mar 2003;89(1):42-52
6 Hickson RC. Interference of strength development by simultaneously training for strength and endurance. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1980;45(2-3):255-263.
7 Steele J, Fisher J, McGuff D, Bruce-Low S, Smith D. Resistance training to momentary muscular failure improves cardiovascular fitness in humans: a review of acute physiological responses and chronic physiological adaptations. J. Exer Physiol online. 2012 Jun 1;15:53-80