{"id":89,"date":"2020-02-14T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-14T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hypertrophia.com\/?p=89"},"modified":"2020-02-14T22:04:37","modified_gmt":"2020-02-14T22:04:37","slug":"concurrent-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/concurrent-training","title":{"rendered":"Concurrent Training &#8211; Does Endurance, Cardio Exercise with Resistance Training Hurt Your Gains"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"730\" height=\"509\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Concurrent-Training-509.jpg\" alt=\"Concurrent Training will it hurt my muscle gains\" class=\"wp-image-236\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Concurrent-Training-509.jpg 730w, https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Concurrent-Training-509-300x209.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 730px) 100vw, 730px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 ez-toc-wrap-right counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-white ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Content Table<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-662bfefabe9b3\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-662bfefabe9b3\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/concurrent-training\/#What_is_Concurrent_Training\" title=\"What is Concurrent Training?\">What is Concurrent Training?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/concurrent-training\/#Choose_Your_Main_and_Secondary_Goals\" title=\"Choose Your Main and Secondary Goals\">Choose Your Main and Secondary Goals<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/concurrent-training\/#Science_and_Concurrent_Training\" title=\"Science and Concurrent Training\">Science and Concurrent Training<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/concurrent-training\/#Meta-Analysis_Findings\" title=\"Meta-Analysis Findings\">Meta-Analysis Findings<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/concurrent-training\/#What_Are_the_Takeaway_Points_from_the_Wilson_Meta-Analysis\" title=\"What Are the Takeaway Points from the Wilson Meta-Analysis?\">What Are the Takeaway Points from the Wilson Meta-Analysis?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/concurrent-training\/#Daylight_Robbery_or_Downright_Complimentary\" title=\"Daylight Robbery or Downright Complimentary?\">Daylight Robbery or Downright Complimentary?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/concurrent-training\/#Experts_Agree_%E2%80%93_Concurrent_Training_Works\" title=\"Experts Agree &#8211; Concurrent Training Works\">Experts Agree &#8211; Concurrent Training Works<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/concurrent-training\/#Designing_Training_Programs_from_Scientific_Studies\" title=\"Designing Training Programs from Scientific Studies\">Designing Training Programs from Scientific Studies<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/concurrent-training\/#Bodybuilding_and_Body_Fat_Management\" title=\"Bodybuilding and Body Fat Management\">Bodybuilding and Body Fat Management<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/concurrent-training\/#Final_Word_%E2%80%93_For_Now\" title=\"Final Word &#8211; For Now\">Final Word &#8211; For Now<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Concurrent_Training\"><\/span>What is Concurrent Training?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Concurrent training is when you go for a jog with your shake weights and do some star jumps every 2 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No it\u2019s not. I am, of course, messing with you. No-one should do what I just described unless they\u2019ve got the mullet, sweatband and short-shorts to go with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Concurrent training is where you undertake two different forms of exercise discipline &#8211; namely resistance weight training and some sort of cardio-vascular\/endurance training &#8211; within the same session, day or fitness program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some people avoid doing any cardio for fear that it will reduce their gains in muscle strength or hypertrophy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Others blast out a fierce cardio session immediately prior to lifting weights, seemingly unfazed (or, dare I say it, mindless) of other, more productive methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Choose_Your_Main_and_Secondary_Goals\"><\/span>Choose Your Main and Secondary Goals<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The fact that you\u2019ve come to this site means you are probably more interested in growing muscle than your aerobic engine for a fast 5 km run, but it pays to outline things from the start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If strength is your main goal, it should be your primary focus. This means the majority of your training will be geared around building strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Using the same 5 km run example, it won\u2019t serve you well to aim for an 18 minute 5K if what you want more is to squat 350 lbs within the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One type of training would inevitably eat into the other &#8211; both in terms of time and physical progress &#8211; possibly resulting in neither being achieved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, pick your poison. I\u2019m assuming it\u2019s <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/muscle-hypertrophy-myofibrillar-sarcoplasmic\">muscle hypertrophy (both strength and size<\/a>)<\/strong><\/span>, and always keep it in mind when you are engaging in concurrent training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"754\" height=\"509\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/muscle-science.jpg\" alt=\"Science and Concurrent Training\" class=\"wp-image-242\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/muscle-science.jpg 754w, https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/muscle-science-300x203.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 754px) 100vw, 754px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Science_and_Concurrent_Training\"><\/span>Science and Concurrent Training<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Scientific studies are a controlled setting in which the theories, concepts and methodologies that are played out in the empirical world, can be put to a statistically measurable test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no shortage of scientific studies that have investigated concurrent training, and more importantly drawn conclusions about the impact of cardio\/endurance exercise on muscle strength and size gains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Happily, for people like me, there has also been a couple meta-analyses of said studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A meta-analysis is where some or all of the individual studies are analyzed and statistically compared to determine agreement between their findings, root out the outliers, and ultimately, calculate the average of all of the results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meta-analyses are at the very top of the scientific study hierarchy because of the confidence level in the results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The more individual studies there are, the higher the value of the meta-analysis. A single study can be flawed and therefore give a skewed result, but a meta-analysis of many studies cannot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Meta-Analysis_Findings\"><\/span>Meta-Analysis Findings<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Wilson et al completed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/22002517\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"a meta-analysis of 21 individual studies (opens in a new tab)\">a meta-analysis of 21 individual studies<\/a> that examined the detrimental effects of concurrent endurance\/cardio training on resistance training outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 21 studies involved were chosen because the matched certain criteria, namely they:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Compared strength training alone to strength-plus-endurance (concurrent) training<\/li><li>Compared combinations of concurrent training<\/li><li>Measured at least one parameter from strength, power or hypertrophy<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><em>\u201cEffect Size\u201d<\/em> &#8211; ES &#8211; is a simple way of quantifying the difference between groups of results rather than just using statistical significance.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, the Wilson meta-analysis found the average ES for hypertrophy amongst the concurrent training results was 0.85.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On its own that might mean very little, but it works when you also know that the average ES for hypertrophy in the strength-only groups was 1.23; and for the endurance training it was 0.27.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For clarity, the Effect Sizes for hypertrophy are summarized as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Strength training only = 1.23<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Concurrent training only = 0.85<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Endurance training only = 0.27<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, the strength-only and concurrent training results effect sizes are significantly larger than the endurance-only training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are the mean ESs for strength improvements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Strength training only = 1.76<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Concurrent training only = 1.44<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Endurance training only = 0.78<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Again, strength and concurrent training ES is significantly greater than endurance with respect to strength gains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, the mean ESs for power development were:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Strength training only = 0.91<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Concurrent training only = 0.55<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Endurance training only = 0.11<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This time, significant differences were found between all three groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"760\" height=\"184\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Hypertrophy-Strength-and-Power-1.jpg\" alt=\"Hypertrophy, Strength and Power.\" class=\"wp-image-252\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Hypertrophy-Strength-and-Power-1.jpg 760w, https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Hypertrophy-Strength-and-Power-1-300x73.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Are_the_Takeaway_Points_from_the_Wilson_Meta-Analysis\"><\/span>What Are the Takeaway Points from the Wilson Meta-Analysis?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The results show a very obvious pattern with strength-only training winning on all 3 measures: Hypertrophy, Strength and Power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also clear is that endurance training by itself led to significantly less gains in all 3 measured as compared to concurrent training (although endurance still led to positive effect on all 3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Furthermore, where power was concerned, strength-only training resulted in significantly greater improvements than concurrent training, which in-turn was significantly more effective than endurance only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wilson notes that concurrent training, where running was the endurance type training, there were significantly smaller gains in muscle hypertrophy and strength (although they were still gains).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However where cycling was the endurance training, this decrement didn\u2019t reach significance. Interpretation: concurrent training with cycling preserves muscle gains better than running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>No form of training resulted in decreases in muscle size, strength or power, i.e. all effect sizes highlighted positive change.<\/p><p>The only decrease, which is not discussed above is that <strong>VO2max<\/strong> &#8211; a measure of maximal aerobic output &#8211; actually reduced with strength-only training.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s important from a health perspective, and from the perspective of someone designing their training program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Given strength, power and hypertrophy can be increased no matter what style of training, but cardio fitness can be reduced in strength-only training, can you really afford not to add some endurance\/cardio to your routine?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps the most important point to make here is that concurrent training does not result in complete negation or \u201crobbery\u201d of muscle gains. Is not the reason you are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/why-am-i-not-making-muscle-gains\">not making muscle gains<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Continue reading for some information that\u2019ll really make you question your pre-conceived notions that <em>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/cardio-for-lifters\">cardio hurts my gains<\/a>\u201d<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"760\" height=\"184\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/cardio-will-not.jpg\" alt=\"Cardio will definitely not completely rob your gains, as many gym bros seem to think.\" class=\"wp-image-246\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/cardio-will-not.jpg 760w, https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/cardio-will-not-300x73.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Daylight_Robbery_or_Downright_Complimentary\"><\/span>Daylight Robbery or Downright Complimentary?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The concurrent training meta-analysis discussed in the first part of this article gives us hope that we can have our endurance training and our strength training in the same program and not significantly slow our muscle growth or strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cardio will definitely not completely rob your gains, as many gym bros seem to think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are, of course, some signs to watch out for when you decide to go down a concurrent training path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We don\u2019t really know too much about the effects on people with a lot of training experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most studies involve untrained individuals, and their progress tends to reflect that. Noobs, after all, make the best gains of their life in the first 6 months. I don\u2019t believe the results can be flipped on their head if you are, say, a 5 year veteran of the gym.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the case of experienced lifters, it might be the case that you would have to monitor your measurable factors a little closer if you decide to add some more cardio into your routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Another point to consider is that the longer your session of endurance\/cardio training, the more it will effect your muscle strength and hypertrophy gains.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Technically, you can still improve strength and size if you do an hour of endurance a day, but combined with your gym sessions you are looking at a lot of time spent exercising, and the potential for over-training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Overall fatigue and over-training can have detrimental effects to both your progress and your health. Downtime wasted because you are sick is not the same as downtime for recovery and growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting the right balance is key, and that is a program design issue, and one that can vary from one individual to the next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Experts_Agree_%E2%80%93_Concurrent_Training_Works\"><\/span>Experts Agree &#8211; Concurrent Training Works<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Data gathered from all the studies of concurrent training doesn\u2019t support the popular belief that cardio or endurance exercise will ruin your muscle gains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>It\u2019s great to see when experts in the field bash out opinion articles like the one <a href=\"https:\/\/pdfs.semanticscholar.org\/d984\/41780be26c86caa394d8a8550c3270e6a039.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Murach and Bagley did in 2016 (opens in a new tab)\">Murach and Bagley did in 2016<\/a> (don\u2019t you just love recent scientific literature? It leaves a fresh taste of nerd in your mindbrain).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>These papers allow them to expand on the number crunching and offer forth what can be considered as extremely educated opinions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps the most exciting figure from that report shows that combining aerobic training with strength training of the quadriceps leads to greater muscle hypertrophy gains than strength-only training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This doesn\u2019t mean concurrent training is better for muscle hypertrophy than strength training alone. That\u2019s far too broad a statement, and we\u2019ve already seen from the Wilson meta-study that all muscle related measurements point to strength-only training as being most effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For one thing, the data was from the measurement of quadriceps size. i.e. one muscle group and one measurement criterion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Secondly the strength training volume was rather low with 2 days of lifting per week, and aerobic at 3 to 4 days per week. Most strength athletes would balk at the very suggestion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Designing_Training_Programs_from_Scientific_Studies\"><\/span>Designing Training Programs from Scientific Studies<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s interesting is the potential for program design that comes out from an analysis of the last few decades of studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Murach and Bagley highlighted previous research into the optimal timing of concurrent training, which found that a minimum 3 hour separation time between aerobic and resistance training should be observed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Waiting <strong>6 hours or more is even more beneficial and 24 hours is optimal<\/strong>. It\u2019s logical of course, but again not always practical for a great number of people, who have time for one session a day for 4 days<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, we\u2019re not really discussing those people. We\u2019re discussing people for whom muscle and physique conditioning is extremely important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For this reason, it\u2019s not beyond the realm of sanity to recommend a <strong>7 session week<\/strong>, at one session per day, alternating between aerobic\/cardio and resistance training. The emphasis would be on resistance training with 4 out of the 7 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The logical 24 hour waiting time holds with this pattern, as does the strength training volume required for quality gains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Provided sleep and diet are sufficient, there shouldn\u2019t be a problem with following 7 a week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, individualities do come into play, as does work\/life balance. The above idea is merely an indication as to what can be done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"703\" height=\"509\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/bodybuilder-fat-509.jpg\" alt=\"Bodybuilder fat management\" class=\"wp-image-255\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/bodybuilder-fat-509.jpg 703w, https:\/\/www.gghc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/bodybuilder-fat-509-300x217.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 703px) 100vw, 703px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Bodybuilding_and_Body_Fat_Management\"><\/span>Bodybuilding and Body Fat Management<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It occurs to me that I haven\u2019t really focused on the benefits of concurrent training. That\u2019s mainly because if you\u2019re looking to pursue it, you already know why, and what you\u2019re really looking for is information about how aerobic training affects your resistance training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hopefully the health aspects of aerobic training doesn\u2019t need to be discussed in depth here anyway. I\u2019m sure you know them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fat management is key to the bodybuilding physique though. And that\u2019s definitely a goal only achievable through some formula of concurrent training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s true that raising the intensity of your resistance training will increase metabolic turnover and fat burning, but to really torch fat you are going to need to add some cardio to your gym game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, walking on a treadmill for 20 minutes every other day won\u2019t really cut it. If you\u2019re eating an anabolic diet for maximal muscle growth, you\u2019ll need to hit the cardio accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Interval training, where you complete burst of intense cardio interspersed with steady state low-intensity cardio works well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alternating lower body and upper body aerobic work relative to resistance work is preferable as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example: on your bench press day, you would use a power cycle or spin bike, and on your squat day you might use the rowing machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Word_%E2%80%93_For_Now\"><\/span>Final Word &#8211; For Now<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m going to get into training programs, periodization and balance in further detail as this website matures, but I wanted to put this, albeit two-part, article up in order to leave a signpost for concurrent training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read the literature I\u2019ve linked out to if you have time. It\u2019s well worth the ten minute read, and provides detailed insights that one can only really brush over in an article of this kind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the meantime, the best judge of your progress is you. If you feel you are doing too much cardio and it\u2019s bringing fatigue into your program, then step it back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just be aware that there are definite positives to adding aerobic fitness to your strength and size training. The research tells us cardio is not the gains killer it was once thought to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It may even help in some circumstances.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is Concurrent Training? Concurrent training is when you go for a jog with your shake weights and do some star jumps every 2 minutes. No it\u2019s not. I am, of course, messing with you. No-one should do what I just described unless they\u2019ve got the mullet, sweatband and short-shorts to go with it. Concurrent [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":236,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[330],"tags":[75,77,92,93,114,126,127],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What is Concurrent Training? Is My Training Hurting My Gains<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Concurrent training is when you go for a jog with your shake weights and do some star jumps every 2 minutes....if you are an idiot! 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