Cardio is usually a touchy subject when people are trying to "gain mass" or specifically focus on strength. There is a lot of misinformation out there about only doing certain types of cardio, when in reality both low intensity and high intensity cardio sessions will play a significant part in your success.
Cardio in general is a key factor in gaining strength and size. Some don't agree, and that's ok, but let me just tell you my reasoning. Cardiovascular exercise will cause physiological adaptations different from those of strength training. Cardio increases the SIZE of the left ventricle allowing for a greater fill of blood and greater stroke volume (amount of blood pumped with each beat of the heart) to the muscular system. Why is that important? With increased blood flow comes an increase in nutrients to the working muscle tissue. The body will increase the number of capillaries to allow more surface area for nutrient exchange (big one here is OXYGEN). When your body receives that extra oxygen, your body will then create more cellular "power plants" called mitochondrion. Now " ta-da" you can recover faster between sets, excrete excess hydrogen ion and lactic acid accumulation, and start the rebuilding process much faster. Another great benefit is with increased surface are via more capillaries, your nutrition will be able to play an even bigger role in your success.
Lets begin with how high intensity interval training (H.I.I.T.) can be incorporated into your routine. If this is the route you choose because it takes less time and you don't get as bored- then great! My suggestion is 2 days a week AT THE MOST if you are already doing a full strength program. Why only two days per week? High intensity bouts of cardio will cause your body to become catabolic when abused or not done properly. If your focus is to gain muscle, then 2 days of HIIT will do just the trick. High intensity intervals have been scientifically shown to boost HGH, testosterone, and therefore create a more anabolic (growth & fat burning) response when proper protocols are applied. My suggestion for a hit program can be found below.
HIIT: Pick equipment and warm up for 5 minutes.
Next perform 8 intervals at a 1:2 work/rest interval (1 minute SPRINT, 2 minutes moderate/low intensity recovery)
Cool down: 5 minutes at a low intensity.
On to Low intensity steady state exercise (L.I.S.S.) and how it fits in to your plan. First of all I would personally not exceed 45 minutes of constant cardiovascular exercise when trying to gain strength/mass. Keeping the time moderate will promote many of the changes listed above without completely depleting micronutrient (sodium, potassium) stores in your cells, or causing a catabolic (muscle breakdown) reaction. When you perform cardio exercise for too long you lose important nutrients through sweat and can thus hinder your results. L.I.S.S. is a pretty simple program, do it 2-3 times per week either following your strength training workout, or separate the workouts by approximately 6-8 hours. My personal favorites are the Step master & Walking at an incline on the treadmill. Just relax, put in the iPod and work at about a 6-7 on a scale of 1-10.
Lastly, do not be afraid to mix and match the two styles during the week. Maybe 2 LISS and 1 HIIT? Or 2 HIIT and 1 LISS? You choose, just follow the simple rules and you will have a valuable tool to break through your plateaus!
Thomas Ketter C.S.C.S., C.E.S., C.P.T.
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
Corrective Exercise Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer
Cardio in general is a key factor in gaining strength and size. Some don't agree, and that's ok, but let me just tell you my reasoning. Cardiovascular exercise will cause physiological adaptations different from those of strength training. Cardio increases the SIZE of the left ventricle allowing for a greater fill of blood and greater stroke volume (amount of blood pumped with each beat of the heart) to the muscular system. Why is that important? With increased blood flow comes an increase in nutrients to the working muscle tissue. The body will increase the number of capillaries to allow more surface area for nutrient exchange (big one here is OXYGEN). When your body receives that extra oxygen, your body will then create more cellular "power plants" called mitochondrion. Now " ta-da" you can recover faster between sets, excrete excess hydrogen ion and lactic acid accumulation, and start the rebuilding process much faster. Another great benefit is with increased surface are via more capillaries, your nutrition will be able to play an even bigger role in your success.
Lets begin with how high intensity interval training (H.I.I.T.) can be incorporated into your routine. If this is the route you choose because it takes less time and you don't get as bored- then great! My suggestion is 2 days a week AT THE MOST if you are already doing a full strength program. Why only two days per week? High intensity bouts of cardio will cause your body to become catabolic when abused or not done properly. If your focus is to gain muscle, then 2 days of HIIT will do just the trick. High intensity intervals have been scientifically shown to boost HGH, testosterone, and therefore create a more anabolic (growth & fat burning) response when proper protocols are applied. My suggestion for a hit program can be found below.
HIIT: Pick equipment and warm up for 5 minutes.
Next perform 8 intervals at a 1:2 work/rest interval (1 minute SPRINT, 2 minutes moderate/low intensity recovery)
Cool down: 5 minutes at a low intensity.
On to Low intensity steady state exercise (L.I.S.S.) and how it fits in to your plan. First of all I would personally not exceed 45 minutes of constant cardiovascular exercise when trying to gain strength/mass. Keeping the time moderate will promote many of the changes listed above without completely depleting micronutrient (sodium, potassium) stores in your cells, or causing a catabolic (muscle breakdown) reaction. When you perform cardio exercise for too long you lose important nutrients through sweat and can thus hinder your results. L.I.S.S. is a pretty simple program, do it 2-3 times per week either following your strength training workout, or separate the workouts by approximately 6-8 hours. My personal favorites are the Step master & Walking at an incline on the treadmill. Just relax, put in the iPod and work at about a 6-7 on a scale of 1-10.
Lastly, do not be afraid to mix and match the two styles during the week. Maybe 2 LISS and 1 HIIT? Or 2 HIIT and 1 LISS? You choose, just follow the simple rules and you will have a valuable tool to break through your plateaus!
Thomas Ketter C.S.C.S., C.E.S., C.P.T.
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
Corrective Exercise Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer