Why Your Bulking Fails #3: The Dangers of Excessive Cardio

Bulking is all about building muscle mass and strength, but excessive cardio can undermine your efforts. While cardio is important for overall health, too much can interfere with your primary goal of creating a calorie surplus to fuel muscle growth. Here’s why excessive cardio can be detrimental to bulking and how to strike the right balance.

Why Excessive Cardio is a Problem During Bulking

1. Risk of a Calorie Deficit

Bulking requires a calorie surplus to gain muscle mass. Excessive cardio burns a significant number of calories, making it difficult to maintain this surplus. If you burn too many calories, you may unintentionally create a calorie deficit, halting muscle growth or even leading to muscle loss.

2. Muscle Catabolism

Too much cardio can cause muscle catabolism, where your body breaks down muscle tissue for energy. This is the opposite of what you want during bulking, as it prioritizes energy expenditure over muscle repair and growth.

3. Interference with Strength Training

Excessive cardio can leave you too fatigued to lift heavy weights effectively, reducing the intensity and effectiveness of your strength training sessions, which are crucial for muscle growth.

How to Balance Cardio During Bulking

1. Limit Cardio Frequency and Duration

Keep cardio sessions to a minimum during bulking. Aim for 2-3 low-intensity sessions per week, each lasting no more than 20-30 minutes. This maintains cardiovascular health without burning too many calories.

2. Opt for Low-Intensity Cardio

Choose low-intensity activities like walking or light cycling. These are less likely to interfere with muscle recovery and growth compared to high-intensity workouts.

3. Schedule Cardio Wisely

Perform cardio on non-strength training days, or separate your cardio and weightlifting sessions by several hours to avoid negatively impacting your strength training performance or recovery.

Conclusion

While cardio is important for overall health, excessive cardio during bulking can sabotage your muscle-building efforts. By balancing cardio with strength training and maintaining a calorie surplus, you can optimize your bulking results. Keep cardio in check, prioritize lifting, and ensure you’re giving your muscles the recovery time they need to grow.