Wait! No such thing as a bulking phase…but I love eating tons of food and gaining a ton of muscle!
Don’t get stuck in a bulking phase
Evidence is out there that blurs bulking phases and cutting phases together, and studies have shown that by combining the two may be most beneficial. When one thinks bulking usually lifting weights comes to mind, and when one thinks of cutting usually cardio comes to mind. By NOT separating lifting and cardio, even in the same workout, you can see 998% better fat reduction and 82.2% more muscle gain as compared to people who DO separate cardio and resistance-training.
I know what you’re thinking…”prove it”….well okay
The academic source of all this information is down at the bottom of the article but I’ll give you the low down.
BETTER AEROBIC CAPACITY:
Scuba divers were used in a study to show the effects of anaerobic interval training compared to moderately intense, long cardio. The VO2 max increased by 18% in the anaerobic (sprint interval) group and only 6% in the long cardio group. Also the SWIM SPEED OF THE ANAEROBIC GROUP WAS ALMOST DOUBLE THAT OF THE OTHER GROUP!
Now just to make sure we are clear, the anaerobic group didn’t just lift weights, they did sprinting interval training which includes weight lifting and sprinting…all with low amounts of rest.
REDUCED MUSCLE SORENESS!!!
Could be you!
Also known as DOMS, muscle soreness can be a big factor with people’s desires to lift weights. When I learned this I thought it was weird. You would think that in order to lose more fat and gain more muscle you would have to become more sore but nope! The study showed that the anaerobic, cardio-weight training program has some recovery effects. Perhaps the sprinting between lifts helps circulate waste in your muscles to reduce DOMS.
Why aren’t you doing this?
For those of you that are still doubting this information or don’t like doing cardio…think of it this way. You will still be lifting weights, but now you’ll be doing it faster with sprints and other intense cardio in between.
If you’re a sucker for the typical bodybuilding website then you’re probably thinking “Cardio doesn’t allow you to gain muscle!!!!!!!!” but it’s not really cardio. And it’s not really lifting. It’s an in between, best of both worlds workout. You will get the benefits of the cardio with the benefits of the muscle growth.
I have actually tried this without knowing it and have seen the results first hand and they are pretty good. The workout I’m doing will be changing to this very quickly. I’ll be updating you of my new workout according to this new information when I make it.
But hey don’t let me be the only one to get swoll, try this out for yourself and see if we have the same results…and yes that’s a challenge.
1. SOURCE:
Teta, Jade, and Keoni Teta. “Weight training: the new cardio?” Townsend Letter Apr. 2011: 95+.Academic OneFile. Web. 3 Mar. 2013
