30 Seconds SummaryCardio Isn’t Going to Kill Your Gains. Need More Evidence? You Got It.
- A recent study challenges the longstanding belief that aerobic exercise, such as cycling, conflicts with muscle hypertrophy from strength training.
- The study, 'Exercise-induced AMPK activation does not interfere with muscle hypertrophy in response to resistance training in men,' found that combining aerobic and strength training does not inhibit muscle growth, even when performed consecutively.
- Participants in the study, who were young and recreationally active but not strength-trained, did aerobic training immediately followed by strength training in one leg, while the other leg did only strength training.
- After an aerobic session, the leg that underwent cycling showed a decrease in initial strength but achieved similar power output and greater muscle hypertrophy compared to the strength-only leg.
- Findings reveal aerobic exercise led to a higher increase in muscle glycogen and significant health-related gene expression changes beneficial for muscle growth.
- The study suggests that aerobic training can enhance hypertrophy and should not necessarily be avoided by those looking to increase muscle mass, though fatigue from prior aerobic exercise might impede immediate strength performance.
Stronger By Science
Greg Nuckols
