This is an important question that many people ask. While you can do cardio when bulking, it’s not a necessity at any level, as you can substitute cardio with different workouts.
The question is, why would you want to do cardio? Do you enjoy it? Do you believe it helps with bulking or burns fat more effectively? Are you looking to minimize the appearance of fat or extra weight while bulking? Or is there another reason?
Another aspect of bulking that we need to take into account is whether you gain weight easily or if you are a hard gainer.
There are multiple levels to this topic, so we will thoroughly discuss whether you should be doing cardio while bulking.
Should I do Cardio When Bulking?
Whether you should do cardio while bulking depends on many factors, most importantly, your goals. Keep in mind that cardio burns a lot of calories, which can be counterproductive when you’re trying to bulk.
There are various forms of cardio, and depending on which one you choose, it can differently impact your bulking progress, recovery, and muscle-building ability.
Let’s review some of the most important forms of cardio and analyze how they can affect your bulk, so you can understand which form of cardio is best when bulking.
Low-Intensity Steady-State (LISS):
- Examples: Walking, leisurely cycling, swimming.
- Impact: LISS (Low-Intensity Steady-State) is a gentle, low-impact form of cardio that goes easy on your muscles and joints, burns calories effectively, and is less likely to interfere with muscle recovery. This would be the best form of cardio that will not significantly impact your bulking efforts.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT):
- Examples: Sprinting, interval cycling, circuit training.
- Impact: HIIT burns a high number of calories in a short amount of time. It is generally intense and functions as a full-fledged workout that can interfere with muscle recovery. If you already work out three times a week and are trying to bulk, adding HIIT workouts can significantly impact your bulk and interfere with your recovery.
Moderate-Intensity Cardio:
- Examples: Jogging, moderate-paced cycling, elliptical training.
- Impact: Jogging, in particular, can be quite taxing during a bulk, and we would advise against it. If you really want to jog, go for a short, low-paced jog. Cycling, on the other hand, can be quite enjoyable. While it’s not as low-impact as LISS, it is definitely a better choice of cardio compared to HIIT.
Steady-State Cardio:
- Examples: Running, rowing, long-distance cycling.
- Impact: Maintaining a consistent pace during your cardio choice is effective for endurance but burns a lot of calories, which can be counterproductive during a bulk.
Plyometrics:
- Examples: Jumping exercises, box jumps, burpees.
- Impact: High-impact and explosive movements are great for improving athletic performance, but they can hinder your bulking process.
Sports and Recreational Activities:
- Examples: Basketball, soccer, tennis.
- Impact: If you are dead set on doing some form of cardio during your bulk, incorporating your favorite sport as a recreational activity once or twice a week is a very good idea.
Circuit Training:
- Examples: A mix of strength exercises with minimal rest.
- Impact: If this is your primary form of workout, you can keep doing it without adding any additional forms of cardio (maybe just walking). If you are doing strength training or weightlifting, you can incorporate some form of cardio to meet your needs.
The forms of cardio mentioned here each have their respective place, depending on your goals and how well you can incorporate them into your bulking objectives.
Cardio and Bulking: A Good Combination?
Let’s do some simple math: If your daily calorie maintenance is 2,500 calories, you’ll need to eat in a calorie surplus to bulk.
- A caloric surplus happens when we eat more calories than we burn, leading to an increase in body mass.
- A calorie deficit happens when we burn more calories than we eat, leading to a decrease in body mass.
This means we need to consume significantly more calories than our daily maintenance requirement. As we exercise, our calorie expenditure increases, requiring even more calories to stay aligned with our bulking objectives.
If we incorporate cardio exercises that burn a lot of calories, like HIIT or plyometrics, bulking becomes challenging because it’s hard for many to consume the necessary amount of food.
It is much easier to bulk without cardio, but if you’re determined to do cardio during your bulk, there are some workarounds that can still give you great results.
The solution lies in consuming specific foods and taking supplements that can significantly impact your daily calorie intake.
What Should I Eat During a Bulk?
This is a very important question and can be the key to your bulking success. The answer to the question “Should I do cardio when bulking?” can be as simple as “It depends on your diet.“
If you’re a good eater, maintain a healthy, protein-rich diet, and need some extra calories to meet your bulking objectives, you can easily do so, even if you add cardio to your routine.
Let’s take running as an example. If you run 5 miles (8 km), you’ll burn around 500 calories. Eating an extra 500 calories can be quite simple if done right.
If you already consume whey protein, you can create a simple bulking shake to fuel your body with vitamins and essential nutrients post-cardio workout.
For example, here’s a shake that contains about 800 calories and 50g of protein.
Ingredients:
- 2 scoops of whey protein powder (choose your favorite flavor)
- 1 cup of whole milk (or almond milk for a dairy-free option)
- 1 banana (for natural sweetness and extra calories)
- 2 tablespoons of peanut butter (for healthy fats and additional calories)
- 1/2 cup of oats (for complex carbs and fiber)
- 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt (for extra protein and creaminess)
- 1 tablespoon of honey (optional, for added sweetness)
You can access more recipes within the Workit App. With Workit, you can calculate your daily calorie needs and track your progress. Log your daily meals and monitor your macros.
Now, of course, bulking would be easier if you hadn’t burned those extra 500 calories, as the protein shake would have provided an additional 800 calories. However, if you’re determined to include cardio during your bulk, this is the way to go.
Below, we will list some of the most calorie-dense, healthy food choices that can be ideal during the bulking process. You can create amazing meals and snacks using these ingredients. If you want access to some ready-made recipes, download the Workit App.
- Dark Chocolate – 150-200 calories per ounce (28g).
- Greek Yogurt – 150-200 calories per cup.
- Cheese – 100-120 calories per ounce (feta, mozzarella, cheddar).
- Avocado – 240 calories per avocado.
- Whole Milk – 150 calories per cup (240ml).
- Salmon – 200-250 calories per 4 ounces (113g).
- Dried Fruit – 200-300 calories per 1/2 cup.
- Eggs – 70-90 calories per large egg.
This is a very modest list of healthy foods you can consume to meet your daily calorie needs during a bulk. You can snack of them or create some interesting meals.
Cardio while bulking is entirely possible and a reasonable approach. However, if you combine the two, you might need to work harder to achieve your goals.
Bulking without cardio is much easier and involves less hassle. If you’re not committed to doing cardio and can work out without it, our advice would be to limit it to LISS (Low-Intensity Steady State) workouts, like walking.
Can I Bulk Without Gaining Fat with Cardio
This is a valid question, and one of the main reasons you might be wondering if incorporating cardio with your bulking is a good idea could stem from the desire to bulk without gaining fat.
If you want to bulk without gaining excess fat, you might be interested in lean bulking. Now, how can you do a lean bulk? There are two ways you can bulk:
- Aggressive Bulk – Aggressive bulking is when you consume 500-1000 calories above your daily maintenance. This approach will help you gain weight faster, but you’ll also accumulate more fat. For example, with an aggressive bulk, you can gain 15-20 pounds in 4-5 months, but you will likely lose some muscle definition.
- Lean Bulk – Lean bulking is when you go 250-300 calories above your daily maintenance. This approach is essentially a lean bulk, as you won’t be gaining a lot of weight quickly. For example, with a lean/slow bulk, you can gain 8-10 pounds in 4-5 months and still maintain a six-pack.
Choose the approach that best fits your goals and objectives. For a safer start, consider beginning with a lean bulk, and if needed, you can increase your calorie intake from there.
General Concerns with Bulking and Cardio
There are some recommendations you should consider and apply when pairing cardio with bulking. Let’s dive a bit deeper into this:
Cardiovascular Health
- Pros: Proper cardio is great for heart and lung health, cardio improves circulation, and boosts overall fitness. Even during a bulk, cardio can be integrated into your workout routine.
- Cons: Too much or intense cardio can interfere with muscle growth if you don’t eat properly. An extreme calorie deficit can break down muscle tissue and cause excessive fatigue.
Caloric Expenditure
- Pros: Light cardio like walking can help with increasing healthy appetite, which can be beneficial if you’re eating large amounts of food. Walking is also one of the most effective, low-impact cardio workouts.
- Cons: If you struggle to gain weight, doing light cardio is the best approach. Burning large amounts of calories can negatively impact your muscle growth if you don’t replenish them with proper meals.
Muscle Growth Interference
- Pros: LISS cardio activities can complement your strength and weightlifting training during a bulk. They can also help you unwind and recover properly post-workout.
- Cons: Intense cardio sessions can compete with your body’s ability to recover and build muscle, a phenomenon known as the “interference effect.”
Fat Gain Management
- Pros: If you’re not controlling your calorie surplus and aren’t keeping track of how many calories you’re consuming, doing mild cardio workouts can help with weight management.
- Cons: The key is to not overdo cardio as it can hamper your muscle growth.
Personal Preference
- If you enjoy cardio and see it as an important aspect of your workout routine, feel free to integrate it. Be mindful of the intensity, and make sure you’re eating in a calorie surplus to compensate for the calories burned during your cardio sessions.
Cardio while bulking is a safe activity. You will definitely burn more calories and need to eat more to balance them out, but if that’s not a problem for you, bulking is definitely possible while doing cardio.
Conclusion
If you enjoy doing cardio and see it as an integral part of your workout routine, you can easily pair them together and still achieve your objectives.
Be mindful of what you eat, how many calories you consume, and how many you burn. You can download the Workit app and use the free fitness tools to calculate your daily calorie requirements.
Remember, in order to bulk, you must be in a calorie surplus. When you add cardio to your workout routine, you will burn more calories, so you’ll need to eat more to compensate for the calorie expenditure.
If you don’t have a strong preference for specific cardio exercises, we recommend doing LISS (Low-Intensity Steady State) workouts like walking.
Walking is one of the best forms of exercise because it is low-impact, burns a significant amount of calories, and promotes healthy brain activity. It’s not only good for cardio but also excellent for mental clarity and mood balancing.
In short, doing cardio and bulking at the same time is possible. Many people do this regularly and achieve their goals as long as they stay consistent.
If you are a hard gainer and struggle to eat in a calorie surplus, we would advise staying away from cardio exercises, as they could lead to difficulties, and your bulk might turn into weight loss. Be mindful and ask yourself, “Do I really need to do cardio during a bulk?” If the answer is no, refrain from it; if it’s yes, integrate cardio in a way that doesn’t interfere with your calorie surplus.