Does cardio build muscle?
Yes, cardio can build muscle. Cardio can help with muscle growth, particularly in older people and those who don’t work out physically [1].
However, if you work out regularly or would like to achieve significant muscle growth, cardio may not be the best training for you. The muscle growth from cardio exercises is minimal.
The factors that determine if cardio can build muscle are the frequency, duration, and intensity of the training. Best cardio training is up to 45 minutes long and repeated four to five times a week. The heartbeat intensity should not exceed 80% of your heart rate reserve [1].
Cardio might not be the best exercise for striated muscle growth, but it is beneficial for the cardiac muscle. Regular cardio strengthens the heart and can even increase the size of the heart [2, 3].
What is cardio?
Cardio is short for cardiovascular. It includes many exercises that have common characteristics. They make the heart beat faster for a longer time [4].
Cardiovascular training demands a lot of oxygen and is thus part of the aerobic exercises [5].
Aerobic exercises put a lot of work on the lungs. You need to breathe faster and deeper to comply with the high oxygen demand [4].
Examples of cardio exercises include marching, running, swimming, biking, or rope jumping [5, 6].
What are the benefits of cardio?
Cardiovascular exercise has multiple health benefits.
Regular cardio increases stamina and increases the energy available to your muscles [7].
Additionally, cardiovascular training helps with weight loss or maintenance [7].
Another positive impact cardio has on you is on your immune system. Aerobic exercise boosts the immune system and improves its efficiency. It results in faster healing of infections [7].
Cardio can also be helpful in the prevention or management of chronic conditions. It is recommended to include cardio in a healthy lifestyle [7].
Cardio exercise is also beneficial for your heart health. It strengthens your heart, reducing the risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions [8, 9].
Moreover, cardio exercise can extend your life. Regular aerobic activity is linked to longevity. Physically active people have longer and healthier lives [4, 7].
Also, cardio is good for your mental health. Moderate aerobic exercise three times a week for 30 minutes can reduce depression and anxiety. Regular exercise can also improve your mood [10, 7].
Lastly, cardio exercise can improve sleep quality and help with stress [10].
What is the best type of exercise to build muscles?
The best type of exercise for muscle growth depends on your personal preference and fitness goals.
However, there are a few training programs that show objectively better results.
One of the best exercises for building muscles is strength training. It is also called resistance training. This type of training allows you to effectively gain muscle mass [11]. You can perform it on free weights, resistance bands, your weight, or on gym machines [12].
Another very effective way to build muscle is high-intensity interval training (HIIT). It involves short, high-power, and speed exercises. HIIT causes a lot of stress and demand on the muscles, pushing the body towards the VO2 max [13].
When performing the exercise, you can choose to train multiple joints or one at a time. Both options give similar results [14].
However, when focusing on one muscle, you can control the technique better. Therefore, singular joint exercises can be more effective.
On the other hand, if you want to save time and still see muscle growth, then multiple joint exercises are for you [14].
The most important factor for muscle growth is the total amount of work done. The more you work with your muscles, the more they will grow [15].
Regardless of the type of training you are doing, you always need to eat healthy. For muscle growth, you need to pay attention to consuming proteins and enough calories [11].