Ep. #199: Research Review: Dr. Eric Helms on Combining Cardio & Weightlifting

As you probably know, I work hard to understand and promote high-quality diet, nutrition, and exercise science. That’s why I’ve spent and continue to spend a lot of time researching and writing, and why I reference quite a bit of scientific literature in my work.

What I don’t do, though, is produce a research review where individual studies are broken down and analyzed because my plate is already overflowing with work as it is, and honestly, I don’t think I could do it better than the researchers whose work and research reviews I myself read regularly, like James Krieger, Eric Helms, Greg Nuckols, Mike Zourdos, Alan Aragon, and Bret Contreras.

And so I had an idea: why not get those guys to come on my podcast to discuss studies they’ve analyzed in their reviews and share with us what they’ve learned, and how we can use that information to optimize our diets, exercise routines, supplement regimens, and overall lifestyle.

In this episode, I have the one and only Dr. Eric Helms back on to discuss a study published in 2016 titled “Endurance Training Intensity Does Not Mediate Inference to Maximal Lower-Body Strength Gain during Short-Term Concurrent Training.”

This study looked at “concurrent training,” which is the inclusion of both cardiovascular and resistance training in the same program, and specifically at how it impacts strength and muscle gain. You’ve probably heard that cardio in any amount or intensity might interfere with strength and muscle gain, but is it really that straightforward? This study and Eric’s interpretation and explanation is is going to help shed more light on the matter...

0:17 - What are the results of combining cardio and weightlifting?
3:28 - Is it better to do cardio before or after lifting?
4:51 - What do you recommend for people who want quick results?
7:57 - Which type of cardio workouts minimize the interference effect? 
18:30 - What’s the next step in researching cardio and weightlifting?

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Reference

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5093324/