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It is well known amongst the bodybuilding and strength building communities that excessive cardio workouts can have a damaging effect on muscle gains. I have even read about high profile bodybuilders that stay away from cardio exercises all together. We all have different fitness goals in mind but one thing that we should do is maintain and build muscle.

The problem with regular cardio

There is nothing wrong with performing cardio, however, too much of it and not enough strength training can cause muscle loss. When the body is in a calorie deficit, which is mainly the case particularly for people on a diet, the body will not only seek out fat stores for energy but also muscle.

Interval training has been shown to limit the amount of muscle loss compared to regular cardio. When intervals are used in combination with weights, you can also build strength.

You don’t need to be a bodybuilder to want muscle. Maintaining lean muscle is important in general. Here are a few reasons why:

• Muscle burns more calories than fat
• An increase in muscle means an increase in metabolism
• Physical performance improves overall
• Muscles helps prevent injury
• Overall, you will look and feel better

If your goal is to lose weight yet build muscle, try using interval training in place of your cardio routines. Three cardio sessions per week plus at least two days of strength training should be enough to maintain muscle.

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