Cardio & interference effects

Hello!
I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately about the advantages/disadvantages of including cardio in a strength/hypertrophy focused program.
I’ve heard what you guys have had to say on the podcast and have read a series of 4 or so articles on Greg Nuckols’ site.

I was hoping to get a confirmation from you on some things I’ve taken away from the reading as well as get some answers on training specifics.

Takeaways:

  • The advantage of including cardio is increased work capacity (in addition to overall long-term health benefits)
  • There is an interference effect between AMPK and mTOR, but not as pronounced as originally believed
  • Some (much?) of the interference effect was due specifically to running, and it’s not as pronounced in cycling/swimming etc
  • HIIT work does not confer all of the advantages of longer cardio work

Training questions (again, all of this assuming my primary programming is strength/hypertrophy):

  • Should cardio be steady state? (Heart rate targeting?)
  • Is it ok to do dynamic cardio programs (e.g. “spinning” classes with intervals, hills, etc)
  • How much cardio should be done each week?
  • Do you believe rucking is good cardio? (And is ok for joint health?)

I also walk 4-6 miles a day at a fairly brisk pace. Would this substitute for higher heart-rate cardio work?

Thank you again!

CH,

  1. I don’t think you have to do steady state cardio only, but that’s usually my preference unless someone prefers HIIT.
  2. While I don’t think the gainzZz police are going to come arrest you, if those challenges are fairly new to you, I don’t think that’d be my preferred conditioning.
  3. Depends on your needs, but at least 75-150 min per week of vigorous activity (>6 METs) or 150-300min of moderate intensity activity (3-6 METs).
  4. There are no types of exercise that are “bad” for joints, assuming that’s what you mean by “joint health.” Joints, and the human body in general, are adaptive. Rucking is fine if you want.

-Jordan

Many thanks, Jordan.
But if you’re saying 75-150 mins per week vigorous, then HIIT won’t do it, right? There are people who say that HIIT substitutes for long-duration cardio, but I don’t think you agree with that, correct?
Which mostly leaves vigorous but steady-state for those 75-150 minutes. (And I’m assuming that also doesn’t include the cardio component of weight training?).

Thanks!