HIIT whilst bulking

**robbo90** · 19-01-2010 06:48 PM

Just read the MP article on HIIT and it is something i tried in the past and enjoyed.

My question is, would doing HIIT after a weights session hinder my bulking gains?
The reason i ask my current aim is to bulk and put on overall size whilst shedding a little torso fat, would doing HIIT post w/o or on non training days help me achieve this or will it just effect my muscle building? Does this sound like a good plan or would i be better to bulk first and then lose the fat afterwards, concentrating on one thing at a time?

I know that i need a good diet to go along with this, and i do, so i'm just trying to fine tune my training now and stick with a decent routine for a while, rather than keep chopping and changing like im doing at the moment.

**dope540** · 19-01-2010 06:51 PM

shouldn't make a difference. cheef does sprinting and stuff, yet he's on a bulk.

**- DJT -** · 19-01-2010 07:09 PM

Quote

Originally Posted by dope540

shouldn't make a difference. cheef does sprinting and stuff, yet he's on a bulk.

Sure he also claims to eat 7000 kcal a day to offset it though haha

**JohnW** · 19-01-2010 07:14 PM

There's a large number of threads starting on this recently - if your bulking and have a quite long way to go I think your going to need to accept the fat gain.

If you have as much muscle or nearly as much as you want to put on then I think you can lean up and maintain or put on a little muscle - and HIIT would be a good way to do this.

I do HIIT in the form of Muay Thai/BJJ once per week for 2hrs - although I may add in a 2nd BJJ session soon.

Although I am also bulking as my lifts aren't big enough

**James** · 20-01-2010 11:17 AM

HIIT could possibly increase muscle gain - two fold.

The actual HIIT cardio will promote hormone release that could increase a hypertrophic atomsphere within the body - with good progressive weight training/diet.

Also, the increased activity from HIIT AND weight training will make the metabolism faster, thus, upon eating enough calories (offset from the increased calorie burn, as stated previously) will allow the body to make 'faster' use of them - like adding more fuel to a fire.

**khris** · 20-01-2010 02:03 PM

the best way I look at HIIT while bulking is think of rugby physiques, many have large frames due to their food demand after a match or training yet training is often high intensity and the same go's for matches it almost replicates a HIIT scenario, where its stop, go, stop go, go go , stop type idea. So yea its possible and and I would say you'll see both strength gains and fat loss, but its hard to gauge, it just happens.

**robbo90** · 20-01-2010 08:11 PM

Cheers guys,
still got quite a way to go before i'll reach my target for muscle mass, but if doing HIIT can help my gains as James stated then i may just give it a go now and see how things go.

Anyone got any experience doing HIIT on a rower? Tried it on treadmills in the past and it's impossible. But surely if i bang a rower on the highest resistance and then do 30sec 80-90% max, then 30sec 50% max and repeat that 6 times or so that should work as HIIT right?

Not really got a place i can do sprints anymore. there is a field across the road from me with a running track marked out which i used in the past but the bloody council have fenced it off!

**dope540** · 20-01-2010 08:14 PM

haha i think musefan is the best one to ask about hiit on the rower. he goes mental, tabata style.

**James** · 20-01-2010 08:38 PM

Rowers are going to be a bit dubious, although should be fine if you are well within your limits and know what you are doing/correct form - constant fast jerking can't be that good! (I did spot the double enterdra (sp) here!)