put on size with cardio

[musclebosun]

for as long as i can remember, i have trainied for a specific look, be it bigger or leaner. Recently i have started training up for my special forces selection and i decided to train specifically for performance ie, to get stronger, faster and fitter. My routine did include weights, but only in circuit training or extremely high reps [muscular endurance]. I was doing hour and a half cardio routines include running, cycling and rowing, as well as sprint routines. Their was also high intensity body weight training [pushups chins abs] .All in i achieved my goals of getting stronger, fitter and faster but to my suprise i also got bigger by about 4 kgs [over 8 lbs]. Any ideas or theories as to why this could be. I was sure that amount and type of training would have ripped me up hardcore.

 

[Synpax]

Diet. Diet.

Also, low weight, high rep actually does build muscle. A lot actually. One of my biggest dev areas was forarms, and that was excusivly done with 4x20 wrist curls/r. curls/abductions.

 

[view]

Diet. Diet.

Also, low weight, high rep actually does build muscle. A lot actually. One of my biggest dev areas was forarms, and that was excusivly done with 4x20 wrist curls/r. curls/abductions.

I could be wrong, but don't forearms typically have greater amount of fast-twitch fibre compared to most muscle groups, hence they respond better to higher reps??

 

[KidnKorner]

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/betteru11.htm

Low-intensity exercise does nothing to build or support muscle mass. Maintaining muscle mass is critical to an effective fat-loss strategy as muscle burns fat just sitting there. Want to keep your metabolism working to burn fat? Do whatever you can to build or keep your muscle tissue.

High-intensity exercise has the potential to increase muscle mass. Compare the body of a top sprinter to a top marathon runner. The sprinter carries far more muscle mass. You won't get big bulky muscles from high intensity training but you will get shapely and more defined muscles!

 

[Synpax]

Spinters aren't much bigger than marathoners and those that are are that way because of time spent in the gym. Sprinting and marathoning is not even comparible.

 

[mistahsaleen]

If i were you i would concentrate on performing as follows, Moderate weight until fatigue and then on your final rep perform really low weight and perform until fatigue. That is the workout that i once did and omg my body became so incredibly cut up,quicker and overall i saw a bit more definition in muscle.

 

[silver_shadow]

your increase in weight was understandable because of newbie response (i'm assuming your relatively new to strength training). but be sure... it WILL stop unless you lift more weight along with eat more.
i thought sprinters were usually around the 185-190lb mark and marathoners are alot less... something like 150. and like synpax said, sprinters do alot of strength training which explains the greater muscle mass. they say that ben johnson was out-squatting the weightlifters just before he got busted in '88!