“Build Muscle Cardio” refers to any method of cardiovascular exercise which can be used to lower body fat levels while at the same time building some muscle. Often, bodybuilders will engage in very low-intensity cardio, such as slow walking at zero incline, in order to burn body fat stores. This is done on an empty stomach upon waking to ensure the right kinds of calories are being used – stored fat reserves and not sugars in the bloodstream. However, some bodybuilders wish to retain some semblance of an ability to perform at an athletic level, which opens up the door to the use of other methods of completing cardio at a higher intensity. This can lead to muscle mass if the caloric intake dips too low or the duration or intensity of the cardio climbs too high. However, when completed correctly, the bodybuilder can get a great cardiovascular workout in while protecting muscle. Here are some ideas for “Build Muscle Cardio” that might help you to get your body leaner while at the same time retaining or adding new muscle mass.

Rowing – The Real Kind!
If you have any kind of access to a rowboat and a set of fixed wing paddles, you may want to opt for a real rowing workout. This will contribute greatly to the development of the back muscles, but it’s not just the lats that will benefit. Your lungs will be pumping as they never have before, leading to a metabolic bump and huge increase in number of calories being burned. If you don’t have access to a real boat, a rowing machine with the intensity set high will work as well!

20-Rep Squats
If you’ve ever completed this movement, then you already know how effective they are not only for pumping up the legs, but for working the lungs as well. After two very light sets of warm-ups, select a barbell with a weight with which you can normally complete ten standard squats. Then, using a combination of 10 to 30 second breathing breaks as well as a little bit of insanely hard work, complete a full twenty repetitions. You will then likely collapse on the floor, and lie there with an elevated heart rate for 10 to 20 minutes. The tenets of “Build Muscle Cardio” are in play in a major way with 20-rep squats!

High-Incline Walking
If you are worried about burning valuable muscle, you can stick with the standard walking on a treadmill for your cardio needs. However, in order to make it tougher, work to keep the same pace and intensity, with a much steeper incline. Your legs will burn, and your thighs will grow!

In reality, “Build Muscle Cardio” can be any kind of cardio that causes your heart rate to increase in a sustainable manner beneficial for heart health and fat loss gains (120 to 140 beats per minute) while at the same time stimulating either slow or fast twitch muscle fibers in the name of growing new muscle. Try it with any weightlifting exercise or cardio movement in which you can increase repetition range (for the weight movements) or increase resistance (for the cardio movements) in order to keep on burning fat while preserving or growing muscle.

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