Building An Aerobic Base Without Losing Strength

The interference effect is real, but it is far smaller than gym folklore suggests. Most of it comes down to modality, proximity and total fatigue rather than cardio itself.

Keep the bulk of your conditioning in zone two, use low-impact modalities like the bike or rower, and separate hard intervals from heavy lower-body days by at least six hours.

Three sessions a week of thirty to forty minutes is enough to move your resting heart rate and recovery between sets noticeably within eight weeks.

A bigger engine means more quality work per session. Over a training year that compounds into more strength, not less.