Gym bro’s often say cardio kills gains. They’re wrong. If you do the right types of workouts, protocols, or circuits, you can develop cardiovascular endurance while still building muscle mass. 

If you’re not a fan of LSD (long slow distance) training, then you’re all set. The cardio that helps build muscle isn’t just limited to running or biking. You can add high-rep resistance exercise sets and get a pump while still improving your aerobic capacity. 

Below is an example workout of cardio, pulled straight from the Peak Strength app, that actually HELPS you build muscle. It’s intense work, but you won’t lose muscle, and it won’t take forever. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Warmup

Cardio Circuit for Building Muscle

Full Workout Template

Warmup

Cardio Circuit for Building Muscle

First Circuit

The start of this workout will be a 5-round circuit that includes 4 exercises. 

• DB Snatch - 12 reps each side

• Side Plank Dips - 20 reps

• Rotating Jump Lunges - 7 reps each side

• Goblet Split Squats - 9 reps each side

You will complete one round of each exercise before taking a 2:30-minute rest. The circuit should be completed 5 times through. 

Second Circuit

The second circuit is going to be a high-intensity finisher.

• Fan Bike (Timed) - 30 seconds at max effort

• DB Thrusters - 5 reps

You will complete one round of each exercise before taking a 2:30-minute rest. The circuit should be completed 6 times through. 

Full Workout Template

Below is the full cardio workout that you can use in your weekly training to improve aerobic capacity while still building muscle. 

And if you want more workouts like these, you can try the Peak Strength app for free with personalized workouts based on your goals.