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Some bodybuilders put on excess body fat in the off-season due to the increase in caloric intake and reduced cardiovascular activity. Most bodybuilders increase caloric intake while neglecting cardio, causing too much storage of body fat. Bodybuilders can still eat large amounts of calories while keeping of excess body fat. 

Researchers wanted to investigate whether the level of physical activity would have an impact on the metabolic effects of a high-caloric intake by leading to a different distribution of fat reserves. The researchers examined a high-caloric diet by feeding subjects an extra 2,000 calories a day and had subjects either perform either 1,500 or 10,000 steps per day for a 14-day period.

IN his book ‘Championship Bodybuilding’ leading coach Chris Aceto says: “No bodybuilder who wishes to gain muscle mass should ever do aerobics in the off-season.”

Granted, the book was first published in 1996 and Aceto’s ‘opinion’ might have changed, but it has had at least 24 printings, with the most recent being 2019.

Remember, Aceto is regarded as one of the best coaches in the business, working with the likes of Britain’s Sas Heirati among others.

In his book, Aceto writes: “I don’t like cardio exercise for bodybuilding. When I tell people that at seminars, I usually irritate someone in the audience, who gets angry. 

“They say bodybuilders need to do cardio work for the heart. I disagree. First, a low level of body fat that can be achieved with a good diet and hard weight training is the best preventor of heart disease. 

“Anyone who has heart problems or borderline diabetes knows the first bit of advice the doctor gives is to lose some weight. Body fat plays havoc with your body.

“In my opinion, no bodybuilder who wishes to gain muscle mass should ever do aerobics in the off season. Weight training is an activity that creates an anabolic state. Aerobic training creates a catabolic state.

“Weight training will improve and increase the release of anabolic hormones in the body to support growth, while aerobic training can counteract this by decreasing the output of these hormones.