Does Conditioning Really Effect Strength?
Does conditioning really affect strength? For most athletes the answer is reassuring: with smart programming, you can build strength and do hard conditioning at the same time without the two cancelling each other out. This is the heart of concurrent training, and it's exactly how we program at Garage Gym Athlete.
Key Takeaways
- Conditioning and strength work can coexist in the same program when they're organized intelligently rather than thrown together at random.
- This episode digs into the research on concurrent training, the "interference effect," and how energy-system work fits alongside lifting.
- Our programming is built around concurrent training, so you don't have to choose between being strong and being conditioned.
- The Meet Yourself Saturday workout, the EO3 5K, is a travel-friendly conditioning test you can do almost anywhere.
Episode 127 of The Garage Gym Athlete Podcast is up!
Does Conditioning Really Effect Strength?
On this week’s episode the boys are back in town! They cover a study that looks at separating strength and conditioning. The guys dive into their takeaways, concurrent training, and even energy systems. The topic for this week is about tech in the fitness space. Will companies like Peloton and The Mirror edge out programs like ours? Make sure to catch what our coaches think! This week's Meet Yourself Saturday Workout is called the EO3 5K. It's a great workout to do while on vacation for the holidays so make sure to get out there and meet yourself!
If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to the Garage Gym Athlete podcast either on Stitcher, iTunes, or Google Play by using the link below:
IN THIS 65-MINUTE EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
- EO3 5K
- Concurrent Training
- The Truth On Strength And Conditioning
- Fitness and Tech-What Does The Future Hold
- Energy System Training
- Tips For MYS
- Updates and Announcements
- And A LOT MORE!!
Diving Deeper…
If you want to go a little bit deeper on this episode, here are some links for you:
Study of the Week
Garage Gym Athlete Workout of the Week
Be sure to listen to this week’s episode:
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Thanks for listening to the podcast, and if you have any questions be sure to add it to the comments below!
To becoming better!
Jerred
What the research says
The big question behind concurrent training is whether doing endurance or high-intensity conditioning blunts your strength and power adaptations, a phenomenon researchers call the "interference effect." This week's study, "Effect of Concurrent Power Training and High-Intensity Interval Cycling on Muscle Morphology and Performance," looks at exactly that pairing: heavy power work combined with high-intensity interval cycling.
The episode's overall takeaway is an optimistic one for everyday athletes: when conditioning is programmed thoughtfully alongside lifting, you don't have to sacrifice strength to be well-conditioned. That's the entire premise of energy-system training and concurrent programming, and it's why our coaches build both qualities into the same training cycle rather than forcing you to pick one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does conditioning kill your strength gains?
Not when it's programmed well. The "interference effect" is real but manageable; with the right structure you can develop strength and conditioning together, which is the goal of concurrent training.
What is concurrent training?
Concurrent training is the practice of developing more than one fitness quality—such as strength and endurance—within the same training program, rather than focusing on one in isolation.
What is the EO3 5K workout?
The EO3 5K is this week's Meet Yourself Saturday conditioning workout. It's simple to set up and travel-friendly, making it a great option to test yourself while you're away over the holidays.
Related reading from Garage Gym Athlete
- A Beginner's Guide to Concurrent Training
- The Benefits of Concurrent Training: How to Live Longer and Stronger
- Is It Better To Do Strength First Or Hypertrophy?
Want strength and conditioning programmed for you in one place? Try Garage Gym Athlete free for 14 days and train both at once.
Like these ideas? You need GGA.
Garage Gym Athlete is the "tip of the spear" for our training. We identify training weaknesses, solve them through our program design, and validate it with science.
For ongoing daily training that exploits everything we have discusses here and more, check out Garage Gym Athlete.
