Strong or fit used to feel like a choice. Lifters worried that cardio would eat their gains, and runners worried that weights would slow them down. Hybrid training throws that out: you train for strength and endurance in the same programme. The research says it works, as long as you plan it sensibly.
What is hybrid training?
Hybrid training simply means combining strength training and endurance training, such as running, cycling or rowing, in one programme. Researchers call it concurrent training. It has grown hugely in popularity with the rise of fitness races like HYROX, but it is not just for competitors.
In fact, the NHS guidelines for adults are already a hybrid plan: at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, plus strength exercises on at least two days. If you lift and do some cardio, you are a hybrid athlete.
The interference effect: what the research says
The worry about mixing the two is called the interference effect: the idea that endurance training blunts the gains from strength training. The evidence has moved on a lot.
- The older picture. A 2012 meta-analysis found that combining the two produced slightly smaller average gains in muscle size, strength and power than lifting alone. Running, but not cycling, was linked to significantly smaller gains in muscle and strength, and longer or more frequent endurance sessions were linked to bigger effects.
- The updated picture. A 2022 meta-analysis concluded that concurrent training does not compromise muscle growth or maximal strength. The one exception was explosive strength, such as jumping and sprinting power, which may be blunted, especially when both types of training were done in the same session. In that analysis, the type of cardio, training status and training frequency did not make a significant difference.
How to combine strength and cardio
- Separate them when you can. In the 2022 meta-analysis, the hit to explosive strength was bigger when both were done in the same session, and not significant when sessions were at least three hours apart.
- If you do both in one session, lift first. A meta-analysis of training order found lower-body strength gains were about 4 kg higher on a one-rep max when strength training came before endurance, with no difference in aerobic fitness either way.
- Keep hard cardio away from heavy leg days. Hard intervals the day before squats or deadlifts will leave your legs flat.
- Build up gradually. Add cardio a little at a time, especially running, rather than jumping straight into big weekly mileage.
- Mix in low-impact cardio. Cycling, rowing and incline walking are easier on your legs if they are struggling to recover.
A sample hybrid week
This week balances three strength sessions with three cardio sessions. Easy cardio should be at a pace where you can still hold a conversation.
| Day | Session | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Lower body strength | Squats, Romanian deadlifts, lunges, calves |
| Tuesday | Easy cardio, 30-45 min | Run, ride or row at a conversational pace |
| Wednesday | Upper body strength | Presses, rows, pull-ups or pulldowns, arms |
| Thursday | Intervals, 20-25 min | For example, 6 x 2 minutes hard with 2 minutes easy, on a bike or rower |
| Friday | Full body strength | Deadlift or hip thrust, a press, a pull and a carry |
| Saturday | Long easy session, 45-60 min | Run, ride, hike or a team sport |
| Sunday | Rest | A walk is fine |
Short on time? Drop to two strength sessions and two cardio sessions. You will still cover the NHS guidelines and make good progress in both.
Fuelling hybrid training
Training more means you need more food. Under-eating is one of the quickest ways to stall on both fronts.
- Protein: the International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends 1.4-2.0 g per kg of body weight a day for people who exercise, spread across the day.
- Carbohydrates: they fuel both hard lifting and hard cardio. Eat more on your busiest training days.
- Fluids: drink regularly, and more on days with long sessions or when it is hot.
Track your weight for a few weeks. If it keeps dropping when you do not want it to, you are not eating enough for the work you are doing. The free BarbellBites app logs your training and food in one place, which makes this easy to spot.
Recovery matters more
Two types of training means more total stress, so sleep, rest days and the occasional lighter week matter even more. Our guide to recovery covers what helps and what does not.
Common mistakes
- Making every session hard. Most of your cardio should be easy. Save the hard efforts for one or two sessions a week.
- Hard intervals the day before leg day. Plan your week so your legs get a chance to recover.
- Adding cardio on top of an already full week. If you add sessions, take something else out or keep them easy.
- Not eating enough. Hybrid training costs more energy. Fuel it.
FAQs
Will cardio kill my gains?
Should I lift or do cardio first?
Is running or cycling better for lifters?
How many days a week should I train?
Sources
- 1.NHS. How to improve your strength and flexibility.
- 2.Wilson JM, et al. (2012). Concurrent training: a meta-analysis examining interference of aerobic and resistance exercises. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
- 3.Schumann M, et al. (2022). Compatibility of concurrent aerobic and strength training for skeletal muscle size and function: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine.
- 4.Murlasits Z, Kneffel Z, Thalib L (2018). The physiological effects of concurrent strength and endurance training sequence: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences.
- 5.Jäger R, et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.