Greg Nuckols@gregnuckolsX

A recent study found that, under the right circumstances, cardio may actually *increase* muscle growth. Read on to learn more 🧵🧵🧵 (link …

what it claims

Under certain specific conditions, cardio training can promote muscle hypertrophy rather than hinder it.

holds up

Greg Nuckols highlights here a paradigm shift compared to the classic belief in the 'interference effect,' where cardio would be detrimental to muscle gain.

noli's read

Greg Nuckols highlights here a paradigm shift compared to the classic belief in the 'interference effect,' where cardio would be detrimental to muscle gain. The meta-analysis published in 'Sports Medicine' (2022) by Sabag et al. effectively supports this idea: for the majority of people, incorporating cardio does not prevent muscle growth. Research shows that negative effects are primarily observed in very high-level athletes whose training volume is extreme. For the average practitioner, cardio can even improve work capacity and recovery, thus indirectly fostering better weight training sessions. The claim is therefore solid, as it replaces an unfounded fear with a nuanced approach based on volume and recovery. This is not a magic formula, but an intelligent management of overall energy.

the sources

Claimed by Greg Nuckols. Noli grades the claim, never the person.

Decoded by Noli · July 18, 2026 · the original post

What the graded evidence says

Evidence: B

Linked to, not proven to cause.

Effect: all-cause mortality by combination of aerobic + muscle-strengthening activity — 1 h/week aerobic HR 0.85 and levelling to ~0.73 at 3 h/week; adding muscle-strengthening 1-2x/week conferred further risk reduction; lowest mortality in those meeting both guidelines
Measured on: US adults (416,420 and 500,705 in two national cohorts)

These are associations from observational cohorts, not proof of cause; healthier or more motivated people may do more of both. The specific percentages sometimes quoted for one activity vs another come from particular studies and shouldn't be treated as fixed.

Greg Nuckols in the Register18 claims graded · solidity 98/100See their record →