Does cardio prevent muscle gains ?

You've probably heard the phrase "cardio kills muscle gains" and you should avoid doing any form of it at all costs. This is not true and it is not as simple as that. Cardio is an essential form of exercise to increase stamina and burn fat as well as strengthening type 1 muscle fibres which are fundamental for endurance. To be able to gain muscle you must eat at a slight caloric surplus which means being in a state where you intake more calories than you burn. If you want to lose fat, the opposite applies which means being in a caloric deficit; eating less calories than your body is burning. 

To gain muscle and lose fat you have to be in a caloric deficit whilst keeping protein levels high enough and perform a certain quality of exercise. Cardio can only kill muscle gains if you are not eating enough. Up the calories on the days you decide to do cardio so that vital calories are not sacrificed for muscle growth and you will be great.

Tip : Cardio can be fun as there are so many forms of it. Whether you want to do boxing, play football or star jumps, the forms of cardio are endless and give you another platform to achieve your fitness goals. I often played football myself (photos on this post are when I was young) and it did not hinder my gains as I always made sure to provide myself with as much fuel as I needed to get me through the exercises and for my body to recover later.