David Cogley Physique Coach

Does cardio actually kill your gains? 🏃‍♂️

A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism examined the effect of moderate-intensity continuous training on skeletal muscle growth.

The review included 13 studies in healthy adults and assessed muscle outcomes including lean mass, muscle thickness, muscle cross-sectional area, and muscle fibre size.

Key findings:
➖ Moderate-intensity cardio did not show evidence of reducing muscle growth
➖ The findings challenge the idea that cardio automatically interferes with muscle growth
➖ Cardio should not be viewed as “muscle destroying” when programmed appropriately
➖ Resistance training remains the most effective method for maximising muscle growth

Important context:
➖ This review focused on moderate-intensity continuous cardio, not extreme endurance training
➖ The study did not examine every possible combination of cardio and resistance training
➖ Results depend on training volume, intensity, nutrition, and recovery

The takeaway isn’t “do endless cardio.”
It’s that you don’t have to choose between being strong and being fit.

Lift weights.
Train your engine.
Build a body that performs.
Consistency > extremes.

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EvidenceBasedFitness

Most people just celebrate the number on the scales.

I pay attention to the numbers that actually predict long-term health.

Over the past few months, John Greene resting heart rate has fallen to 38 beats per minute.

For context, the average resting heart rate for a healthy 30-year-old male is around 60–70 bpm, making 38 bpm comparable to what’s typically seen in highly endurance-trained athletes. It would place him well within the lowest few percent of resting heart rates seen in the general population.

Why does this matter?

➖ His heart now pumps more blood with every beat, meaning it doesn’t have to work as hard at rest.
➖ A lower resting heart rate reflects increased stroke volume and improved cardiovascular efficiency.
➖ Lower resting heart rate is consistently associated with greater cardiorespiratory fitness, one of the strongest predictors of longevity.
➖ It also reduces oxygen demand, allowing the heart to perform the same job with less effort.

Large studies have repeatedly shown that higher resting heart rates are associated with a significantly greater risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Every 10 bpm increase in resting heart rate has been associated with approximately a 10–20% increase in death risk across large populations.

This isn’t about chasing the lowest heart rate possible.

It’s about building a stronger, more efficient cardiovascular system that improves your health, energy, recovery and long-term quality of life.

Results like this don’t happen by accident—they’re built through intelligent training, structured nutrition, consistency, and hard work.

Home 🇮🇪

30 weeks 🏆

✅ 22% body fat lost.
✅ 17kg weight loss.
✅ Successfully navigated becoming a dad, AND achieved a promotion in work while travelling three days a week, working long days.

IBS was one of the biggest hurdles we had to navigate. Rather than forcing aggressive dieting, we focused on improving gut health first—identifying trigger foods, regulating meal timing, and reducing digestive stress. As symptoms settled, adherence improved, inflammation dropped, and his body finally responded the way it should. The result wasn’t just sustainable fat loss, but better digestion, energy, and confidence day to day.

Click the link in my bio if you want to start your journey today.

If I wanted to get leaner and healthier, I wouldn’t start by cutting calories, adding more workouts, or chasing motivation.

I’d start by getting clarity.

Most people skip this part and wonder why progress stalls a few weeks in.

1. Blood work – before guesswork.
Before pushing fat loss, I’d want to know whether I’m actually healthy.

Hormones, blood glucose markers, lipid markers, micronutrient deficiencies – if these are off, fat loss becomes harder, recovery suffers, and energy dips no matter how “good” the plan looks on paper. Training harder doesn’t always fix underlying physiology.

2. Body composition – not just scale weight.
The scale can be useful, but on its own it doesn’t tell you what’s actually changing.

I’d want to know:
➖ fat mass
➖ lean mass
➖ whether weight changes are coming from the right place

You can be losing weight and moving backwards, or staying the same weight and improving health and body composition dramatically. If you don’t measure it, you’re guessing.

3. Track current intake – before changing it.
Before cutting food, I’d track intake for a few days to see what I’m actually eating. Most people underestimate calories, overestimate protein, and forget weekend intake, which means the changes they make are often based on inaccurate information rather than reality.

Accuracy comes before restriction and data should always come before decisions.

Get clarity first, then make changes. That’s how results actually stick – and why random intensity rarely works long term.

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When dieting, protein helps decide what weight you lose. 📉

A 2021 study examined people in a calorie deficit who were resistance training and compared higher vs lower protein intakes.

Those consuming higher protein (~1.6 g/kg bodyweight):
➖ Preserved more lean mass during weight loss
➖ Lost body weight with less muscle loss

Those consuming lower protein (~0.8 g/kg) also lost weight, but a greater portion came from lean tissue.

What this means in simple terms:
➖ Calories drive weight loss
➖ Protein helps protect muscle while dieting
➖ Resistance training + adequate protein is key

Points to consider:
➖ The study measured short-term dieting phases
➖ Results may vary with training status and total energy intake
➖ Protein supports muscle retention, but does not override poor training or recovery

If fat loss is the goal, eating enough protein ensures you are losing fat and not muscle.

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Online coaching isn’t the problem.

How it’s usually delivered is.

Most “online coaching” is PDFs, generic plans, and minimal contact — built to scale, not to get results.

That’s not how I work.

I coach remotely, but the standards are the same as in-person performance coaching:
➖ Structured training built around you
➖ Nutrition guidance based on evidence, not trends
➖ Weekly check-ins and adjustments
➖ Direct access to me — not a support inbox

This approach is shaped by more than a Level 3 qualification.

I hold a BSc in Strength & Conditioning and an MSc by Research in Exercise Physiology, both awarded on academic scholarships.

My research on optimal warm-up protocols has been peer-reviewed and published in Sports Biomechanics.

I’ve lectured university students in Exercise Physiology and Biomechanics and mentored 320+ personal trainers.

More importantly, it works.

Client transformations I’ve coached have been published internationally — including Men’s Health, Brainz Magazine, Manchester Evening News, and more.

I work with people who:
➖ Value precision over trends
➖ Want long-term structure, not quick wins

Online coaching — done properly.

DM “ONLINE” to start a conversation or click the link in my bio and fill out an application form.