Logan Steele
Cardio is often believed to eat away at muscle, but this is a common misconception. Research suggests that cardio can be beneficial for muscle growth and can increase muscle size and muscle fibres. However, doing cardio at the expense of proper weightlifting and a balanced diet can lead to muscle loss. Therefore, it is important to integrate cardio into a training programme that includes strength training and proper nutrition to optimise muscle growth and avoid muscle loss.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cardio and muscle growth | Research suggests that cardio can increase muscle size and mass, contrary to popular belief. |
| Cardio and weightlifting | Cardio and weightlifting can be combined, but it is recommended to separate the two or do weightlifting first to avoid fatigue and injury. |
| Calorie intake | Calorie restriction can lead to weight loss but does not always lead to muscle gain. |
| Cardio duration | Cardio workouts should be limited to under an hour and no more than two to three hours per week. |
| Cardio intensity | High-intensity cardio should be performed separately from weightlifting, preferably 24 hours after. |
| Cardio timing | Cardio should be done after weightlifting during the same workout to avoid decreased performance. |
| Cardio frequency | Cardio can be done a few times a week to maintain health without negatively impacting muscle growth. |
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What You'll Learn
- Cardio and weightlifting can be combined, but it's important to separate the two activities by at least six hours to avoid muscle loss
- Cardio can increase muscle size and mass, but only if you're eating enough to fuel your workouts
- Cardio before weightlifting can negatively impact performance and muscle growth
- Cardio after weightlifting can interfere with muscle growth by dampening muscle-building signals
- Cardio is not the best way to lose fat
Cardio and weightlifting can be combined, but it's important to separate the two activities by at least six hours to avoid muscle loss
While cardio is an excellent way to improve health and increase fat loss, it is often believed to impede muscle growth. However, this is a common misconception. Research suggests that aerobic activity enhances muscle protein synthesis and increases muscle size and fibre. Cardio can also increase the number of capillaries in the muscles, optimising the pathways for oxygen, nutrient and hormone transportation to repair muscle damage.
However, performing cardio and weightlifting together can negatively impact muscle growth. A 2012 meta-analysis found that combining the two impairs muscle growth by 31% and strength gains by 18%. Similarly, a 2016 study showed that participants who performed cardio before lifting weights experienced a significant decrease in their performance. Therefore, it is recommended to separate cardio and weightlifting workouts, performing them on different days.
If separating the two activities is not possible, it is best to leave at least six hours between them and prioritise weightlifting first. This will ensure you can put maximum energy and effort into the weightlifting portion, reducing the risk of fatigue, poor form and injury. Additionally, limiting cardio workouts to 30-45 minutes and two to three hours per week can help maintain muscle mass while reaping the benefits of cardio.
It is also important to note that an adequate diet is crucial when combining cardio and weightlifting. Ensuring sufficient calorie and protein intake can help prevent muscle loss and support muscle growth.
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Cardio can increase muscle size and mass, but only if you're eating enough to fuel your workouts
There is a common misconception that cardio kills muscle gains. However, this is not exactly true. Research has shown that cardio can increase muscle size and mass, but only if you're eating enough to fuel your workouts.
A study conducted at the Department of Health Sciences at Mid Sweden University found that cardio can actually increase muscle size. Ten men aged between 25 and 30 were put through a five-week training program. With one leg, they performed a 45-minute cycle and 7 reps of knee extensions, and with the other leg, they only performed the knee extensions. An MRI of both legs post-program revealed that the muscles in the legs that were subjected to extra cardio work increased in volume by 14-17%, compared to 8-9% in the legs that only did strength work.
Cardio is probably the quickest and most efficient way to increase the number of capillaries (small blood vessels) that network through your muscles. This allows your body to transport oxygen, nutrients, and hormones to your muscles more efficiently, optimizing the pathways your body uses to repair damage from weight training. Additionally, cardio has been found to improve insulin sensitivity, which governs how effectively your body processes and uses carbs.
However, it is important to note that doing lots of cardio at the expense of proper weightlifting and a balanced diet can lead to muscle loss. Extreme calorie restriction, whether through diet or excessive cardio, will lead to muscle loss, especially if not paired with strength training. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize a healthy diet and include strength training in your workout routine to maintain and build muscle while doing cardio.
To optimize muscle growth, it is recommended to separate cardio and weightlifting workouts or do weightlifting first if done in the same session. A 2016 study found that participants who performed cardio before lifting weights experienced a significant decrease in their performance. Similarly, a 2017 study showed that untrained lifters who did a cycling session 24 hours after a biceps workout had almost double the muscle hypertrophy compared to those who did the cycling session immediately after.
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Cardio before weightlifting can negatively impact performance and muscle growth
Cardio and weightlifting can be combined to achieve fitness goals, but doing cardio before weightlifting can negatively impact performance and muscle growth.
Doing cardio before weightlifting can decrease weightlifting performance. Weightlifting typically involves external loading, such as barbells, dumbbells, or kettlebells, and thus has a higher injury risk. Doing cardio before weightlifting can pre-fatigue the muscles, increasing the risk of injury and reducing the number of reps that can be performed. A study published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (JSCR) found that running or cycling before strength training limited the number of weight-lifting reps participants could perform compared to strength training alone.
The order of exercises depends on fitness goals. If the goal is to build muscle strength, it is recommended to do weights before cardio. This is because the primary fuel source for weightlifting is stored sugar in the muscles (glycogen), and doing cardio first will deplete some of this glycogen, decreasing energy available for weightlifting. However, doing cardio after weightlifting can also interfere with muscle growth by dampening some of the "muscle-building" signals from strength training. Therefore, it is recommended to separate cardio and weightlifting workouts or do them at least 6 hours apart, with the most important workout coming first.
Doing cardio and weightlifting in the same workout is not ideal for maximizing muscle growth. A 2012 meta-analysis showed that improperly combining cardio and lifting impairs muscle growth by roughly 31% and strength gains by 18%. A 2016 paper also showed that participants who performed a 20-minute cardio session prior to lifting weights experienced a significant decrease in their workout performance. However, a separate 2016 study found that a 20-minute cardio warm-up before a workout increased blood flow throughout the body, excited the nervous system, and increased mental focus, which can be beneficial for performance. Therefore, it is important to separate cardio and weightlifting workouts as much as possible, and if they must be combined, to do a short, low-intensity cardio warm-up of 5-10 minutes before the weightlifting workout.
Overall, while cardio can be beneficial for muscle growth and health, doing cardio before weightlifting can negatively impact performance and muscle growth. It is important to prioritize weightlifting if the goal is to build muscle strength and to separate cardio and weightlifting workouts as much as possible to optimize muscle growth.
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Cardio after weightlifting can interfere with muscle growth by dampening muscle-building signals
Cardio is often believed to eat away muscle, but this is not entirely true. While it is true that doing too much cardio can slow down muscle growth, it will not cause muscle loss if you avoid common mistakes. One of the most common mistakes is doing cardio at the wrong time. For instance, doing cardio immediately after lifting weights can interfere with muscle growth by dampening some of the "muscle-building" signals from strength training.
A 2017 study published in the Journal of Sports Science Medicine found that untrained lifters who performed a 30-minute moderate-intensity cycling session 24 hours after a biceps workout had an almost two-fold increase in muscle hypertrophy compared to those who performed the cycling session immediately after the biceps workout. This suggests that separating cardio and lifting workouts is more optimal for muscle growth.
Another common mistake is doing too much cardio at the expense of proper weightlifting and a balanced diet. If you are not consuming an adequate amount of calories and protein, your body will go into a catabolic state, and you will lose muscle mass. Therefore, it is important to find a balance between cardio and weight training and to ensure that you are consuming enough calories and protein to support muscle growth.
While it is important to be mindful of the potential impact of cardio on muscle growth, it is also important to note that cardio has many benefits. Cardio can improve your cardiovascular endurance, increase the number of capillaries in your muscles, improve insulin sensitivity, and support weight loss. Ultimately, the key to maximizing muscle growth is to find a balance between cardio and weight training, consume a sufficient amount of calories and protein, and perform cardio and weightlifting on separate days or at least six hours apart.
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Cardio is not the best way to lose fat
Cardio is often the go-to method for losing fat, but it is not the only way and may not be the best way. While cardio can help burn calories and aid in fat loss, it is not necessary for losing fat.
Firstly, cardio does not build muscle, and muscle is the most important tissue for burning fat. Strength training, on the other hand, increases muscle mass, which in turn makes losing weight easier. Research has shown that HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) is a powerful way to lose fat compared to steady-state training like cardio. HIIT causes the body to target fat stores for energy, leading to greater fat loss.
Additionally, doing lots of cardio can lead to muscle loss, especially if not accompanied by proper weightlifting and adequate nutrition. A common mistake is doing cardio and weightlifting together or several hours apart, which can interfere with muscle growth. It is recommended to separate cardio and lifting workouts for optimal muscle growth.
Furthermore, chronic exposure to prolonged endurance training can lower testosterone levels and increase stress hormones, which can negatively impact fat burning.
While cardio can be beneficial for overall health and can aid in fat loss, it is not the best or only way to lose fat. Strength training, HIIT workouts, and a balanced diet are more effective methods for achieving significant fat loss and maintaining a healthy body composition.
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Frequently asked questions
Cardio does not eat away at muscle as long as you are consuming an adequate amount of calories and protein.
It is recommended to limit cardio workouts to no more than 30-45 minutes per session and two to three hours of total cardio per week.
It is generally recommended to do cardio and weightlifting on separate days or at least six hours apart to avoid interference with muscle growth.
Research suggests that cardio can increase muscle size and enhance muscle protein synthesis. However, the potential impact on muscle growth depends on the amount, intensity, and other lifestyle and genetic factors.
Both cardio and weightlifting can be effective for weight loss when combined with a healthy diet. Cardio is particularly effective for burning fat, while weightlifting helps to build muscle.
