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Cardio is often associated with burning muscle, but does it really? Cardio helps burn calories, which is why it is often associated with muscle burning. However, the data and science suggest that general cardio training does not burn muscle. In fact, aerobic exercise in moderation can improve strength and contribute to muscle growth, especially in middle-aged and older adults. Nevertheless, too much endurance activity or long bouts of exercise can cause a loss of lean muscle mass, especially during periods of caloric restriction. So, how does cardio really affect muscle?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Does cardio burn muscle? | Yes, but only if you go about it the wrong way. |
| How does it burn muscle? | It helps burn calories, meaning that it’s often used as a way to be in or maintain a caloric deficit. This gives your muscle fewer calories to play with. |
| How can you prevent muscle loss? | By supplementing your workouts with adequate weight lifting and protein. |
| Does cardio have any benefits? | Yes, it optimises the pathways your body uses to repair the damage dealt by your weights work and improves insulin sensitivity. |
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What You'll Learn
Cardio can burn muscle if you don't do it correctly
Surprisingly, aerobic exercise can cause muscle hypertrophy due to increases in MPS. Regular aerobic exercise is also heart-friendly, which will help maintain strength over a lifetime, and should not be viewed as a "muscle-eating" activity. However, too much endurance activity and bouts of exercise that are too long can cause a loss of lean muscle mass, especially during periods of caloric restriction.
If you supplement your workouts, whether you're doing cardio or not, with adequate weight lifting and protein, then you can prevent muscle catabolism, which is the breakdown of muscle tissue to be used as energy. Cardio has also been found to improve insulin sensitivity, which governs how effectively your body processes and uses carbs.
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Cardio can improve muscle growth
Cardio optimises the pathways your body uses to repair the damage dealt by weight-lifting. It also improves insulin sensitivity, which governs how effectively your body processes and uses carbohydrates.
To prevent muscle catabolism, which is the breakdown of muscle tissue to be used as energy, it is important to supplement your workouts with adequate weight lifting and protein, whether you are doing cardio or not. It is also important to choose the right type of cardio and when to do it.
While cardio can improve muscle growth, too much endurance activity and long bouts of exercise can cause a loss of lean muscle mass, especially during periods of caloric restriction.
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Cardio can cause muscle catabolism
Cardio helps burn calories, which is why it is associated with burning muscle. It is also beneficial for optimising the pathways your body uses to repair the damage dealt by weight work and improving insulin sensitivity, which governs how effectively your body processes and uses carbs.
Aerobic exercise in moderation does not eat muscle or reduce strength levels. In fact, it can improve strength and contribute to muscle growth, especially in middle-aged and older adults. It can also cause muscle hypertrophy due to increases in MPS.
However, too much endurance activity and long bouts of exercise can cause a loss of lean muscle mass, especially during periods of caloric restriction. Therefore, it is important to be mindful of the type of cardio you are doing and when you are doing it.
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Cardio can be used to maintain a caloric deficit
That being said, too much endurance activity and long bouts of exercise can cause a loss of lean muscle mass, especially during periods of caloric restriction. Therefore, it is important to supplement your workouts with adequate weight lifting and protein to prevent muscle catabolism, which is the breakdown of muscle tissue to be used as energy.
Additionally, cardio optimises the pathways your body uses to repair the damage dealt by weight-lifting. It also improves insulin sensitivity, which governs how effectively your body processes and uses carbohydrates. So, while cardio can be used to maintain a caloric deficit, it is important to approach it in the right way to prevent muscle loss.
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Cardio optimises the pathways your body uses to repair the damage dealt by your weights work
Cardio training is often associated with burning muscle because it helps burn calories, meaning there are fewer calories available for muscle growth. However, the data and science suggest that general cardio training does not burn muscle. In fact, aerobic exercise in moderation can improve strength and contribute to muscle growth, especially in middle-aged and older adults. It can also cause muscle hypertrophy due to increases in MPS.
If you want to prevent muscle catabolism (the breakdown of muscle tissue to be used as energy), you can supplement your workouts with adequate weight lifting and protein. Additionally, you can minimise muscle loss by choosing the right type of cardio and when to do it. For example, too much endurance activity or bouts of exercise that are too long can cause a loss of lean muscle mass, especially during periods of caloric restriction.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, cardio can burn muscle if it is done in the wrong way.
Cardio helps burn calories, meaning that it is often used as a way to be in or maintain a caloric deficit. This gives your muscles fewer calories to play with.
You can prevent muscle loss by supplementing your workouts with adequate weight lifting and protein.
Yes, cardio can improve strength and contribute to muscle growth, especially in middle-aged and older adults.
Yes, cardio optimises the pathways your body uses to repair the damage dealt by weight work. It also improves insulin sensitivity, which governs how effectively your body processes and uses carbs.
