Cardio After Lifting = Muscle Loss?

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  • AbsoluteNG
    AbsoluteNG Posts: 1,079 Member
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    With science aside. I found a better answer in the link below. Doing cardio and Weight training in the same day matters only to YOU and what your energy levels are capable off.

    http://www.answerfitness.com/320/cardio-better-before-after-lifting-weights-fitness-nerd/
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    if someone can do endurance style cardio after they lift then they arent lifting enough weights.

    i regularly do cardio on he treadmill after my lifting sessions but 20 minutes is my MAX and i'm probably only to run about 5 minutes of that time.

    i save my longer 45-60 minute cardio sessions for non lifting days

    QFT. I am a runner, but I schedule my real running and lifting on separate days. You can't get the max out of two activities back-to-back. I ran yesterday after lifting, but only at about 80% of my tempo run speed and only for 15 mins. If you're lifting using the principle of overload (which you should be) your muscle should be too fatigued to do endurance cardio.

    That being said, you get maximum fat-burning from some cardio after lifting. Longer than around 30 minutes can be more catabolic then beneficial. A lower intensity shorter bit of cardio after lifting can be beneficial for meeting fat loss goals.

    The body always uses a combination of fuel substrates during exercise. The percentage is determined primarily by intensity. However, the mix of fuel substrates used during cardio has zero effect--zip, nada, no mas--on stored body fat.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    The cardio after weights is basically to push your muscles a bit more and to flush them out,
    its not true cardio because your hard weight training has burned you out,
    your doing cardio type exercises but not true cardio,
    and then there is a cool down.

    Flush what out? Even at rest, your body circulates its entire blood supply every 25 seconds or so.
  • CymruBiology
    CymruBiology Posts: 39
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    No it won't equal muscle loss. I did the most intense cardiovascular session I've ever done before of heavy lifting, I get so buzzed and pumped up after lifting it gives me the extra energy to go the extra mile!
  • Big_Daddy6
    Big_Daddy6 Posts: 188
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    That's sounds bogus to me. If u run a full marathon every day, of course you'll canabalize some muscle. Your body has to get fuel from somewhere but 20 - 30 mins of cardio isn't going to do that in my opinion. I do cardio nearly every day after lifting and my strength and stamina is steadily increasing so I'm sure I'm not loosing muscle from it.
  • acuratlsd
    acuratlsd Posts: 228
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    I left with weights and then right after, I will do cardio with cross trainer, and I love it because it stretches out my muscles. I dont want to be stiff, and then after my half and hour of cardio, I will lift another part of the body,and then another half and hour of cardio.

    usually after the cardio, I can lift a little heavier because my muscles are so warmed up.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Get your protein shake immediately after weight lifting then do your cardio.
    Also keep your protein intake high every day, and you will never worry about muscle's loss.

    You do not need to get your protein shake immediately after weight lifting. The absorption window for protein is about 24 hours. You just need to get your protein in for the day and you will be good.
  • 305muscle
    305muscle Posts: 97 Member
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    i dont think you have to worry about muscle loss youre not training to compete on a bodybuilding stage right? so enjoy your cardio btw protein shake should be consume within 30 minutes after your workout to help rebuild muscle
  • StrongerThanThor
    StrongerThanThor Posts: 544 Member
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    Get your protein shake immediately after weight lifting then do your cardio.
    Also keep your protein intake high every day, and you will never worry about muscle's loss.

    You do not need to get your protein shake immediately after weight lifting. The absorption window for protein is about 24 hours. You just need to get your protein in for the day and you will be good.

    After weight lifting your muscles reach maximum need and want to start repairing muscle tissues " small tears" and you should take something that is easy ingestion " such as protein shake " to supply it with the needs.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    Get your protein shake immediately after weight lifting then do your cardio.
    Also keep your protein intake high every day, and you will never worry about muscle's loss.

    You do not need to get your protein shake immediately after weight lifting. The absorption window for protein is about 24 hours. You just need to get your protein in for the day and you will be good.

    After weight lifting your muscles reach maximum need and want to start repairing muscle tissues " small tears" and you should take something that is easy ingestion " such as protein shake " to supply it with the needs.

    There is new research that suggests that might not be the case and the comment about the "24 hour window" may be more accurate.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    That's sounds bogus to me. If u run a full marathon every day, of course you'll canabalize some muscle. Your body has to get fuel from somewhere but 20 - 30 mins of cardio isn't going to do that in my opinion. I do cardio nearly every day after lifting and my strength and stamina is steadily increasing so I'm sure I'm not loosing muscle from it.

    Unfortunately a lot of general "recommendations" about exercise get skewed based on the needs of the most extreme participants in an activity.

    It reminds me of the old running days in the 1970s when anything less than a 10K was considered a waste of time.
  • 305muscle
    305muscle Posts: 97 Member
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    Eating or drinking protein within an hour from working has always worked for me try what best suits you
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Get your protein shake immediately after weight lifting then do your cardio.
    Also keep your protein intake high every day, and you will never worry about muscle's loss.

    You do not need to get your protein shake immediately after weight lifting. The absorption window for protein is about 24 hours. You just need to get your protein in for the day and you will be good.

    After weight lifting your muscles reach maximum need and want to start repairing muscle tissues " small tears" and you should take something that is easy ingestion " such as protein shake " to supply it with the needs.

    Here is one of the studies that indicate otherwise:

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21289204

    <snip>Our results suggest that resistance exercise performed until failure confers a sensitizing effect on human skeletal muscle for at least 24 h that is specific to the myofibrillar protein fraction <snip>
  • RunXstrong
    RunXstrong Posts: 73
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    I double up running, lifting, swimming, and biking. No matter how hard I work in one, I can do one of the others, but of course with reduced intensity. In training for an Ironman, these cross stresses seemed beneficial to me, and anyway I didn't have any other way to fit all the training into the schedule. So I say jump on that treadmill if you have the energy, will, and time, but generally I would suggest that you do the treadmill first before lifting.

    Oh, and no to the muscle loss question.
  • TheJarv
    TheJarv Posts: 30 Member
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    The most I would do would be a 15-20 minute HIIT session (walk 5, hiit 10, walk 5). This can increase the growth hormone and norepinephrine in your system. Then again, everyone's different and this may do nothing for you. As long as you're moving you'll be fine.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    Unfortunately a lot of general "recommendations" about exercise get skewed based on the needs of the most extreme participants in an activity.

    ^ Agreed, and I'd say the same for diet in some cases.
  • jetscreaminagain
    jetscreaminagain Posts: 1,130 Member
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    Nope. Not the case. At the level of lifting and cardio we're talking about here you'll be just fine. Go ahead, lift first and do your cardio after.

    Yeah, I'm not doing "heavy" lifting. I am pretty much a beginner at free weights and the different muscles that are needed are so not strong yet. I've also not been exercising on a regular schedule and only just started back up this month after a few months off.

    I'm a noob. My ultimate goal to just get back on the horse (literally), so super heavy lifting may not ever be for me.

    "heavy" means heavy for you. 10 pounders can be heavy depending upon the exercise (YTLs) and how new you are. So being new doesn't mean you aren't "lifting heavy" it just means heavy for you isn't a big weight to others.

    That said, I think you're also saying that you aren't lifting heavy for you. I wish you would. IMO, its just a waste of time not to. And heavy lifting gets you stronger faster, which is likely to get you back on that horse (literal or metaphorical, I cannot tell).
  • KatTheAmazon
    KatTheAmazon Posts: 16 Member
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    Nope. Not the case. At the level of lifting and cardio we're talking about here you'll be just fine. Go ahead, lift first and do your cardio after.

    Yeah, I'm not doing "heavy" lifting. I am pretty much a beginner at free weights and the different muscles that are needed are so not strong yet. I've also not been exercising on a regular schedule and only just started back up this month after a few months off.

    I'm a noob. My ultimate goal to just get back on the horse (literally), so super heavy lifting may not ever be for me.

    "heavy" means heavy for you. 10 pounders can be heavy depending upon the exercise (YTLs) and how new you are. So being new doesn't mean you aren't "lifting heavy" it just means heavy for you isn't a big weight to others.

    That said, I think you're also saying that you aren't lifting heavy for you. I wish you would. IMO, its just a waste of time not to. And heavy lifting gets you stronger faster, which is likely to get you back on that horse (literal or metaphorical, I cannot tell).
    I realize that. Keep in mind that yesterday was my first time with free weights. On the machines, I do at least triple the amount of weight. Sad to say, but 10 pounds for the dumbbell bench press (and incline) was heavy for me. I tried the 15 and could only do it three times.

    I will obviously increase weight as I get stronger. That's not the issue. I was just speaking relatively (heavy to me probably won't be heavy to most). I believe (and I could be wrong) that at some point, a person will need to make a decision on how involved they want to devote to being a heavy lifter (and I'm thinking body-builder type) and that won't be me. It is not a passion of mine. That said, I have enjoyed it so far. So when I say heavy lifting, I do mean the 300+ pounders not what is heavy for me. :)
  • jetscreaminagain
    jetscreaminagain Posts: 1,130 Member
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    Then I consider you a heavy lifter like one of us. ;) I hear what you're saying about not becoming a competitive weight lifter. I admire those ladies but like every other serious athletic pursuit, that's a major commitment.

    And your bench press is fine. You have a lot to be proud of. Good luck!
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    off topic, why do people automatically say they avoid heavy liftng because they dont want to be a competitive bodybuilder? :laugh:

    that's like saying i dont want to learn how to drive because i dont want to be a race car driver..

    one thing has nothing to do with the other

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