Is My New Lifting Program Making it Harder to Get Thru Cardio?

brandigyrl81
brandigyrl81 Posts: 128 Member
Does building muscle make it more tough to do cardio, due to the mass you're building and the water you're retaining? Here's why I ask:

I've been a Zumba instructor for a few years and since I began my Lifting Program a few months ago, I'm finding it harder to make it through my classes. I become tired more quickly than I used to. Is this a thing or am I trippin'?

Replies

  • Zodikosis
    Zodikosis Posts: 149 Member
    Are you doing the Zumba and lifting program on the same days? You might be overtraining.
  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
    Doing more exercise is going to burn more energy, which is going to make doing more exercise harder. If you are weight lifting on the same day as your classes, then it makes sense that it would use up some of your body's energy you normally save for class. The same would be true of any other exercise. If you ran in the morning, it would probably leave you with less fuel in the tank for you classes as well.
  • brandigyrl81
    brandigyrl81 Posts: 128 Member
    Zodikosis wrote: »
    Are you doing the Zumba and lifting program on the same days? You might be overtraining.

    On Sundays and Thursdays I do Zumba and weight training.
  • ExistingFish
    ExistingFish Posts: 1,259 Member
    Did you increase your calories with your increased activity level? If not you may have tipped the scales to a deficit/bigger deficit.
  • Justin_7272
    Justin_7272 Posts: 341 Member
    Zodikosis wrote: »
    Are you doing the Zumba and lifting program on the same days? You might be overtraining.

    On Sundays and Thursdays I do Zumba and weight training.

    Imagine instead of adding weight training you added another round of Zumba in it's place; if you weren't more fatigued something is wrong.

    Try spacing out your Zumba and lifting days; it should be an easy fix to your problem.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Zodikosis wrote: »
    Are you doing the Zumba and lifting program on the same days? You might be overtraining.

    On Sundays and Thursdays I do Zumba and weight training.

    This is why many people do cardio and weight training on separate days. When I used to do "two-a-days" I would ride in the AM and lift in the PM...I had plenty of time to recover in between (a good 10 hours) as well as food, etc. If you're doing this back to back or even within a few hours of each other, you're going to be fatigued.
  • youngmomtaz
    youngmomtaz Posts: 1,075 Member
    I do my cardio in the morning right now(outside, early to avoid the heat), and my lifting in the late aft/evening. This gives me time to refuel and rest and then I can lift with no problems. I do this routine every other day so that I only have to walk the dog on my off days.

    Check on your calorie intake, consider raising it, get some calories(a protein shake, fruit, etc) and water in between workouts, and consider spacing them out farther if nothing else works. As far as eating between workouts, if your stomach is sensitive try to do Zumba first and then eat before weight. I can’t do any cardio if I have eaten 3 hours prior, I just feel so nauseous and like it is all sitting in my throat. But, I can easily eat and then lift, I just keep my short warmup to something that doesn’t bounce my guts around like the speller or rowing machines.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    are you eating enough?
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