The simple answer is no. The scientific research on long, steady state cardio training shows it does not have a negative impact on muscle mass. We'll explore the science that answers the 'does cardio burn muscle' question. Then, we'll address recommendations you can give clients for their cardio workout.
Cardiovascular exercise does not negatively affect muscle mass. In fact, it may help you stay strong and maintain less body fat than if you did no exercise at all!
The idea that cardio kills muscle gains is a myth. In fact, cardio can benefit muscle mass and strength by increasing the amount of oxygen that muscles require during exercise. It also improves endurance and cardiovascular health.
No. Your body will not burn muscle. All it would do is strengthen your heart, allowing it to pump more efficiently and get oxygen to your other muscles faster.
Go high-intensity.
“Sprint or high-intensity interval training (HIIT), for example, can lead to muscle hypertrophy,” Rosenkranz says, so higher-intensity training may be better than longer, slower endurance training for maximizing gains.
Doing a cardio workout after weight training is ideal if you want to lose fat and get stronger.
High intensity cardio burns far too many calories to incorporate into your bulk. This means that you need to stick to low intensity exercise that promotes cardiovascular health without burning too many calories. Walking, jogging, cycling and elliptical machines are all good options for this.
So what type of cardio should you do when bulking? The 3 best options for cardio when bulking are: (1) keep it minimal and limit it as much as possible, (2) do low-intensity bouts between 15-45 minutes, or (3) do high-intensity bouts between 10-15 minutes.
By exercising, you'll likely maintain a healthy weight and improve your cardiovascular functioning, which has positive effects on your testosterone. However, working out alone won't cause a long-term increase in testosterone levels, Dr. El-Zawahry says.
"Utilizing sprints is basically a 'cardio' workout that can help preserve muscle mass," Holder says. Look at elite sprinters—they're jacked for a reason.
To burn off visceral fat, your first step is to include at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise or cardio into your daily routine. Studies show that aerobic exercises for belly fat help reduce belly fat and liver fat. Some great cardio of aerobic exercises for belly fat include: Walking, especially at a quick pace.
With a cardio-only approach to your exercise, your joints are more likely to suffer and begin to breakdown. Elevated levels of cortisol (stress hormone) through excessive cardio can place a strain on the ability to lose body fat effectively. The release of hormones that regulate hunger can also become imbalanced.
It's also important to not push your body too much and overload your body with cardio. “Once you get past 10-12 hours of vigorous training, you're not doing your body any favors,” says Dr. Vlahos.
Can I do cardio every day and still build muscle? While it's possible to do daily cardio and build muscle, you would need to be spot on with your recovery, nutrition and sleep strategies. 3 days of cardio per week is enough to get the benefits while still dedicating enough time to resistance training and recovery.
While running does stimulate hypertrophy, it won't give you the most bang for your buck.
While cardio is god for your heart, it can also burn more calories to lose weight. If you're already skinny, you'll have to avoid long cardio sessions, which can result in more weight loss. Rather than long jogs, try to perform brief 30-minute sessions which are of moderate to intense.
Your rest days should not be completely sedentary. “Recovery doesn't mean doing absolutely nothing,” Dr. Warrington said. Active recovery, which includes low-impact cardio, like a light jog, long walk or a game like pickleball, has been shown to be very effective at promoting recovery.
Dirty bulking is when an individual is in a caloric surplus to build muscle (build mode). However, the individual is eating foods that are carb dense, unhealthy, and ultra-processed out of convenience. Sometimes these individuals track their protein, and other times they do not.
Post-workout inflammation
“This is expected and perfectly healthy,” Mohr said. You may retain fluid after exercise as your body repairs the damage, which can cause water weight gain. Any uptick on the scale is usually minor and temporary. Weighing yourself regularly can be helpful on your weight-loss journey.
Consume 0.8-1g per pound (1.6-2.2g per kg) of body weight in protein every day. Consume the rest of your calories from foods composed of carbs and fats. Eat vegetables to keep up your fiber and micronutrient content for your general health. If you are not gaining weight, add more carbs and/or fats to your meal.
If you are training for a 5K or a marathon, you will want to do cardiovascular training first for maximum performance. If you want to increase your muscle strength, do strength training first when your muscles are not fatigued from cardio.
If you do cardio first, you will deplete some of that glycogen, decreasing your energy. And that will make weight lifting more challenging.” Cardio relies on a mix of glycogen and fat for fuel, he added. You burn glycogen when you lift weights, so if you do cardio afterward, your body has to burn more fat for fuel.
As stated in the intro, bodybuilders primarily use cardio as a means in increase their caloric expenditure (Cardiovascular training has a TON of other health benefits, but we will not touch on those benefits here).
So, for instance, if building strength is your top goal, Silva recommends starting with weight-lifting. “Conversely, if improving your aerobic endurance is your priority, starting with running ensures you have the energy to train effectively,” he says.