Is it good to run after a leg workout?

Author: Clinton Harvey  |  Last update: Thursday, July 31, 2025

In conclusion, it's completely safe and in fact, recommended to do cardio after leg day. Not only does it help with recovery, but it helps increase your performance, assists in muscle growth, and helps you keep your body composition on the leaner side.

Can I run after a leg workout?

YES! Muscular exertion on your legs gets alleviated much more if you take the time to run after you lift. It helps increase blood flow and pushes toxins away from the areas in your body that are sore or in pain.

Is it good to run After a muscle workout?

Running after your strength training session will support your goal of realizing strength gains by supplying the muscles you trained with more oxygen and nutrients to aid recovery.

Is it better to workout legs before or after running?

It's a good general rule, to do your key workout first. If your main goal is bodybuilding, or building muscle, then you should do your legs workout first. Then, after a rest of some length, do your run. That's what Arnold used to do. However, if you are mainly a runner, you should do your run first.

Is it safe to do cardio after leg day?

So, can you perform cardio after leg day workouts? Yes, as long as you don't exhaust yourself and perform the cardio at a moderate intensity. Whether you're looking to gain muscle or lose weight, non-intense cardio should not hinder your efforts to reach those goals.

Should You Run When You’re Sore?

Should you do cardio first or leg day?

If you want to get stronger, do cardio after weights. On upper-body strength training days, you can do either first. On lower-body strength training days, do cardio after weights. If your goal is just general fitness, do either first, but maybe start with the one you like less.

How to quickly recover from leg day?

The quickest way to recover from leg day involves a combination of hydration, proper nutrition, and rest. Hydrate well to replenish fluids lost during exercise, consume a post-workout meal rich in protein and carbohydrates for muscle repair, and prioritize adequate sleep.

How many times a week should I run?

Four to five days is the sweet spot for many runners. Generally speaking, running more often develops your aerobic system better and helps you run faster and farther.

Should I run first or after a workout?

If you want to increase your endurance, do cardio before weights. If you want to build muscle strength, do weights before cardio. If you want to improve your overall fitness, you can do either cardio or weights first.

Do legs get toned from running?

Yes, running can help you sculpt toned and defined leg muscles, particularly in the quads, hamstrings, and calves. The repetitive nature of running engages these muscles, promoting muscle growth and definition. However, it's important to combine running with strength training exercises for optimal leg toning.

Do you lose gains if you run after a workout?

In fact, newer studies have shown quite the opposite could be true: cardio doesn't inhibit muscle gain and may even help it. “In recent years, the body of research evidence indicates that doing concurrent training does not interfere with hypertrophy following resistance training,” Rosenkranz says.

Should I run if my legs are sore from squats?

So it's okay to run with sore legs if you aren't just going to give them another beating. When you run, the muscle groups that work will actually be grateful for a gentle running session after a hard and isolated leg muscle day. You may still feel fresh after leg day.

Is 20 minutes of cardio enough after lifting weights?

It can be a good addition, but is not required for building muscle and losing fat. Adding cardio doesn't mean that it will guarantee results. The 20 minutes of cardio will help to burn 50 - 100kcal (if low-intensity) and 100 - 200kcal (if high intensity), so you can do it if you enjoy it.

How to train legs and still run?

Here are some of the best leg exercises for runners to build strength and endurance:
  1. Squats.
  2. Squat to Hydrant.
  3. Sumo Squat.
  4. Bulgarian Split Squat.
  5. Pistols (Single Leg Squats)
  6. Calf Raises with Eccentric Drop.
  7. Single Leg Calf Raises with Eccentric Drop.
  8. Reverse Lunges.

Is it better to run in the morning or at night?

At the end of the day your body is ready for the effort and the window from 5 to 7 pm is often conducive to good performance. If your training plan calls for a long run, getting out during the early evening can be your best bet.

Should I do cardio if my legs are sore?

"Working out when sore is okay as long as it isn't affecting your movement to the point where it's causing you to compensate and do something in a way that's unsafe," says Dr. Hedt. "Muscle soreness can be a deterrent to exercising, but it's temporary and the more you exercise, the less you should feel it.

Should I run after leg day?

If you need to schedule a high-intensity run in the days following leg day... Avoid a high-intensity run the day after a strength workout. Instead, run at a low- or moderate-intensity pace the next day. Allow 48 to 72 hours of recovery after leg day before a high-intensity speed run.

Is it smart to run after a workout?

Yes, you should run after leg day as it can aid in recovery, improve performance, assist in muscle growth, and help maintain a lean body composition. This is recommended for optimal results.

What type of cardio is best for fat loss?

Some of the most popular gym cardio exercises include:
  • Running on the treadmill. A 30-minute session on a treadmill at 6 mph (a 10-minute mile pace) can burn approximately 350 calories.
  • Cycling on a stationary or exercise bike. ...
  • Using the rowing machine. ...
  • Working out on the elliptical.

What is the 80% rule in running?

This method advocates that 80% of your training should be easy and the remaining 20% should be hard. The exact split of easy to hard runs depends on several factors, including the number of runs you do each week, your personal fitness level and any training you do outside of running.

Is running 2 miles a day enough?

Running 2 miles a day has many health benefits and can be very motivating. And since it's easier to sustain than other running plans, it's a good way to get you moving every day.

What physique does running give you?

You will have stronger legs from running

When we run, we use all the muscles in our legs, big and small. If you are new to running, you might be surprised by how quickly you start to develop lean muscle in your legs and the speed at which you build endurance.

What not to do after leg day?

Moderate cardio after leg day can actually aid recovery by promoting blood flow. However, intense cardio sessions might hinder muscle growth if they deplete your energy reserves. To balance cardio and leg day: Keep post-leg day cardio light and short (15-20 minutes)

Does being sore mean muscle growth?

Yes and no. Post-workout soreness does mean that your workout was challenging enough. Muscle soreness does tell you that you have incurred some degree of muscle damage, which we know is vital for muscle growth. However, muscle soreness doesn't reflect the extent of muscle damage that results from your workout.

What muscles recover the fastest?

With that being said, different muscle groups tend to have different rates of recovery, with smaller muscles—biceps, triceps, calves—being able to recover more quickly than larger muscles—lats, quads, hamstrings, etc. In addition, different individuals are able to handle different amounts of training volume.

Previous article
Is bodyarmor good for weight loss?
Next article
Why do my curls fall out overnight?