By Russ Howe
Should you do cardio before or after weights? This is a question on the lips of many gym members around the world who are trying to figure out how to lose weight. Yet despite the conclusive proof which is already available, it remains something which confuses most people.
The facts behind this question are very clear so today you will discover the answer.
Conflicting information is everywhere, particularly on the gym floor. What works for one person might not work for the next person and this causes confusion. Most people falsely believe that doing aerobic activity after a training session is a superior way to increase fat loss and lean muscle growth. Today you will discover the answer based upon scientific research, rather than gym opinions.
This particular belief stacks up well from a common sense point of view, but when you look at the latest scientific research available you will be surprised at the findings.
During aerobic and anaerobic activity, the body is forced to make several internal changes to help you adapt to your heavy workload. One such change is the release of two very important enzymes which play a vital role in both the effectiveness of a resistance training workout and your ability to perform cardiovascular exercise. The first enzyme we will look at here is m-TOR.
This is the enzyme responsible for signalling the start of the muscle building process after a heavy weights session. It is not uncommon to see this name on the front of various protein supplements, which all claim to cause an increase in m-TOR release to help you build more lean muscle after a hard workout. The body increases m-TOR for up to six hours after a resistance workout, making it easier for you to build lean muscle temporarily.
During aerobic activity, such as a bike or treadmill, the body adapts by releasing an enzyme called AMPK.
Despite being perfectly natural, AMPK has one flaw - it kills off m-TOR!
So now you should be beginning to see that the last thing you should be doing following a hard resistance training session is jumping on an upright cycle and peddling for an hour! In doing so, your body will be forcing itself to wipe out much of the increased m-TOR release you caused by training with weights.
Further studies have since gone on to reveal that pre workout cardiovascular activity does not zap your muscles of strength either. It impacts only the muscles which are involved during the cardio itself, so for example a bike would impact your legs. To get full benefit from increased m-TOR, common sense would decree that you should be avoiding post workout cardio and to avoid ruining your ability with weights on leg days simply drop cardio from your routine here.
If you are searching for the best explanations on how to lose weight then it makes sense to go with the most logical scientific answers rather than buying into the wealth of gym myths which are out there. Should you do cardio before or after weights? The latest science is massively in favor of doing it before.
The facts behind this question are very clear so today you will discover the answer.
Conflicting information is everywhere, particularly on the gym floor. What works for one person might not work for the next person and this causes confusion. Most people falsely believe that doing aerobic activity after a training session is a superior way to increase fat loss and lean muscle growth. Today you will discover the answer based upon scientific research, rather than gym opinions.
This particular belief stacks up well from a common sense point of view, but when you look at the latest scientific research available you will be surprised at the findings.
During aerobic and anaerobic activity, the body is forced to make several internal changes to help you adapt to your heavy workload. One such change is the release of two very important enzymes which play a vital role in both the effectiveness of a resistance training workout and your ability to perform cardiovascular exercise. The first enzyme we will look at here is m-TOR.
This is the enzyme responsible for signalling the start of the muscle building process after a heavy weights session. It is not uncommon to see this name on the front of various protein supplements, which all claim to cause an increase in m-TOR release to help you build more lean muscle after a hard workout. The body increases m-TOR for up to six hours after a resistance workout, making it easier for you to build lean muscle temporarily.
During aerobic activity, such as a bike or treadmill, the body adapts by releasing an enzyme called AMPK.
Despite being perfectly natural, AMPK has one flaw - it kills off m-TOR!
So now you should be beginning to see that the last thing you should be doing following a hard resistance training session is jumping on an upright cycle and peddling for an hour! In doing so, your body will be forcing itself to wipe out much of the increased m-TOR release you caused by training with weights.
Further studies have since gone on to reveal that pre workout cardiovascular activity does not zap your muscles of strength either. It impacts only the muscles which are involved during the cardio itself, so for example a bike would impact your legs. To get full benefit from increased m-TOR, common sense would decree that you should be avoiding post workout cardio and to avoid ruining your ability with weights on leg days simply drop cardio from your routine here.
If you are searching for the best explanations on how to lose weight then it makes sense to go with the most logical scientific answers rather than buying into the wealth of gym myths which are out there. Should you do cardio before or after weights? The latest science is massively in favor of doing it before.
About the Author:
Your writer: Russ Howe PTI is a nationally recognized south shields personal trainer featured by tv. Read his full guide on the differences of performing cardio before or after weights for a thorough walkthrough on this topic.