cardio after weight training bad??

[uso78]

Hello All, I was looking for some information about cardio and found something even more interesting, to me. I've been hearing that its BEST do to cardio AT LEAST 6-8 hours BEFORE/AFTER weight training. Is this true, if so why?
FYI, i was doing a 5 day split w/cardio for 30min IMMEDIATLEY AFTER my training. OBVIOUSLY, I'm trying to lose weight. Will I have better results, if I had my cardio session by itself w/o weight training?

[uso78]

anyone??

[Jhawk Fitness]

I read somewhere that a study showed more calories were burned if you did cardio after weightlifting. I'll see if I can find an article on the subject.

[Jhawk Fitness]

This isn't exactly what I was looking for but it has some interesting info. Scroll down to the 7 p.m marker: http://www.muscleandfitnesshers.com/...imetoburn.html

I did find some talk about the body needing time to "warm up" so that would seem to coincide with the article saying that body burns more kcals if you do cardio after weights.

[Striver]

Doing it after is a good idea becaue you don't want to use too much energy before your workout. Also it keeps your body warm and your muscles working.
This means you have cardio on top of your mucles working to revcover + warming down. As muscles continue to burn a good number of calories continue to burn per hour for up to 6 hours.

[$AJ]

if given only the choice of like 6hrs before or right after, i'd chose after to conserve energy.

[OmahaBoy2003]

Yep I think it's best to do cardio after weights. Early on when I was first starting I made the mistake of doing cardio before and I couldn't lift ****. Since I learned better things are alot better for me.

[Jhawk Fitness]

I asked this question and another to one of the research doctors from Johns Hopkins that I work with, here's the answer....


"Yes there have been studies but the question you are asking is a secondary outcome to another question-when you do cardio first you are using up all your glycogen stores-the fuel use for moving weight -ie: anaerobic exercise –you must have a high cardio fitness level ie very high lactate threshold to go straight into oxidative metabolism when you do cardio-remember you body uses aerobic and anaerobic fuel together –its kind of like a dimmer switch-the higher the intensity the more you move toward the anaerobic side-I avoid anything more then walking on heavy lifting day to maintain my glycogen levels

About lifting on an empty stomach-it depends on what you are trying to accomplish –you will surely burn more calories after the workout if you have a empty stomach but remember you only have a limited time that your body can replenish the glycogen stores after a workout –after about two hours the cells refuse to accept glucose—which would make it difficult to work out 2 days in a row"

[Cerulean]

I'm just a beginner so take what I say with a grain of salt. I've been reading a TON of stuff on this matter, because I want to include some aerobics somewhere in my routine. Most all the info I have read seems say that if you want to do aerobics you should try hard as hell to do it on the days you don't lift. My problem is that I lift M T TH & F. To incorporate aerobics into my schedule would mean I'd have to be at the gym 5+ days at the gym. I'm still trying to figure out a schedule atm.

[SpecTheIntro]

From what I know, there are two times where you burn 300% more fat through cardio: when you first wake up, and right after lifting, because like someone else noted, your glycogen stores and depleted and there is no glucose in your bloodstream. If you do cardio at either of those times your body will go right for your fat deposits, assuming you're doing cardio correctly. (65-75% of max heart rate.)

However, I shy away from cardio after a workout because you should never work your muscles out for more than an hour. The most beneficial time in weight-lifting is the first hour you lift; afterwards, I'm of the mind that you're wasting your time. Don't get me wrong: that hour should be absolutely intense and you should feel dizzy afterwards, but any longer and you're not accomplishing much else. But the thing is, you want to eat something the second you stop lifting. The earlier you do this, the better, because that's the one time that your body is going to send everything you give it right towards repair. So what I do is rush home after lifting and drink a protein shake within at least 20 minutes of finishing my routine, and then 45 minutes later I try to have a small meal.

I save cardio for my off days: wake up in the morning and before you eat anything, do some light jogging or biking. 20 to 30 minutes is more than enough.

[acumenjay]

I do cardio after. I chug a shake after about 80% of my lifting is completed (iron stomach) and then crank out the last couple sets and stretch out to get ready for cardio. From what I've read this is a pretty common practice. Seems to work well. Ideally it should be separated but most people I know are way too busy to work out twice a day.

[skelooth]

I do cardio after. I chug a shake after about 80% of my lifting is completed (iron stomach) and then crank out the last couple sets and stretch out to get ready for cardio. From what I've read this is a pretty common practice. Seems to work well. Ideally it should be separated but most people I know are way too busy to work out twice a day.

I have been doing the same for maybe about 4 months, and it works good.

[Just_Shruggin]

i do cardio in the morning after i wake up. my treadmill is in the house so i run a 10 minute mile. (comes out to about 6 mph) anyway, i do this everyday and then i lift at night around 7 30. even in the offseason. and i put on a lot of mucscle with very little fat

[DumbellBoy]

Doesnt your body burn muscle as fuel after an hour of weights? Wont this mean that your body is buring your muscle as fuel if you do cardio after weights?

[OmahaBoy2003]

I asked this question and another to one of the research doctors from Johns Hopkins that I work with, here's the answer....


"Yes there have been studies but the question you are asking is a secondary outcome to another question-when you do cardio first you are using up all your glycogen stores-the fuel use for moving weight -ie: anaerobic exercise –you must have a high cardio fitness level ie very high lactate threshold to go straight into oxidative metabolism when you do cardio-remember you body uses aerobic and anaerobic fuel together –its kind of like a dimmer switch-the higher the intensity the more you move toward the anaerobic side-I avoid anything more then walking on heavy lifting day to maintain my glycogen levels

About lifting on an empty stomach-it depends on what you are trying to accomplish –you will surely burn more calories after the workout if you have a empty stomach but remember you only have a limited time that your body can replenish the glycogen stores after a workout –after about two hours the cells refuse to accept glucose—which would make it difficult to work out 2 days in a row"

Good read there. Gotta take that in mind.

[PowerSwede]

Hello All, I was looking for some information about cardio and found something even more interesting, to me. I've been hearing that its BEST do to cardio AT LEAST 6-8 hours BEFORE/AFTER weight training. Is this true, if so why?
FYI, i was doing a 5 day split w/cardio for 30min IMMEDIATLEY AFTER my training. OBVIOUSLY, I'm trying to lose weight. Will I have better results, if I had my cardio session by itself w/o weight training?

Doing cardio when your glycogen stores are next to nil will burn more fat, i doubt anyone disagrees with that.

What most people are scared of is that you will lose more muscle, however, there are indications that that is not the case, studies show that doing cardio directly in the morning burns less muscle than doing cardio after a few meals.

Now take into consideration that no matter when you do your cardio you get a fixed amount of calories per day and a fixed amount of time to do cardio to lose the weight you are trying to lose, would you rather eat before your cardio, burn off what you ate and then have less calories to recover?

Cardio for fat loss should be done either in the morning or right after your weight lifting session for best results.

Other factors that affect your weight loss are the type of cardio HIIT seems to be more effective and can actually cause an anabolic response, temperature, the lower the temperature, the more calories you burn, even if you are well dressed.

[mindraper]

I always do cardio straight after weight lifting.. Been working great if you ask me!

[Raider926]

Doing cardio when your glycogen stores are next to nil will burn more fat, i doubt anyone disagrees with that.

What most people are scared of is that you will lose more muscle, however, there are indications that that is not the case, studies show that doing cardio directly in the morning burns less muscle than doing cardio after a few meals.

Now take into consideration that no matter when you do your cardio you get a fixed amount of calories per day and a fixed amount of time to do cardio to lose the weight you are trying to lose, would you rather eat before your cardio, burn off what you ate and then have less calories to recover?

Cardio for fat loss should be done either in the morning or right after your weight lifting session for best results.

Other factors that affect your weight loss are the type of cardio HIIT seems to be more effective and can actually cause an anabolic response, temperature, the lower the temperature, the more calories you burn, even if you are well dressed.

Good post man.

[PowerSwede]

Good post man.

Thank you.

[wiggles]

I'm just a beginner so take what I say with a grain of salt. I've been reading a TON of stuff on this matter, because I want to include some aerobics somewhere in my routine. Most all the info I have read seems say that if you want to do aerobics you should try hard as hell to do it on the days you don't lift. My problem is that I lift M T TH & F. To incorporate aerobics into my schedule would mean I'd have to be at the gym 5+ days at the gym. I'm still trying to figure out a schedule atm.

What's wrong with that? I'm in the gym 6 days a week and it works well for me. I lift for three of those days, run for the other three.

[S4V4G3]

so how many of you guys do cardio after lifting while bulking? im thinking about doing that.....

[jechoa]

I also read in muscle and fitness that it is better to do cardio after weight training if you are trying to lose weight...

[imageek]

doing cardio after weights will actually burn more fat.
we all know that weight training uses muscle glycogen fuel as energy, so after intense lifting your glycogen store becomes depleted (no carbs left), the cardio you do now will tap into your fat store as energy.

i don't recommand cardio before weights, they only works for a few people, and only if they are cutting.
if you do decide to do cardio before weights make sure you do low intensity cardio, so it burns fat instead of carbs, if you do high intensity cardio before weights it will uses your existing muscle glycogen as fuel, so by the time you get to weights your glycogen store will be depleted and you won't be able to lift with maximum intensity.

[uni4orm]

i`m doing my first week of weight lifting right now. i go and work the same muscle groups everyday {always upper body} for some reason i`m not getting sore. anyway to get back on subject, i always do cardio after i get done working out,and i leave 5 mins in between lifting and cardio for my heart rate to go down! i`m losing weight not fast but it`s happening.

[Andrew99]

"i`m doing my first week of weight lifting right now. i go and work the same muscle groups everyday {always upper body} for some reason i`m not getting sore"

I suspect you are not using enough weight. If you can do more than 10 reps or so, crank it up a bit.

[Falkon]

I get good results cutting if I keep my lifting workouts at 45 - 60 minutes followed by 15 minutes of moderate intensitity cardio. I also do dedicated cardio days.

I think this works well because you exhaust your glycogen stores during the workout so even a little cardio after can start burning fat right away.

[Dia-Tribe]

Another opinion... Note the statement refering to fasted cardio and compare
this
http://www.intense-workout.com/cardio.html

And wer'e supposed to know?

Article By Blair Henry

Is there a time of day that is better for doing cardio?
Absolutely there is a best time of day for you to do cardio. The catch here is that the only person who knows the best time for you, is you. There have been studies that have tried to show that cardio done at one time of day is more beneficial than at other times, but none have resulted in conclusive evidence.


Here's what we know for sure:
· In order for a cardio program to be successful, you must be consistent and stick to it. The benefits from cardio will not be realized if you simply go for a walk once a month and then sit on the couch for the rest of the time. The benefits will come from this will only happen if you can find a time that is convenient and fits into your life. Each of us has an "internal prime time," the time that we are at our best. Your prime time is when you feel most energetic, creative and outgoing. If you're up at the crack of dawn and ready to go, or at your desk every day before others in your office have arrived, then you are likely a morning person. Take advantage of this energy and try to schedule your cardio for these times. You will find that you will be able to push yourself that little extra to get the results you desire. If a morning person waits until evening to work out, he/she tends to get poor results because both the necessary energy and focus are lacking. Lo ok at the patterns in your day and in your energy levels, and then try to schedule your workout for when you have the most energy. After a vigorous cardio workout, your body will have higher than normal levels of active endorphins. Endorphins are a powerful hormone that, when present at a high level in your body, give you energy and a state of euphoria. They're responsible for the infamous runners high. Endorphins are a good thing unless you are trying to sleep. If you work out just before bed, you are unlikely to have a fitful sleep. This is a problem because you need sleep in order for your body to recover from the workout.

Should I do cardio before or after my resistance training?
If you're trying to get your weights and cardio done in one session, the research shows that doing a cardio warm-up prior to weights is essential in order to maximize the effectiveness of your workout. This warm-up should be about 10 minutes in length else the quality of your lifting will suffer. Your energy sources necessary to power anaerobic exertion will be used up. Since you reap the most benefit from the last two or three reps, it is essential that you have the necessary energy to achieve those reps. That fuel simply won't be there if you do a hard cardio workout prior to your training.

Should I do cardio on an empty stomach?
It is never a good idea to exert yourself on an empty stomach. You need food's energy to drive you through the workout, so a small amount of food in your stomach is best. A lot of people believe that more fat will be burned if they work out on an empty stomach. This simply isn't true. The majority of fat that is burned occurs in the two hours after your workout as your core body temperature returns to normal. So after a workout, while you're on the couch watching Oprah, you're still burning fat. Plain and simple - never exercise on an empty stomach. Eat a light snack about 30 minutes prior to your cardio.

What is the best cardio equipment: treadmill, recumbent bike or elliptical jogger?
The best cardio equipment, without a doubt, is the one you like to use. All cardio equipment is equal in effectiveness when not in use. It doesn't matter whether you love jogging in the mountains, or taking a Spinning class, just do it. Anything that gets you moving is good. If you like (or hate) all apparatus equally, here is a good rule of thumb: the more muscle groups recruited for a movement, the higher that exercise will escalate your metabolism (presuming your intensity is equal). This means that a recumbent bike, which isolates movement to your legs only, is less effective than an elliptical trainer on which you use both arms and legs, as well as your erector and stabilizing muscles.


About the Author:Blair Henry is the president of Motivational Coach Seminars, and a founding partner of The Fitness Management Group. He's been a national level competitor in the fitness field, and is currently on the faculty of The College of Exercise Science.

[PowerSwede]

My posts from another thread:

Cardio on an empty stomach increase the amount of fat being burned compared to cardio after meal, doesn't matter if it is HIIT or low-medium intensity like power-walking.

I doubt anyone disagrees with that.

Here comes something a bit more controversial though, cardio on an empty stomach breaks down less muscle than cardio after eating.(1)

The idea of increased muscle breakdown comes from flawed studies from the 80's that measured the breakdown of leucine during a couple of hours.

1. Forslund AH, El-Khoury AE, Olsson RM, Sjodin AM, Hambraeus L, Young VR. Effect of protein intake and physical activity on 24-h pattern and rate of macronutrient utilization. Am J Physiol. May 1999;276(5 Pt 1):E964-976.

Here are some more studies that show that less protein is burned when performing the exercise pre-meal compared to post-meal.

1. Using 90 minutes of low-medium intensity cardio pre meal does not increase protein breakdown but lessens protein synthetis (nitrogen retention during the day as a whole was in balance) while post meal exercise does not affect protein synthetis but increases protein breakdown. (el-Khoury AE, Forslund A, Olsson R, et al. Moderate exercise at energy balance does not affect 24-h leucine oxidation or nitrogen retention in healthy men. Am J Physiol. Aug 1997;273(2 Pt 1):E394-407)

2. High intentsity cardio (75% VO2max) on an empty stomach does not affect protein breakdown but INCREASES protein synthetis and thereby increases the net protein balance during the day. Worth noting was that the people in this study was on a higher than normal protein energy percentage (you know, like we all are) (Devlin JT, Brodsky I, Scrimgeour A, Fuller S, Bier DM. Amino acid metabolism after intense exercise. Am J Physiol. Feb 1990;258(2 Pt 1):E249-255.)

3. The amount of cortisol (a catabolic hormone) released due to stress (like physical activity) is lower after 9-12 hours of not eating than after eating a couple of hours before. (Kirschbaum C, Gonzalez Bono E, Rohleder N, et al. Effects of fasting and glucose load on free cortisol responses to stress and nicotine. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Apr 1997;82(4):1101-1105)


Last but not least, NEVER do cardio to burn fat right after a meal, when insulin is high you are going to have a hard time burning fat.

[cute_monster]

how abt cardio in the morning after a protein shake + bcaa's??

[PowerSwede]

how abt cardio in the morning after a protein shake + bcaa's??

First of all, protein shakes will raise your insulin levels so you NEED to wait for them to settle until you start your cardio session, this means time without food before the cardio session. Some amino acids can be burned directly in place of glucose, you'll burn those off instead of fat and you'll have less aminos to recover from your cardio and weightlifting (since you cannot add more calories).

Since the studies i referenced above show that the protein synthetis peaks about three hours after a cardio session that would be a better time for your shake.