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.
Today you are going to find out the factual answer to this question.
If you were to ask most experienced gym users for their opinion on this matter, you would probably be overwhelmed with the conflicting information in many people's views on the subject. You would also be shocked that despite the fact someone may look good, it appears they may merely be training instinctively and without any real knowledge of why they are doing things a certain way. Most people believe that doing cardio after weighs is superior as it allows you to hit the weights while your energy is peaking.
Pre workout aerobic activity certainly sounds better when you consider hitting the gym with your legs already zapped from cardio, of course, but the latest scientific research on the subject puts a whole different spin on this topic.
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.
When you do cardiovascular activity the body releases an enzyme called AMPK instead. This helps the body adapt to aerobic exercise.
Here is the real kicker - AMPK release blunts m-TOR release significantly!
So by jumping on a treadmill after your weights workout and doing half an hour of cardio exercise, you are actually causing your body to release a spike of AMPK and shut down much of the increased m-TOR you caused by working hard on the iron in the first place.
Also, a study from northern California looked into the theory that pre workout cardiovascular activity would zap strength from the muscles. What they discovered was quite shocking. Like we said earlier, theories do not always play out the way you expect them to. Subjects noticed that pre workout cardio only had a negative impact on the muscles which were used during the cardio itself, for example if the cardio was legs based then leg exercises would be impacted, but every upper body move remained just as powerful. Combine this with the fact that pre workout cardio also allows you to get the full benefits of increased m-TOR levels and you can see why pre workout cardiovascular exercise is scientifically recommended as the way to go 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.
Today you are going to find out the factual answer to this question.
If you were to ask most experienced gym users for their opinion on this matter, you would probably be overwhelmed with the conflicting information in many people's views on the subject. You would also be shocked that despite the fact someone may look good, it appears they may merely be training instinctively and without any real knowledge of why they are doing things a certain way. Most people believe that doing cardio after weighs is superior as it allows you to hit the weights while your energy is peaking.
Pre workout aerobic activity certainly sounds better when you consider hitting the gym with your legs already zapped from cardio, of course, but the latest scientific research on the subject puts a whole different spin on this topic.
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.
When you do cardiovascular activity the body releases an enzyme called AMPK instead. This helps the body adapt to aerobic exercise.
Here is the real kicker - AMPK release blunts m-TOR release significantly!
So by jumping on a treadmill after your weights workout and doing half an hour of cardio exercise, you are actually causing your body to release a spike of AMPK and shut down much of the increased m-TOR you caused by working hard on the iron in the first place.
Also, a study from northern California looked into the theory that pre workout cardiovascular activity would zap strength from the muscles. What they discovered was quite shocking. Like we said earlier, theories do not always play out the way you expect them to. Subjects noticed that pre workout cardio only had a negative impact on the muscles which were used during the cardio itself, for example if the cardio was legs based then leg exercises would be impacted, but every upper body move remained just as powerful. Combine this with the fact that pre workout cardio also allows you to get the full benefits of increased m-TOR levels and you can see why pre workout cardiovascular exercise is scientifically recommended as the way to go 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:
Content provider: Russ Howe PTI is a nationally sought-after south shields personal trainer featured by fitness tv. Read his full guide on the effects of doing cardio before or after weights for a complete guide on this topic.