Should You Do Cardio Before Weights Or After?

By Russ Howe


If you are trying to maximize lean muscle growth, should you do cardio before or after weights? This question is regularly asked in gyms around the world by folks trying to learn how to build muscle quickly and today we'll answer it with the latest scientific findings.

Thanks to the ongoing scientific research being performed in the health and fitness industry, many of the old myths and theories which were used for years have now been either confirmed as fact or condemned to ancient myth. This area is the latest to go under the microscope.

The last decade has seen a growing number of scientific studies in this specific area. Finally we're at a stage where definitive answers can be given on the topic.

Contrary to mainstream opinion, you should be performing your cardiovascular workout prior to hitting the weights if you want to get the most out of the gym. This will surprise a few people out there, because one of the most common mistakes is to presume that you'd exhaust the muscles if you did your aerobic activity first.

These recent findings lay to waste one of the oldest theories in fitness. It dates back so long that many people believe it to be fact and still insist on doing it to this very day. However, scientific studies prove that those who put their aerobic activity earlier in their workout enjoyed better fat loss and muscle growth.

What about HIIT? The same results applied here too.

This happens because of the release of two enzymes in the body during physical exercise. They are known as AMPK and mTOR. AMPK is the body's call to action to help you adjust to aerobic activity.

When you finish a resistance workout, however, the body responds by increasing the release of an enzyme known as mTOR. This turns on the recovery process and helps you to build more lean muscle. The 2 enzymes don't work together well. In fact, having AMPK in your system will switch off the release of mTOR. So, by staying on a treadmill after your finish your weight training you'll significantly turn down your release of mTOR.

Once the body releases mTOR you enter the golden window for post-workout nutrition. This peaks at one hour in length, although mTOR levels stay increased for up to 6 hours in total. To get the most from this period, simply avoid releasing any AMPK during this time.

This information comes in very handy for those who like to separate their workouts into two separate sessions per day. If you keep six hours between each workout you'll be able to get the full benefits of the muscle repairing process switched on by mTOR enzyme before you release any AMPK during cardiovascular activity.

While discovering how to build muscle can often be confusing and misleading due to the number of myths out there, science is helping every day to make things clearer. If you were previously unsure whether to do cardio before or after weights you now have the research to enhance your results.




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