mercredi 11 septembre 2013

Is Cardio Better Before Or After Resistance Training?

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.

There are a number of myths in the fitness industry which lead to confusion. This is because there is still so much scientific research which needs to be carried out. Thankfully, this particular area is something that has now been cleared up.

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.

Up until recently that theory made a lot of sense. However, when scientists carried out tests they found that those who performed aerobic activity prior to lifting weights actually enjoyed superior lean muscle growth as well as superior fat loss!

This also applied to individuals performing high intensity interval training, 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.

The second enzyme, mTOR, is the key which turns on the muscle building process after a resistance training session. The bad news is that AMPK kills off mTOR, meaning if you stay in the gym after a training session and perform prolonged cardiovascular exercise you are significantly blunting your own muscle building process. Granted you can still achieve results, but they would be significantly superior if you did things the opposite way around.

When the body increases it's release of mTOR enzyme it's signalling the beginning of the so-called 'golden window' for nutrition. This is the often fabled period of time where your body will make the most of any nutrients you provide it with. Release is increased for up to six hours.

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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