Does Cardio Burn Muscle?
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That cardio burns muscle is one of the most commons reasons you hear about why you shouldn’t do cardio if you want to build muscle mass. But is it true, does cardio burn muscle?
Cardio Does Not Burn Muscle
No, your muscles have nothing to fear from cardio. No matter if you go running or biking or whatever else you enjoy doing.
Because the protein used during cardio comes from a different source than your muscles. It would be much too complicated for your body to transform the protein in your muscles into something it can use for energy:
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So to put it in a nutshell, eat a diet high in protein (which you should be doing anyway when lifting weights) and you’re fine?
Na seriously tho, I do admit there was some uncertainty from my apart as well about this, thank you very much!
Not necessarily high, but with adequate amounts. 0.5 – 1 g per lb of body weight should be enough.
Dear Freddie,
Is it OK to do a leg press, leg extension on one day and do a 7 km brisk walk on a thread mill the next day?
Absolutely. There’s enough time for the muscle fibers to “reset.” More on this here:
https://evilcyber.com/fitness/cardio-before-or-after-weights/