Cardio and Weight Training

[TarHeelBred]

How does doing cardio after weight lifting affect muscle growth? I feel that lifting and then doing cardio would not have a negative effect on muscle growth and recovery compared to just lifting alone. Is that true?

I like to do a short full body workout (mountain climbers, burpees, lunges, etc) after say lifting and workout out just before chest and back. Is that a bad thing?

Thanks,

 

[AutumnPolitics]

Hello. I asked a similiar question not too long along.

I do not know the exact science behind this so I can only give you my experience:

Doing constant aerobic exercise (for instance, running 30 minutes at 170-180bpm) shortly after weight lifting causes your muscles to repair and recover rapidly. I believe this is because nutrients are delivered to your muscles at a faster rate and because waste products (lactic acid etc.) from weight lifting are expelled from your muscles sooner.

So for me, the best thing about running after weight lifting is that you feel absolutely no soreness the next day and you are ready to train at 100% within 24 hours.

Also, it gets you cut to *****. The downside of this, though, is that you do not grow very large muscles, and you have to eat tons before and after if you don't want to become skinnier.

At the end of the day, running after doing weights, in my opinion, is a very good way to train if it's athleticism you seek. That said, I don't do it anymore because I am focusing on muscle hypertrophy at the moment.