Now first things first. You don’t NEED to do cardio after weight training, but I always recommend it to people when they are working out especially if someone is getting started in the gym and they want to lose weight.
But the main reason why you should be doing cardio after weights Is because of the continued calories you will be losing.
Weightlifting will garner you a calorie loss of anywhere between 200 to 400 calories on a rough estimate. And of course, this varies per person but generally, it will be on the lower end.
So by adding a 15 minute or more cardio session on the elliptical or treadmill, or better yet, swimming, will further your weight loss calories and give you other benefits.
You’ll be increasing your lung capacity for oxygen, better your heart health, increasing stamina, creating more autophagy (the longer you do cardio the more you create), and also epoc (although I would take this with a grain of salt because EPOC is highly overrated).
So just by adding another 15 to 20 minutes after your workout, if you can afford to stay the extra time, can go a long way if, of course, you repeat it over and over. It can’t be just a one-time thing.
Are there different forms of cardio you should be doing if you have other goals such as holding on to as much muscle? Well yes.
To allow you to have a better chance at keeping on muscle, you want to do a longer period of cardio, roughly 20 minutes or more, at a moderate intensity level or less. This is why you’ll see bodybuilders generally use the Stairmaster or walk on an incline or at a higher speed for roughly half an hour.
Now everyone is different you may not need half an hour. You could need less or maybe you might need more time. It also depends on what level of fitness you are at as well.
But you get the idea of it. To have a better chance at holding on to your muscle you want to do a longer length of cardio at a moderate pace.
Now, this doesn’t mean you can’t do any hard-pressed cardio at all. I still do moderate to higher intensity cardio for a half-hour or more twice a week or more sometimes while doing at least 15 minutes of cardio after my workouts 2 to 3 times a week.
But I also very strictly weightlift every day, and my nutrition is on point as well. Plus, I have built myself to handle this over time. So, it does vary as I said where your fitness levels are at as well, and like anything else, it takes time to understand your body.
The only time I would say to step away from cardio is if you are really skinny and you want t pack on some size and muscle.
You don’t need to focus on cardio just yet. Just focus on weightlifting for now for a few months.
But If I were to give advice to someone who is wanting to lose weight, I would say aim for 90 to 150 minutes of moderate to intense cardio a week and also add in 30-second Hiit bursts every 5 to 8 minutes.
And if you are more along the lines of myself where you want to retain muscle then aim for steady cardio at a low to moderate pace for about 20 minutes or more.
There are probably people asking if they can also become muscular without doing cardio or have already done this.
And if that’s the case, that’s good for you, you can take this approach if you like as it can work.
But a few things with that is, you won’t get the benefits of strengthening your heart. You can lose weight by just watching your nutrition but why take out the best way to lose weight which is any form of cardio.
But it just never made sense to me why someone would want to get rid of an exercise that can just further them along to their goal because they are lazy to do it.
I don’t understand the logic behind it.
And there are many different forms of cardio that you can do. You don’t necessarily have to do it exactly as I said above but just get it in your routine as it will only benefit you.
These are just some of the reasons why you should do cardio after weights and from my experience if you are wanting to lose weight or even to help maintain, it's good to add it in.
How much cardio do you do a week and if not…..why not…..
Disclaimer: Adam is not a doctor nor a nutritionist. This is all from the experience Adam has gained through himself and through schooling. Through his videos, Adam shares his personal and educational experience that he has acquired over the past years of training individuals through fitness and nutrition. Adam would strongly recommend you see your physician before starting or completing any exercise program. You should be in good physical condition to participate in the exercises which are why consulting your physician would be recommended.
As always, I strive to help as much as I can by bringing you fitness education through means of all my social media platforms. My passion for fitness guides me to give people the help they need in whatever way I can. If you have been able to find the information I release helpful then I’m happy I was able to serve you.
Don’t forget to check me out on my other social media handles for the latest and best advice for fitness.
- YouTube: AtoZbodyfitness
- Instagram: AtoZbodyfitness
- Twitter: AtoZbodyfitness
- Facebook: AtoZbodyfitness
- Tumblr: AtoZbodyfitness
- Tik Tok: AtoZbodyfitness
Action – Consistency - Growth