I like to work out, swim, and run. Whenever I run, I run 6-8 miles and when I swim I like to swim at least 2 miles but I like to try and do more everytime i go. Everyone always says that doing too much cardio will eat up your muscles. So how much is too much?

Normally, I work out once or twice a week and try to run or swim the other 5 or 6 days and occasionally i'll take a day or two off. I'm not looking to bulk up too much too quickly. I like to stay lean, get cut, while adding some more muscle.

three ways to not lose muscle doing cardio

1. Start lifting weights

2. Good pre and post workout nutrition

3. Try to do faster cardio instead of more time, longer cardio.

You can start a simple weight lifting program 2 or 3 times a week with a pair of dumbbells or just bodyweight exercises.

Have a combination of carbs and proteins as pre and post workout meals. Double the protein for the post workout.

Go faster, Sprint, time the distance. How much distance can you do in whatever the time you do your cardio. Then try to do more in the same time. Work your heart, lungs and everything you have. You need to be more efficient in your training, not more time with the same efficiency.

Is harder but you get better results.

How much cardio is enough? If your knees hurt, foot hurt, back hurt or you just get bored then is enough cardio. If you don't sleep well or don't feel energize the next day, then is enough cardio.

Take care and start doing some recistance training if you want to keep your muscles.

Rick_CSCS

At the moment im doing 30 mins on the bike I might try to do the same distance in 20 mins put at a faster rate. Would this be ok? Overall I want to cut to 200lbs (loose 40lbs) then build.

currently, i actually enjoy doing the distance in running at least. it makes me feel like im almost a runner haha. would doing a combo of both (say 3-4 miles running and 3 miles interval) work?

As long as you are consuming enough calories to match what you burn each day with the correct splits between fats, carbs and proteins and continue to lift in addition to your cardio you should not see any muscle loss.

and utilizing nutrition (gels) and such to supplement "during your workouts" is a good way to keep from burning up muscles. ie: at 20 minutes into your run, take a gel, and after your long workouts drink a decent protein shake.

sweat daily
FF

Why....?

Because is more time efficient and because it stimulate your body to have stronger and sometimes bigger muscles. Even sprinters from before weight lifting was use as part of their training had more muscle than long distance runners.

When you train harder or go faster it increases the intensity of the stimulus in your muscles to be stronger, powerful, faster and bigger. As your body adapts to a certain speed like for example in running, your muscles get stronger and they become efficient at that specific speed. In order to stimulate your body to keep getting your muscles stronger, the stimulus needs to be higher.

Sprinting also increases your post exercise oxygen consumption which means more calories burn when you are resting and that’s when your body uses most of its energy from fat sources. This is for the Fat Burning Zone Lovers.


Why not go longer time?

If you keep the same intensity for a longer period of time it will only stimulate your body to use energy and find more energy sources, like muscle. According to research your body doesn't start using muscle as energy until two hours of aerobic training, but after one hour of continuous training your testosterone levels decrease and cortisol levels increase. Cortisol is a stress hormone that basically causes your body to use muscle tissue as energy and increase body-fat storage.

In the past scientists used to believe this happens after 4 hour of aerobic training, but after more research was done it turns out is only 1 to 2 hours.

I believe the time would be different for everyone depending on their level of training but I wouldn't like my testosterone levels decreasing when training or my cortisol levels rising.

I hope this answers the question

Rick_CSCS

Try to do the distance using high intensity intervals on the bike. Is like a spinning class but not as random. Is more controlled by you.

You can do 1 minute hard on the bike and then rest for 1 or 1 and a half minutes.

Your bike training would be something like this.

Warm up
1 or 2 sets of 15 bodyweight squats
1 or 2 sets of 15 bodyweight or dumbbells RDLs

This is a better warm up than just 5 minutes slow on the bike.

Then 2 minutes moderate intensity on the bike
1 minute high intensity this is combining a good resistance and good speed

Then rest for 1 to 2 minutes. You will get better every week so you can decrease your rest time gradually.

then again the 1 min high intensity

You repeat the cycle from 5 to 10 times.
Finish with 2 to 4 minutes cool down and stretching

It will take from 20 to 30 mins to do this.

Work hard

Rick_CSCS