When it comes to cardio in the gym bodybuilders and athletes remain confused about practising it. Cardio is a topic that is still a confusing one for many. Most of the people think that cardio is only helpful for those seeking to shed some weight. The confusion regarding the cardio seems to persist in the beginners as well as those at the advanced levels. There are various reasons behind this including improper guidance and paying too much heed to rumours or myths. You can easily spot those with strength training routine skipping cardio sessions.
But is cardio really unimportant? You need to understand this from a professional’s perspective to get complete knowledge about cardio. You can easily find athletes or bodybuilders spending plenty of time running hard on the treadmills or cycling. There clearly are benefits of cardio that go far beyond the scope of increased stamina. Some of the key benefits of cardio include increased exercise tolerance, reduction in blood pressure, reduction in blood pressure and increased insulin sensitivity. 30 minutes of the cardio session will do wonders to your body. But before knowing the benefits, you must bid adieu to some common myths related to the subject.
Cardio Is the Best Way To Lose Weight
Does cardio help in losing weight? Yes and no. Losing weight requires burning more and more calories on a regular basis. Now, cardio does help in creating a daily caloric deficit but it might not be very effective in the long term. You need to have the lean muscle mass to burn calories gradually and for this, you need to have complete control on the food you eat. As they say- “Fitness is 30% workout and 70%” diet. In a nutshell, cardio and other exercises will be only effective if you have complete control over your eating habits.
The Length Of Cardio Session Must Be At Least 30 Minutes
Wrong! It’s the intensity that matters and not time. When you do cardio, your heart rate is elevated. With right intensity and correct form, even 15 to 20 minutes can be enough to reach that target. You can swap steady-state cardio with high-intensity interval training and you’ll find amazing results within a month. You can also try both steady-state cardio as well as high-intensity interval training on alternate days.
Also Read, Workout Routine To Add Serious Mass To Your Shoulders
Yoga Isn’t A Form of Cardio
If you think only running on a treadmill or cycling qualifies for cardio, you’ve been misguided or ill-informed. Several studies have proved that yoga as well as cardio provide similar kinds of benefits. The benefits of performing Yoga regularly include decreased risks of metabolic syndrome, control in high blood pressure, and poor cholesterol and improved triglyceride levels. So, you can always ditch the gym and do yoga at the comfort of your home if you are not interested in bodybuilding. Some complex yoga poses have benefits similar to high-intensity interval training.
You Should Do Cardio Everyday
If you really want to get rid of those stubborn calories and lose some serious amount of weight, your workout routine must include both- cardio as well as weight training. Cardio alone can’t help in the long run. When you work out, your muscles break down to form new muscles. Now, they need time for recovery and if you do weight training or cardio every day, your muscles won’t have time to recover. Therefore, it is necessary to give your muscles ample time to recover.
Leg Days Can Be Skipped If You Do Cardio
Never ever do this. As an athlete or bodybuilder who is looking to gain muscle mass and build strength, this can prove to be your biggest mistake. Weight training and cardio have different roles and you can’t trade one for the other one. Cardio won’t help you in building muscles and you need to do heavy squats and leg presses to get your desired shape. You might gain stamina with cardio your legs will remain skinny without weight training.
Cardio Before Strength Training Is A Must
There is no universal rule about how your workout routine should be timed. Whether you do cardio before or after strength training depends entirely upon your goals. If you are a professional athlete, doing cardio before strength training might be great. But if your goal is to build muscles and grow better, do weight training before cardio as your energy levels will be maximum at the beginning of the workout and you’ll be able to lift heavier weights.
