WHY CARDIO CAN HELP BUILD LEAN MUSCLE

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Cardiovascular training has sometimes been associated with muscle breakdown, rises in cortisol and considered a negative aspect in many training programs. There is some truth behind these statements, but it is in regards to specific training variables, such as frequent, prolonged bouts of low intensity steady state cardio. However, incorporating cardio training into a well structured workout regime, allows you to use it as a powerful weapon in helping you change your body composition. Here are some of the reasons on how it can help. Cardio training increases your ability to move oxygen more efficiently to contracting muscles during weight training or body building sessions; this in turn allows much more efficient removal of lactic acid which is produced by fast twitch muscles working under anaerobic conditions. The overall result is lower rest periods and rapidly rejuvenated muscle fibres, which forces an elevation in growth hormone. Higher levels of growth hormone increase metabolism, and initiate the breakdown of triglycerides into glycerol and fatty acids for energy production.

Improved circulation from cardio training helps in the mobilisation of fatty acids from adipose tissue, increasing the body’s ability to burn fat from areas that often suffer from poor circulation, such as the lower abdominals in men, and hips in women by using the gluconeogenesis metabolic pathway. Lowering body fat reduces the amount of free testosterone that gets aromatised into estrogen and its derivatives, since fat cells are a source of the armotase enzyme. This allows the free testosterone to help cause a higher androgenic anabolic effect, resulting in muscle growth, increases in lean body tissue, strength gains and a higher metabolism. Incorporating cardiovascular training into your training arsenal will provide a powerful tool in building a healthier body and combination of high intensity and low intensity variables should be incorporated to work all metabolic pathways.