Cardio eating my muslce

JohnnyMustang22

I have heard a few times that excessive cardio can reduce your muscle mass.

I am relatively fit and have been doing weights for 2-3 years now. (Bench - 105kg, Squat - 120kg and Dead lift-165kg). My body fat is always a little higher that i want it to be... Prob closer to 20%

I have always kept a good level of fitness..2-3 5k-10k runs or spinning each week but i have decided to enter a half mountain marathon in a few months. I have started doing some endurance training and i would like to know if my muscle mass will suffer much.

I am still trying to get 2-4 good weights session in per week but i am doing 2-3 big cardio sessions on top. Here is an example of the workout I did on Sunday.

16k on bike at medium speed and low incline (35 minutes) (keeping rpm over 100)
7k running at 12 kph @ 0 incline
1k running at 5.5 kph on max incline holding 2 x 2kg dumbbells
2 k running at 10kph @ 0 incline
5k cycle at low incline (Keeping rpm at 100)
Leg Stretches
Then straight into a super circuit of low weights, 10-12 reps at high tempo. 4 sets with 30 second break in between sets.
Machine Leg extension
Machine Leg Curl
Dead Lift (70KG)
Calf raises
Biceps curl
Standing Triceps Kick back
Swiss ball Crunches

Then some work on my hamstrings.

My diet is pretty good.. food every 3-4 hours, getting plenty of good protein, i have increased my carbs slightly for energy. Lots of nuts, seeds, Fruit and Veg. No White bread, as much fresh food and low fat food as possible and the odd treat (small freddo chocolate car). I only drink alcohol 1-2 per month at most and I have one day a week when I eat junk like a pizza or a burger but not every week!!!!

I have no stiffness or pain today after the above but i wonder if I am overdoing it. I don’t mind so much losing some muscle mass as this will be a good way to get my bodyfat % down and after the run I will hit the weights VERY hard.

Thanks,

J.

corkcomp

what are your weight and height? based on the level of exercise you are doing then your diet HAS to be letitng you down IMO.

Cardio doesnt eat muscle unless you are not eating enough and when it does happen it usually happens endurance athletes who are already at a very low body fat.

yop

It definately reduced mine, from doing mainly weights and little cardio to only 1 nite weights and 4 or 5 nites cardio and my bulk has gone totally. Good for cardio but useless for weights

Ciaran500

yop wrote: »

It definately reduced mine, from doing mainly weights and little cardio to only 1 nite weights and 4 or 5 nites cardio and my bulk has gone totally. Good for cardio but useless for weights

Has your strength changed?

yop

Ciaran500 wrote: »

Has your strength changed?

Its gone I am afraid, was able to push 100kg * 3 on the bench press or maybe 60kg * 20 but now I struggle to 50kg * 12

But thats to be expected. If you reduce your nights doing weights then you are gonna lose strength.

corkcomp

yop wrote: »

It definately reduced mine, from doing mainly weights and little cardio to only 1 nite weights and 4 or 5 nites cardio and my bulk has gone totally. Good for cardio but useless for weights

you have to lift weights or do resistance training in order to maintain muscle mass. if you effectively cut 80% of your time in the weights room then you are going to lose some muscle mass, cardio or not ..

JohnnyMustang22

corkcomp wrote: »

what are your weight and height? based on the level of exercise you are doing then your diet HAS to be letitng you down IMO.

Cardio doesnt eat muscle unless you are not eating enough and when it does happen it usually happens endurance athletes who are already at a very low body fat.

I am 6ft and I haven't weighed myself in over a year but i would imagine I am just over 13st (82Kg).

My typical diet would be
6:30am 4 x Wheetabix with low fat milk or porridge when i have the time to make it and a large Smootie or OJ

10:00am Protein Shake, a banana or a handful of nuts

1:00pm A Chicken and veg stirfry with some noodles or a large salad.

4:00pm Cottage Cheese and dried fruit or Protein shake

Post WO protein shake
8-8:30pm Lean meat with salad or veg and lately small amount of carbs.

10-10:30 - if i am very hungry i will have a yogurt or a protein shake before bed

I supplement with Cod Liver oil, Multi Vit and L-Carnitine every day

If i am doing a big cardio session I will have 1-2 Isotonic sports drink during the session and I will take some carbs straight after any cardio session over 2 hours.

I drink at least 2-3L of water per day.

JohnnyMustang22

P.S
I have only been doing this level of training for 3-4 weeks and I have not noticed a reduction in my strength so far.

corkcomp

JohnnyMustang22 wrote: »

P.S
I have only been doing this level of training for 3-4 weeks and I have not noticed a reduction in my strength so far.

that might have something to do with the 20% body fat, you just needto give it time I guess. based on that workout and diet (diet is not perfect but its pretty good) you should be at a lower body fat.

JohnnyMustang22

To be honest I've only got my diet in order lately hence my body fat being so high...

I was eating "okish" food but just way too much of it!!!!

mloc

JohnnyMustang22 wrote: »

To be honest I've only got my diet in order lately hence my body fat being so high...

I was eating "okish" food but just way too much of it!!!!

Why have you started doing so much cardio?

JohnnyMustang22

mloc wrote: »

Why have you started doing so much cardio?

A few reasons....

A change
Drop Bodyfat%
Raise my level of fitenss
Doing a Half Mountain Marathon
and i am enjoying it.