How fast of a pace should I cardio when I'm trying to gain upper-body muscle???

Question

I started working out 3x a week. On those days, I eat an apple before I start.

Then I stretch for about 10 minutes, and then do a cardio warm-up.

MY QUESTION IS: HOW FAST AM I SUPPOSED TO GO TO WARM-UP WHEN I'M TRYING TO GAIN MUSCLE??

MY MAIN OBJECTIVE IS TO GAIN UPPER-BODY MUSCLE HERE!

I've read that if I cardio too hard, it may use up the proteins in my muscles, and I don't want that.

I warm up cardio for 10 minutes, lift weights, then do about 20 minutes of cardio walking/running, BUT HOW FAST AM I SUPPOSED TO GO WHEN I DO THE CARDIO??

Good enough to where my muscles get oxygen, but not so that I lose protein.

Answer 1

Great question, Aetom! There are a number of age to target heart rate formulae out there. The old standard one is 220 minus your age times the percentage of intensity you want to work out. Seventy percent is a good middle of the road for cardio and weight-lifting. For example, a 25 year old man would have the following formula: 220-25 x .70=195 x.7= 136.5. So his cardio target heart rate would be around 136 beats/minute after a 10 minute warm up. If your goal is gain muscle mass, heart rate really isn't the issue. Heart rate is really more for cardiovascular fitness. I would suggest your cardio workout alternate days with your weight lifting workout. 20 minutes of cardio is ok, but to really strengthen the cardio system you want to sustain your target heartrate for 30-45 minutes. That's why I suggested alternate days of cardio and weight lifting. Hope that helps.

Answer 2

10 minutes of cardio is not going to deplete anything. As long as you're not going at all out race pace, you'll be fine. You just want to get your heartrate up and blood flowing to the muscles. Go fast enough to be breathing a little hard and crack a light sweat. 8 or 10 minute miles will do fine.

Lose protein?!?!? Doing 10 minutes of cardio?!!? Whoever is filling your head with this nonsense needs a good slap upside the head.

Answer 3

For a warm up, you know you are adequately warmed up when your skin begins to get a little moist. Then go do your strength training. When you ask "how fast" you are not saying what you are doing. Cycling? Running? Stair master? Jumping jacks? Swimming? What? And your cadio rate depends on your age, weight, and overall fitness level. http://www.stevenscreek.com/goodies/hr.shtml will calculate your target heart rate.

You build muscle by weight training. The muscle is actually slightly harmed by the stress and then repairs with protein which makes it bigger and stronger. This does NOT happen instantaneously but over the ensuing 24-48 hours.

You need a balanced diet-protein, carbs, good fats-in any fitness regimen. Apples are NOT a good source of protein. Apples are carbs and fiber. Get yourself a good book on nutrition. The public library has tons of them and you can borrow them for free!

Answer 4

Use a Kettlebell, at the same time as I used it on the on the spot day of utilising it I felt that my muscle mass are tightening or toning my body. yet I recomend dropping some weight first then pay interest to the abs or muscle definition later on condition that at the same time as specializing on your abs first on a similar time as being over weight, on a similar time as your abs are growing to be extra useful it pushes your fat making you seem even fatter so drop extra pounds first then the guns, abs and muscle. Oh and drink chilly water on condition that you lose further energy or at the same time as you do not trust like ingesting at the same time as you're hungry drink warm water on condition that it fills you up extra. So properly sturdy fortune