Is Cardio After Strength Workouts OK?
Absolutely! Engaging in cardio exercise after a strength workout is perfectly acceptable and can offer numerous benefits for your overall fitness. Not only does it contribute to an effective and balanced training routine, but it also aids in the muscle growth and repair process.
The trick is doing the right type of cardio at the right intensity to help facilitate recovery. Going too hard for too long can lead to a breakdown in form on already fatigued muscles, an increase in muscle soreness, and a delay in full recovery time.
The average person should keep the intensity low or moderate, and the duration should be on the shorter side, around 20 to 40 minutes. The goal is to work the cardiovascular system and increase the blood flow to the muscles of the legs, but to not work harder than you did the day before, so as not to delay the recovery process.
The following exercises allow for active recovery while still working the muscles and burning calories:
Low-Impact Cardio: For exercisers seeking low impact and low muscular intensity forms of cardio, aerobic exercise machines like the stationary bike and elliptical are all excellent choices that will not interrupt recovery or result in chronic overuse injuries of the lower body.
Cycling: Lighter cycling specifically targets the leg muscles and helps improve lower body endurance and cardiovascular fitness.
Walking or Light Jogging: Treadmills have shock absorption to make things easier on the joints. But if you’re outside, you’ll want to avoid hills and stay on mostly flat terrain if you can; going uphill requires a lot more work from the hamstrings and glutes while going downhill puts more stress on the quads and knees.
TRX Cardio Circuits: TRX cardio circuits are great way to build cardiovascular endurance. The resistance and instability cause your body to work harder than normal, increasing blood flow to the muscles and burning calories at a rate faster than regular cardio.
Doing cardio after a strength workout is not only “ok,” but it is encouraged; there are many benefits in addition to the aforementioned “active recovery,” including cardiovascular development, caloric expenditure, and other usual cardio benefits; and reduced soreness from leg day.
If you need help planning a workout routine, click on the button below for a complimentary assessment with a Success Studio personal trainer. Whether you want to build muscle, train for a marathon, or lose weight, we’ll develop a personalized exercise program for you so you can obtain your goals. Then we’ll show you how to do it. Plus, we’re always around to help you on leg day!