Morning or evening: when is it better to do cardio to effectively burn excess fat? Guide to cardio training: who, why, how much, when The best time for cardio

Strength training is aimed at increasing muscle strength, density and volume, of course, with proper nutrition. Launches and accelerates anabolic processes in the body. The main way of energy production is anaerobic (oxygen-free) breakdown of glucose and glycogen in muscles and liver. Metabolism accelerates for at least a day after strength training, which promotes effective fat burning.

The main goal of cardio exercise is to train the cardiovascular system, develop endurance and additional calorie consumption, that is, the process of catabolism - the breakdown of existing sources and their processing into energy. Glucose and glycogen are decoupled predominantly aerobically.

Cardio exercises have a rather modest relationship with weight loss, since calories are burned only during the workout itself, but not after it.

STRENGTH AND CARDIO TRAINING: COMBINATION OPTIONS

1. CARDIO BEFORE STRENGTH TRAINING

Many people believe that half an hour of work on a cardio machine will deplete glycogen stores, and during strength training the main source of energy will be fat. In practice, things don't look quite like this:

The energy needed for effective strength training is wasted on cardio. The anaerobic part of the workout takes place without proper impact.
Protein and only partially fat are used as an energy substrate.

The result: not fully developed muscles, increased wear on joints, significant loss of protein with minimal fat consumption.

2. CARDIO AFTER STRENGTH TRAINING

The power load is performed with maximum efficiency, glycogen is consumed as an energy source, again, provided proper nutrition. At the end of the cardio workout, there are remaining strength and glucose deficiency. The main energy substrate during aerobic exercise should be fat. What in practice:

If after a strength workout you have enough energy to jog for half an hour, it means that you worked your muscles without full impact.
Protein undergoes catabolic reactions faster and more easily than fat. Muscle tissue is consumed along with fat.

Bottom line: effective cardio training can follow strength training, provided that the strength training was light and you are not trying to preserve muscle volume as much as possible.

3. STRENGTH AND CARDIO TRAINING SEPARATE FROM EACH OTHER

If you have the opportunity to train more than three times a week or twice a day, then it makes sense to separate aerobic and anaerobic training in time.

When setting aside cardio training on a separate day, it is important to remember:

Duration of at least 40 minutes. In the first half hour, the body uses up existing reserves of glucose and glycogen in the liver and muscles. Only then is fat included in metabolic processes.
Pulse control. In order for the body to effectively burn fat and not switch to emergency energy supply reactions, heart rate (heart rate) should be at the level of 60-70% of the maximum. Max heart rate = 220 - age.
The quality of breathing directly depends on the normal supply of oxygen to the body and the efficiency of fat burning. Breathing should not be shallow or intermittent. At any point in your workout, you should have no problem saying out loud, “Today is a great day and I had a good workout.” If stringing together a few words is a problem for you, reduce the intensity.
Protein losses can be reduced through proper nutrition.

Morning jogging on an empty stomach also has its own characteristics:

The body experiences a nutritional deficiency in the morning after an overnight fast. Fat is included in energy supply processes already at the beginning of work.
Again, muscle tissue is consumed along with fat tissue due to the availability of protein as an energy source.

Bottom line: strength and cardio training should be separated for those who want to maintain muscle volume and get rid of excess fat. In this case, anabolic and catabolic processes will be separated in time, and the muscles will have time to recover after strength training. On aerobic days, fat burns with minimal loss of protein (don't forget about proper nutrition). Morning fasted cardio requires less time but uses more protein.

4. STRENGTH AND CARDIO TWO IN ONE (INTERVAL TRAINING)

The workout is divided into microcycles of 6-10 minutes, during which aerobic exercise alternates with anaerobic exercise, heavy strength exercises with light multi-repetition exercises. For what? The bottom line is that energy supply processes in the body always take place in several possible ways, aerobic and anaerobic. Their ratio changes, but none of them is excluded. Interval training allows you to use all possible systems and processes in the shortest possible time. The effectiveness of fat burning increases significantly, since in addition to the immediate expenditure of calories, accelerated metabolism lasts almost as long as after strength training. Important nuances of interval training:

Not suitable for beginners due to high intensity.
When exercising more than twice a week, the risk of developing overtraining and chronic fatigue syndrome increases.

Bottom line: interval training is suitable for those whose goal is to get rid of excess fat, provided they have a certain level of fitness and endurance.

CONCLUSION

How to properly combine strength and cardio exercises depends on your goals. All options except the first have the right to be and be used. The most important thing is that it is not enough to read and choose, you need to go and do it. Have a successful workout!

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Cardio training (cardio, aerobic training, cardiac muscle training) is relatively low-intensity physical exercise aimed at developing endurance, reducing body fat, and most importantly strengthening and developing the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

Prescription of cardio training

We use cardio exercises to strengthen the cardiovascular system. This serves to prevent and treat heart disease. Physical inactivity causes a variety of diseases, which leads to a decrease in the quality and duration of life. If your job does not involve physical labor, and you get to work by transport, then cardio training is absolutely recommended for you (regardless of your gender).

In addition, aerobic training is used to:

general maintenance of tone and health promotion - training frequency 1-3 times a week;
reducing body fat mass (drying) - from 3 to 5 times a week;
increasing muscle mass - usually no more than twice a week.

Positive effects

Strengthening the heart muscle, developing the efficiency of its work.
A decrease in the number of heart contractions at rest, which leads to saving heart resources.
Lower blood pressure (in a good way).
Development of skeletal muscles of the body and muscles responsible for breathing.
Mental stability and tolerance to adverse factors increases.
Reducing the risk of developing various diseases (including atherosclerosis), and not only diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Contraindications

Unfortunately, cardio training is contraindicated for people suffering from high blood pressure - they should do light exercises. In addition, usually (not in all cases) cardio cannot be done in patients who have had a heart attack or stroke.

Consider the condition of your joints (do not run with sore knees or a herniated disc), do not put stress on yourself after a recent operation or fracture. Those suffering from obesity, asthma or varicose veins should first consult a doctor.

In any case, do not give up ahead of time - first, consult your doctor; perhaps your situation allows for cardio exercises of varying intensity.

Rules for cardio training

Since our site is dedicated to heart health, and not to the development of maximum endurance and speed, the rules described below apply more to ordinary people who want to maintain and improve their health - not for athletes.

Training frequency

To achieve the health-improving and strengthening effects of cardio training, you should do it at least three times a week. Optimally - 4 times a week.

Duration

It is necessary to maintain a certain heart rate for at least twenty minutes. The optimal time for cardio training is from 30 to 60 minutes.

Intensity

This is perhaps the most important thing in cardio exercises. Your task is to maintain a constant heart rate during training. This is what determines the healing and restorative effect. Insufficient heart rate does not produce a training effect, and too fast a heart rate is more likely to lead to negative health consequences.

Therefore, you should buy a cardio machine with a heart rate monitor. However, if your simulator does not have a heart rate measurement function or you run outside, then there is no problem - you can purchase a special heart rate monitor that is worn on your wrist like a watch.

The optimal number of heartbeats for improving the cardiovascular system is within 60-70% of the maximum heart rate (determined individually depending on your age).

Develop the frequency, duration and intensity of cardio training gradually - do not overload. If you experience discomfort, reduce the load and consult a doctor.

Best time to train

Note that cardio training also has a fat-burning effect. So, you can train in the morning (on an empty stomach) - this will further speed up the fat burning process. However, if you have problems getting up early or feel tired in the morning, then you should abandon this practice. When training on an empty stomach, some muscles will also suffer, remember this if you are trying to gain muscle mass.

Ideally, do cardio training during the day, but this regime is suitable for very few people. But many people can allocate some time in the evening for exercise. If you don’t have anything for lunch, then you probably shouldn’t run to the gym right after work - it’s best to have a little snack. Two hours before your workout, eat a small portion of protein. Do you want to gain or at least not lose muscle mass after cardio? After training, you can also have a small protein snack.

How to combine cardio and strength training?

Use cardio exercises as a warm-up (about 5 minutes) before strength training and as a stand-alone exercise after it (20-30 minutes).

Keep in mind that for both cardiovascular health and maximum muscle gain, you should not exceed your heart rate more than 70% of your maximum. Work at 65% pace.

Choosing a Cardio Equipment

You can do cardio exercises without machines, using only your own body. However, there is not always free time, good environmental conditions with clean air, or health for jogging.

Cardio equipment comes to our aid. All of the simulators listed below can have a preventive and therapeutic effect on the cardiovascular system. Choose according to your taste and capabilities, consider the size of the simulator and the weight of the user. For cardio training, constant heart rate monitoring is necessary - purchase a machine with a built-in heart rate monitor, or buy it separately.

Simulator of a regular bicycle. What's good about an exercise bike? Great for cardio training, weight loss, leg training and endurance development. Cons: loads the lower back and leg joints (pay attention to recumbent exercise bikes), does not involve the upper body, the seat puts unpleasant pressure on the buttocks and squeezes blood vessels. We strongly recommend that you pay attention to other cardio equipment ( treadmill or elliptical) - we recommend purchasing them. If you take an exercise bike, then choose a horizontal one.

Running track simulator. The whole body is involved in the process of running, which is more natural compared to an exercise bike. Cons: puts stress on the knee and ankle joints, there is a risk of falling.

Elliptical trainer (orbitrack)

In its action and sensations it resembles skiing. Provides an even load on the entire body and does not impact the joints. Cons: a good exercise machine is expensive and takes up a lot of space.

Simulates rowing at home. Develops the upper body, which is more suitable for men. Improves flexibility and strength in the arms, shoulders, chest and back muscles. Cons: not suitable for people with a sore spine, injuries to the joints of the arms or shoulders.

Simulator of climbing stairs. Takes up minimal space, is very mobile and lightweight. This exercise machine is designed more for strengthening the body and leg muscles than for losing weight. Cons: there is a risk of damaging the knee joints, the machine does not use the upper body.

Effective cardio training without using exercise equipment (at home) - video

At home, you can train without using cardio equipment, and this is not just jogging around the apartment

However, since our main goal is improving the cardiovascular system, you still have to buy a heart rate monitor. Your exercises can be anything - the main thing is to constantly maintain your heart rate at a training level.

We remind you that the workout should last at least 20 minutes! If you have no idea what you can do for so long without exercise equipment, then just watch and repeat the steps shown in the video (the video is in English, but this is the best there is for home cardio training and everything is clear without words).

Homemade 37 minute cardio workout

Short 23 minute workout

Don't forget about your pulse (you can use our service)! The exercises are quite intense, and you should not chase the girls in the video, you should only focus on your heart rate.

Is it possible to drink during training?

There is a fairly widespread belief that drinking after, and even more so during, cardio training is harmful to the heart. If we are talking about water, then you need to drink it both before and after training.

This does not cause any harm to the heart. Stay hydrated; during exercise, you can drink some water (200-300 ml) in small sips. After a cardio workout, you can immediately drink to your heart's content (as much as you want).

We have already discussed it, now we will discuss the burning question “when should you do cardio?”

There are many options: on an empty stomach in the morning, in the evening, before or after strength training, or on the same day as strength training. We will look at what kind of cardio training is needed and why it is needed to burn fat at home and in the gym.

By the way, let’s clarify right away: cardio means continuous training for 30-60 minutes or more. A 10-minute jog before or after strength training is a warm-up and cool-down, respectively, even a mandatory warm-up before training, and not full-fledged cardio.

So the answer to such a common question from women, “is it harmful to run for 10 minutes at the beginning and end of a workout?” the answer is “if you want and there are no problems of varicose veins, joints or any other nature, then yes, it’s good for your health.”

Let's agree that we are discussing long-term cardio training and how to properly combine it with strength training.

For burning fat

Before power

Theory: Many trainers advise doing cardio at the very beginning of a workout in order to use up glycogen and use fat as the main source of energy during subsequent strength training.

Reality:

The most common misconception among those losing weight is that they really believe that 20 minutes of cardio will have time to use up glycogen. For some reason, this postulate is not questioned by anyone, although the method of its dissemination is the famous “one old lady said”, there is no scientific evidence for this (and there cannot be).

The body generally does not work under the motto “either this or that.” Or glycogen, or fat, or subcutaneous, or visceral. The body always uses all sources, from everywhere, in different proportions.

Many people just don't know how to run., so there is no benefit from cardio for them at all. By the way, doctors, especially cardiologists, advise people to strengthen their cardiovascular system not by running, but by fast walking, cycling or swimming.

Orthopedists constantly talk about the harmful effects of running (especially inappropriate running) on joints. They note that running is dangerous for those who already have pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.

Whatever it was, Not recommended start running without having a heart examination or visiting an orthopedist. First you need to undergo so-called functional tests, when the capabilities of the cardiovascular system are determined under a certain load.

It is also necessary to undergo a knee ultrasound and other procedures that will determine the condition of your joints. Who does this? Yes, only a few around the world. And then: “oh, my heart hurts,” “my knee is falling out,” “my bones are aching,” and all that. Draw your own conclusions.

After strength training

Theory: Also, many people advise doing cardio after training, because... it supposedly comes easily, because you used up glycogen during strength training, which means that during cardio, the body will turn to fat reserves. And again, as in that proverb: “they drew on paper, but forgot about the ravines and walked along them.”

Reality:

For those who still really want to burn fat.

Indeed, only glycogen is used as an energy source for strength training (anaerobic exercise), and fats are not consumed during exercise. However, there is one interesting fact that no one knows about: oxygen debt.

The body normally contains approximately 2 liters of stored oxygen, which can be used for aerobic metabolism even without inhaling new oxygen. This oxygen supply includes: 0.5 liters in the air of the lungs; 0.25 l, dissolved in body fluids; 1 l associated with blood hemoglobin; 0.3 liters, which are stored in the muscle fibers themselves.

During heavy physical work, almost the entire oxygen supply is used for aerobic metabolism within about 1 minute. Then, after the end of physical activity, this supply must be replaced by inhaling additional oxygen compared to resting requirements.

In addition, about 9 liters of oxygen must be spent to restore the phosphagen system and lactic acid. Extra oxygen that must be replaced is called oxygen debt(about 11.5 l).

During the first 4 minutes a person performs heavy physical work, and the rate of oxygen consumption increases more than 15 times.

Then, after the end of physical work, oxygen consumption still remains above normal, and at first it is much higher, while the phosphogenic system is restored and the oxygen supply is replaced as part of the oxygen debt, and over the next 40 minutes lactic acid is more slowly removed.

Oxygen debt is used to obtain the energy necessary for, including the restoration of energy reserves expended during work and the elimination of lactic acid.

Actually, we need oxygen for literally everything, and more specifically, to ensure the body’s recovery reactions, which require energy to carry out. Where will the energy come from? What burns well in oxygen, releasing a large amount of energy, and what do we usually have in abundance?

Surely - fats are the main source of energy during the body's recovery after exercise. For example, lactate oxygen debt will be replenished from 30 minutes to 1.5-2(in some sources 3) hours after completion of work (depending on the intensity of the load). Isn't that good?

Oxygen influx, oxygen deficiency and oxygen debt during long-term operation at different powers. A - for light work, B - for heavy work, and C - for exhausting work;

I—production period; II - stable (A, B) and false stable (C) state during operation;

III - recovery period after performing the exercise;

1 - alactic, 2 - glycolytic components of oxygen debt (according to Volkov N.I., 1986).

So it turns out that if under aerobic exercise and appropriate conditions fats predominantly burn during training, then with intensive In anaerobic strength training, fats begin to burn after training.

Moreover, their consumption may turn out to be much greater, of course, provided that the activity was quite difficult, and not in the style of “two stomps - three slams.” During aerobic exercise, an oxygen debt is also formed, but it is much smaller due to the lower intensity and power of the training.

Think logically, if you do strength training with high quality and with full dedication, will you be able to spend half an hour or more on a treadmill or ellipse? If you can’t, then you don’t need to play out the suffering of the young fit girl, there will be zero benefit.

Cardio can be done after strength training with light to medium weights. But again, the risk of injury is higher, since mentally you have already gone home, eat your delicious lunch and relax.

In addition, take pity on your legs, and in particular the joints and blood vessels, with such a prolonged and intense load, the capillary network and the beginning are guaranteed to you.

Separate: how to combine with power

The wisest thing is divide cardio and strength. The muscles will at least have time to recover a little after strength training. Cardio exercise the day after the gym is acceptable and beneficial.

By the way, cardio is good for muscle growth. The main thing is without fanaticism! Cardio in this case should take place in the middle pulse zone and not lead to fatigue and overwork. Training is carried out 1-2 times a week (not instead of strength training, but in addition to it), this will be the best cardio that will give the desired effect.

This amount of cardio will be quite enough, since such a training regime will already exhaust you greatly. Remember also that it is likely that by cardio day your muscles may not have time to recover, then chronic fatigue and lack of progress are guaranteed.

It’s better to avoid running. It overloads the knees and lower legs and requires enormous energy expenditure. This is especially true for overweight people who dream of losing weight by jogging. As a result, they only get problems with the knee joints, and the excess weight remains in place.

It’s better to lose weight slowly than quickly and end up with a bunch of health problems.

And most importantly, remember that cardio is not the most important thing. Your body will not experience any significant changes as a result of cardio alone. Sure, you can burn some fat, but what's left underneath when you get rid of it? Not much, as you'll discover. You will continue to feel fat and flabby.

It is strength training that helps a woman gain toned arms, tight buttocks, sculpted calf muscles and an overall attractive appearance. You'll even improve your bone density and make it easier to fight osteoporosis! Go ahead, madams, and may you be pleasantly surprised by the results.

Don’t think that we are against cardio in principle, no. We just too often see people who (to put it mildly) suffer while doing it, simply because they believe that you can only lose weight through cardio training, and strength training is only about building muscles.

This is a very harmful, but extremely widespread statement that has significantly ruined the knees and lives of many people for the past couple of decades. You don't need cardio to lose weight, you shouldn't force yourself, especially if you don't like/don't feel comfortable/want to do it.

In the hall

On rest days you can give the body small aerobic exercise:

we like best ellipse and walking on a treadmill with a slight incline ().

On an exercise bike We don’t really like the heavy load on the knee joint and “locking” it in one trajectory that may not be anatomically convenient for you. The same points with only the hip joint apply to stepper.

Mushroom trainer- the thing is also controversial. It is really very hard to work on it, plus you need really good coordination; with the wrong technique you can break your back or damage your knees.

Don't forget about swimming. Swimming is an ideal workout for people who are overweight or have problem joints. The likelihood of getting injured while swimming is almost zero, and the load on the joints is minimal. At the same time, swimming strengthens the muscles of the legs, arms, shoulders, back and abs.

In addition, swimming is great for people with spinal problems. In water, the spine is completely unloaded, pressure on the intervertebral discs is relieved, and the back and abdominal muscles are trained.

At home

But we simply hate doing cardio at home and don’t recommend it to anyone. We are, of course, not talking about running or an intense walk in the park, but about video training, which is actively positioned as the best solution for beginners.

All this “super intense ten-minute cardio at home to burn fat” is a killer of your psyche and health in its purest form, especially if you have been training for less than 2 years (note that a trained person is someone who exercises regularly (at least 3 times a week ) for at least a year).

We open the first video for this request and what do we see? Jumping, running in place, burpees, dynamic planks and frantic abdominal pumping - if you are a beginner, such videos are simply categorically not suitable for you, and not all experienced “athletes” will benefit from training like this.

There is no explanation of the technique, no recommendations for preparation, and half of the video doesn’t even have a warm-up! Well, you won’t be able to perform perfectly and technically complex dynamic movements, people even squat slowly in 70% of cases crookedly and obliquely, but here everything is in motion, and even for a while.

Such workouts, which include jumping, dynamic lunges and squats, push-ups - all this is traumatic for a person who does not have the correct technique, weak muscles and coordination.

And, of course, this is extremely dangerous if you are overweight (at least more than 5 kg). In general, too much attention is paid to such cardio training: believe me, even if you burn more calories than when calmly working with weights (which is unlikely), you will get so tired that then you won’t want anything else at all.

Well, of course, it’s not so great for the heart as a trained person - it’s just terrible. Read about it and remember this every time, with your face red as a tomato, you do a jump squat with a leg swing and then run in place.

Fasting hungry

Oh, but because of this question, whole battles are unfolding. Some shout that this is the only way to do cardio, while others doubt and argue. So, let's analyze. Let's talk first For what introduce a similar type of training:

The classic goal is fat burning.

Plateau – stagnation/lack of progress in training when other types of cardio do not help reduce fat percentage.

For muscle hypertrophy, for example, if you need to reduce their volume.

During the night, it is believed that when the body does not receive nutrients, glycogen depletion occurs. Consequently, if we give a load in the morning without refueling with breakfast, then our body will have nothing left but to use its own resources to obtain energy.

This is a theory. But let's use some simple math and check this assumption.

As we know, in total the human body stores from 200 to 400 - 500 grams. glycogen (be sure to read, otherwise the conversation will pass you by). Not bad. P

Moreover, the more trained you are, the more it is. In addition, it is stored in a water-bound state (1 to 4), so glycogen is, so to speak, a “syrup” with a calorie content of 1-1.3 kcal/g (1 carbohydrate = 4 kcal per g).

So the mass of fuel with fully charged glycogen depots can reach from 1-2 kg in small and untrained people and up to 3-4 kg in large or well-trained people.

For almost complete depletion of glycogen in the liver, it takes about 40-60 hours of complete fasting, and for half-depletion from about 16 hours of fasting. So this is clearly not the standard 7-8 hour sleep, although many sleep even shorter!

By the way, keep in mind that During sleep, glycogen is consumed more slowly than during wakefulness. In addition, glycogen stores are not completely depleted unless we are talking about long-term complete fasting. The body simply cannot allow this; without energy storehouses it is very vulnerable.

But even if we somehow miraculously used up all the glycogen (aliens arrived and stole it), then the body will first begin to muscles, not fat. Typically, at complete rest, the average person burns approximately 60% fat, 35% carbohydrates and 5% protein.

As soon as a person begins to be physically active, the metabolic process in the body changes, fat metabolism slows down, and carbohydrate metabolism increases. We took the fat/carbohydrate scheme as a basis because protein is usually not a source of energy, with rare exceptions, for example, during hunger.

Therefore, if your goal is not to reduce muscle volume, you should be prepared for the muscles to begin to “burn” (not super intensely, but still). In addition, if the body is in a state of stress after such training, it begins to intensively stock up on fast food for the future. And this is the same fat.

So, if your goal is to burn muscle volume: First of all, you need to review your diet - you need to reduce the amount of protein and increase carbohydrates. It’s worth switching to medium- and high-intensity strength training, cardio itself does not burn out any muscles, this is an exaggeration!

If your goal is classical, and you strive lose weight by burning fat And while maintaining muscle, That:
Before cardio in the morning you should take it. Having depleted energy, the body will turn to them instead of extracting protein from the muscles. And, of course, after morning cardio, it is advisable, as in the first case, to take a light carbohydrate breakfast.

To convince you completely, let's give an example. In 2014, one of the most valuable studies was published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (JISSN), which compared fasted and postprandial training.

Scientists examined the resulting changes in body composition. The purpose of the experiment was to study changes in fat and fat-free mass in exercisers either on an empty stomach or after a meal. Over the course of 1 month, 20 subjects completed 1 hour of moderate-intensity cardio training 3 times a week.

In this case, the participants were divided into 2 groups:

Group A trained in the morning on an empty stomach.

Group B – after meals.

It is also important to note that both groups followed a researcher-controlled eating plan with the same energy deficit of 500 kcal and ratio of macro- and micronutrients.

The result of the study showed that the changes in body composition that were observed due to the combination of diet and aerobic training were the same regardless of whether the subjects trained on an empty stomach or after a meal.

That’s it, you shouldn’t torture yourself and train “on holy water.”

But most importantly, remember that fasted cardio in the morning- a temporary type of training, not designed for a period of more than three months, because This is a huge burden on the heart, joints, blood vessels, and most importantly, your psyche.

Therefore, listen carefully to your inner feelings. If after such activities you cannot come to your senses all day, then quit them, don’t be a fanatic. In general, it is worth noting that fasted cardio has more disadvantages than advantages.

You and I are ADEQUATE people who do not live by losing weight alone. Will you be able to spend a normal day after such a fasted training, and also get up before dark? Provided that you need to work or study, i.e. your head must be clear, you need to go to the gym and do housework, communicate with your family, etc.

Are you ready to spend energy on morning cardio with dubious benefits instead of taking a calm evening walk in the park with your children without getting tired or irritated? The answer is yours.

Just don't act as if a healthy lifestyle is something extraordinary and unattainable. You should not forget about normal life and suffer while constantly playing sports. Quick results are not success.

Hello. In this article, I will tell you how and when to do cardio for fat burning (weight loss).

Cardio is any aerobic workout, for example: running, walking, cycling, elliptical trainer, exercise bike, stepper, jump rope, swimming, step aerobics and much more.

In fitness/bodybuilding, cardio most often means walking, running, or elliptical trainer.

By the way, it’s different for everyone. Some choose one thing (for example, walking), some like an elliptical trainer, some an exercise bike, and some even combine everything for variety...

So, you need to carry out such training when your body has a minimum amount of energy (carbohydrates). This is the only way to burn fat to the maximum.

The question arises: when is the minimum amount of energy (carbohydrates) in my body?

In the morning on an empty stomach (after a long 8-10 hour sleep, your body has no energy (carbohydrates), because you didn’t get them from anywhere, of course, if you didn’t fornicate at night.).
After strength training in the gym (because during strength training, muscles burn energy reserves (carbohydrates) during weight-bearing exercises).
Before bed (this is optional, because it depends on whether you are on a diet or not. If your evening meals consist of protein foods and no carbohydrates (energy), then this period of time (before bed) is also effective because Again, you have a lack of carbohydrates in your body. But if you have carbohydrates (energy), then this period of time is not for you).

Which of the above methods is the best? When is the best time?

Guys and girls, each of the methods is good, and has both its pros and cons.

The most important thing to remember: cardio for burning fat should be done when there are no or minimal amounts of carbohydrates (energy) in the body. And everything will be a lot of fun :)

Because with low intensity cardio, only fat (no muscle) will be burned.

And if the intensity is high, both fat and muscle will be burned (which is not good).

The next thing I want to draw your attention to is the duration of aerobic training (cardio).

It should be long (from 60 to 60 minutes or more). Because such a duration of aerobic exercise is very economical in terms of energy supply, i.e. what interests us (fat) is spent, but in small quantities, and in order to increase these amounts of fat loss, there is only one way out - to extend the time of spending along this path (i.e., extend the time of aerobic training (cardio)). That's why it took so long :)

Well, here are the main nuances. In general, an effective cardio regimen for fat burning, in my opinion, is as follows:

Do cardio in the morning on an empty stomach (brisk walking, 60 minutes or more)
After training, do cardio (fast walking, from 60 min +)

Now, I will tell you in detail about how to properly conduct aerobic training during these periods of time, so that you have an idea of what and how to do.

Cardio in the morning on an empty stomach

We woke up and there was nothing to eat! This is especially true for carbohydrates. No carbohydrates, because if you sin, then these same carbohydrates will block your fat burning, and all your aerobic training (cardio) will be reduced to one place...

How to do cardio? At a low pace (what I said was low-intensity training), for example, this is either fast walking or slow running. Your goal is the duration of the workout (it should be at least 60 minutes at a low pace).

During this cardio (you can and even need to take BCAA (amino acids) which consist of three essential amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, valine) that will protect your muscles from destruction) this way you will further preserve your muscle mass (muscles) and at the same time burn FAT.

After a cardio workout, the longer you go without eating carbs, the longer it takes to burn fat! Therefore, take a shower (without rushing), after half an hour you can eat something protein (for example, eggs) and the next meal you can eat carbohydrates.

Post-workout cardio

Everything is simple here. First comes strength training (as a rule, it lasts no more than 45 minutes for naturals, more details in the main article: “Duration of strength training”), and after it comes cardio (all the same actions, i.e. low-intensity training for 60 + min + then the longer you don’t eat carbohydrates = the longer the fat burns, remember this).

Cardio before bed

This method will work well if you are strictly on a diet (don't eat carbohydrates in the evening).

After cardio, you can’t eat at all, well, in general, in fact, you can only drink a portion of BCAA amino acids (you can’t, but I would even say you need to) and water (as much as you want).

You can’t eat other foods (both protein and carbohydrates) after cardio before bedtime, because you will block the fat-burning background during sleep, which is not good...

Well, in general, something like this. I hope everything is accessible and understandable. Go for it. All the best)).

Fashion magazines and all kinds of online resources as one of the most effective ways to lose weight promote cardio training.

These are relatively long-term, high-intensity physical activities that involve performing exercises in the mode of increased heart rate and rapid breathing, for which reason they are also called "aerobic training"

This type of physical activity improves the body's endurance, trains the cardiovascular system, and has a beneficial effect on human health.

What goals are achieved with cardio training?

Running, race walking, cycling, roller skating and other similar types of physical activity provide following results:

Improves the condition of the cardiovascular system by strengthening the muscle tissue of the heart and the walls of vital vessels, they saturate the body with oxygen and nutrients, and also prevent various pathologies, such as tachycardia or arrhythmia.
Increases the body's endurance, which allows a person to more steadfastly endure long-term intense physical activity.
Accelerate metabolic processes, since the work of the cardiovascular system in a rapid pulse mode activates the supply of oxygen and other nutrients to the tissues of the body, which, if proper nutrition is observed, leads to a decrease in body weight.
By accelerating metabolism, the breakdown of fat in the body is accelerated, with the help of which the body tries to restore the energy spent during training. Thus, fat burning is stimulated and weight loss occurs.

The principle of effectiveness for burning fat

The key to achieving the desired weight loss by doing cardio is lack of large amounts of carbohydrates in the body during training.

The fact is that with such physical activity, the whole body is in a state of stress and undergoes energy losses.

They can be compensated for by the food that enters the body, only if there is a lack of it will the body begin to break down the fat reserves accumulated in advance, which represent those very “extra kilograms”.

Thus, carbohydrate deficiency(the main source of energy obtained from food) during cardio training promotes more effective weight loss.

When is the best time to do cardio?

Cardio training can be done in the morning, evening and after strength training.

In the morning: advantages and disadvantages

Workout in the first half of the day, in particular, after awakening, have a number of undeniable advantages:

Cardio in the morning is usually performed on an empty stomach, and this is the key to effective fat burning, because in the morning the body’s energy reserves are depleted and compensation for the strength lost during exercise will be made almost entirely through the breakdown of fat.

Photo 1. Morning jogging in the fresh air as part of cardio awakens the body and charges it with a charge of vigor.

Morning workouts help the body wake up, cheer up as quickly as possible and get a boost of energy for the whole next day.
It’s cardio in the morning more effective for strengthening the cardiovascular system and increasing the body's endurance, since it drives the human body into conditions of stress of greater intensity than evening workouts.
High-intensity exercise in the morning can help in case of a plateau effect, which represents a stop in weight loss at a certain stage of weight loss.

Reference! Cardio in the first half of the day will be a great “shake-up” for the body and will help get things moving.

Saves time, because before classes in the morning you do not waste time on eating and waiting for about an hour to start exercising, as is the case with evening workouts.
After morning cardio You can immediately start a full breakfast, including slow carbohydrates and protein ingredients. What can't be said about training? after noon which allow the first meal half an hour after completing the exercises.

Photo 2. A full breakfast with porridge, fruit and coffee can be consumed immediately after morning cardio training.

Naturally, this type of cardio has its own flaws:

Lack of sleep- one of the most unpleasant consequences of doing morning cardio with an irrational daily routine.
As already said, Immediately after waking up, cardio puts the body into a state of severe stress, which is a plus for early risers and followers of an active lifestyle.

Attention! For beginners, training in the morning provokes the appearance of nausea, dizziness, weakness, heartbeat disturbances and other unpleasant consequences.

In the morning rush, many forget about a full warm-up before cardio, without which the risk of muscle strain, ligament damage, and joint wear increases.

If you exercise after strength training

Instructors and athletes promote the same running and swimming after strength training due to a number of reasons:

After strength training, muscle glycogen stores are depleted, which is why subsequent cardio activates fat burning.
Strength training promotes muscle growth and the acquisition of the desired body shape, in particular, in the process of losing weight, and cardio stimulates weight loss and increases the body's endurance, which ensures the harmonious development of strength and functional indicators.

Photo 3. Strength exercises with a barbell increase muscle growth and help you achieve your desired body shape.

This combination of training has its own flaws:

This option can cause harm to health, in the absence of the proper level of training: If you do cardio after strength training, it causes dizziness, weakness, nausea, loss of consciousness, and heartbeat defects.
After strength training muscles are exhausted and often simply unable to adequately absorb the load of cardio training, which means there is a risk of injury.
When performing strength exercises, pain syndrome appears, which causes a lot of inconvenience during subsequent cardio.
Opponents of this approach claim that Cardio exercise after strength training only interferes with muscle recovery and provoke the destruction of the corresponding fibers, which reduces the tone of the body as a whole.

Evening activity, its pros and cons

pros evening cardio:

There's no need to get up too early as is the case with morning workouts, which is ideal for the so-called night owls.
There is no strong physical stress which happens in a situation with cardio in the first half of the day, which means the risk of poor health and injury is minimized.
Less chance of developing cardiovascular problems, on which morning workouts have a detrimental effect.

But there are also a number disadvantages:

Fatigue after a working day affects the effectiveness of exercises.
Evening cardio involves eating no later than 1-1.5 hours before training.
The effectiveness of high-intensity exercise in the afternoon directly depends on the density of the subsequent meal, because at night it is better not to abuse carbohydrates, but to limit yourself to vegetable salad and protein foods.
The first meal in the evening no earlier than half an hour later after completing your workout.
Physical activity shortly before bed excessively invigorates the body and interferes with sleep.