If you avoid cardio because you think it may negate or slow your muscle gains, think again.
running, walking and cycling not only doesn’t diminish
leg muscle mass — it actually increases it. In several of the
studies reviewed, both younger and older men who did about
45 minutes of cardio four days a week at 80% max heart rate
increased leg muscle size by 5% and 6%, respectively. “Aerobic exercise, if done properly, can lead to as much muscle growth as you’d expect with resistance exercise,” says study author Dr Matthew Harber.
“Intensity is more important than duration, so if the
goal’s growth, work up to 80% of your max heart rate.”
