Leg Day (muscles, lose fat, lifting, legs)

[Mike2017]

Quick question. I been doing leg day, 10-12 different exercises, 3 sets, 10-12 reps, medium/heavy weight. Is it bad to hit the "stair master" after I am done with my leg day routine? I am not sure if doing this type of cardio after my workout is a smart move. I ask because I read somewhere that cardio after weight training kills gains. Thanks.

[Returning2USA]

Originally Posted by Mike2017

Quick question. I been doing leg day, 10-12 different exercises, 3 sets, 10-12 reps, medium/heavy weight. Is it bad to hit the "stair master" after I am done with my leg day routine? I am not sure if doing this type of cardio after my workout is a smart move. I ask because I read somewhere that cardio after weight training kills gains. Thanks.

I want gains, I would not do stair master cardio that involves legs, IMO.

Also, if you want gains you're legs will be burning with lactic acid. You mention your doing "medium/heavy." Your legs should be on fire and you should have trouble walking down the stairs without holding a handrail. (just me, but I have to hold a hand rail go down stairs for a couple of hours after leg training.

Everyone is different, I understand.

10-12 different exercises. That seems like too much in one leg day. Perhaps 5 different exercises, which always include squats and the change the routine a couple weeks to add new ways to stimulate muscles.

All of those exercises at once is like "taking all of your favorite foods and putting them on 1 plate and eating them at the same time." --quote by Juggernaut Training Systems guy

10-12 exercises 3 sets each at 10-12 reps with those numbers of exercises is a lot of reps.


But again, whatever works for you, work for you.

Is this working for you?

How long have you been doing this type of routine.

[TXRunner]

I remember reading something written by Arnold Schwarzenegger dispelling the "myth" that cardio negates a weight-lifting workout by stating that the best legs he saw on a weight-lifter who used to do his leg routine and then follow it by 1 hour on the bicycle.

I've read many others saying to minimize cardio when you want to build muscle. Personally, I believe stairs after a leg routine is fine as long as you are giving your body the nutrition it needs.

I've done intermittent fasting and notice my gains are minimal when fasting. As long as I feed my body correctly, it seems to adapt to whatever I throw at it.

[Returning2USA]

Originally Posted by TXRunner

I remember reading something written by Arnold Schwarzenegger dispelling the "myth" that cardio negates a weight-lifting workout by stating that the best legs he saw on a weight-lifter who used to do his leg routine and then follow it by 1 hour on the bicycle.

In my post I made a typo:

I want gains, I would not do stair master cardio that involves legs, IMO.

I should have typed "If I want gains.....

my fault.

I've read many others saying to minimize cardio when you want to build muscle. Personally, I believe stairs after a leg routine is fine as long as you are giving your body the nutrition it needs.

I've done intermittent fasting and notice my gains are minimal when fasting. As long as I feed my body correctly, it seems to adapt to whatever I throw at it.

As for Arnold, who was one of the greats as he had a super-thin waist but was huge (before the days of HGH ad other modern drugs, he did 'roid back then)

That guy he notes must have been on lots of drugs and pro or semi-pro.

My point is not hypertrophy but fatique.

After a "medium/heavy" workout on legs the OP notes, the Stair Master is just burning legs up that should be destroyed already by the breakdown of muscle tissue but the weight and number of reps he/she does.

Therefore, I think he/she is doing very light weight and also less reps.

And I do agree: cardio does NOT cause muscle loss in general.

No reason to fear it. After a lifting session you can lose fat b/c the glycogen stores in the liver are depleted.

But for most, cardio is a waste of time if they are lifting.

Lifting enough, is cardio, if one's diet is clean and they are not competing.