Are you doing cardio to build muscle and lose weight? You should avoid a few common mistakes. Angelina Stebich is a fitness coach and influencer who shares her workout tips with hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers. In a new post, she reveals common mistakes people make during workouts. “4 worst ways to do cardio if you want to build muscle,” she writes. “Cardio is great for heart health and fat loss, but if your goal is muscle growth, the wrong type can sabotage your progress. Here’s what to avoid,” she says.
Doing Cardio Before Lifting
Her first mistake is super common: Doing cardio before lifting weights. According to Angelina, “it drains energy, making your strength training less effective.” Instead, you should do it after strength training.
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Doing Fasted Cardio
The second mistake is doing fasted cardio. While skipping your meal before hitting the treadmill is “popular for fat loss,” she says it isn’t good for your muscles. “It can increase muscle protein breakdown without proper fueling,” she says.
Doing Cardio on Rest Days
Another mistake lots of people make it doing cardio on rest days. “Treat rest days as true recovery. Light walking? Fine. Intense cardio? You’re just burning potential gains,” she says.
Ignoring Heart Rate Zones
Her final mistake is ignoring heart rate zones. “Staying in the fat-burning zone (low intensity) preserves muscle better than constant high-intensity work,” she says.
Cardio Isn’t the Enemy
Her bottom line? “Cardio isn’t the enemy,” she says. “It’s about balance. Stick to 2–3 sessions per week, prioritize strength training & fuel up properly!”
More Reasons Why Doing Cardio Before Lifting Is a Bad Idea
In another post, she reveals why doing cardio before lifting is a bad idea. “Many gym-goers swear by doing cardio before lifting. While it may seem like a good idea, here are some reasons why you might put strength training first,” she says. The first reason? “Fatiguing your muscles before lifting can limit your power, performance & energy,” she says.
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Other Reasons?
Other reasons include reduced muscle gains, as “strength training relies on energy reserves, and cardio can deplete them too soon,” higher injury risk, “tired muscles = compromised form = greater risk of injury,” she says, slower progress, as “prioritizing cardio first may make it harder to progressively overload in weight training,” and decreased focus for form. “Cardio can leave you fatigued, making it harder to focus on proper lifting technique,” she says. And if you enjoyed this article, don't miss12-3-30 Walking Method: 20 Proven Tips to Lose Weight Faster.