Get Washboard Abs by Timing Your Cardio Training

How to time your cardio training to get washboard abs.

You’re body has three sources of fuel: Glycogen (stored carbohydrates), oxygen, and fat.

Aerobic exercise can be fueled by all three, though your body’s prefered source is glycogen. Weight training on the other hand can only be fueled by one, and that is glycogen.

So, if you perform cardio before your weight training session and since your body’s preferred fuel source is glycogen, that’s what it’ll use first leaving nothing to fuel your weight training sessions. So, where do you get fuel for weight training if it’s performed immediately after cardio? Your body will produce it by using protein and amino acids taken from your muscle tissue. This break down of muscle tissue cripples your metabolism (rate of energy expenditure) since muscle is the exact place fat is burned. The less muscle you have, the fewer calories you’ll be able to burn on a daily basis.

So if your goal is to burn as much fat as possible, do weight training first followed by cardiovascular exercise.

Here’s why: Since your muscles only fuel source is glycogen, that’s what it’ll use. Concluding your workout, glycogen stores will be nearly depleted. Once you begin cardio, the only sources of fuel your body will have to choose from will be fat and/or oxygen. If there is any glycogen left after your weight training session, you can be assured that’s what will be used in the first 5-15 minutes of cardio, But fortunately there won’t be enough to sustain the complete aerobic activity.

To sum it up:

Cardio before weights cripples your metabolism and your fat loss efforts.

Cardio AFTER weight training increases fat burning capability because the number 1 source of fuel, glycogen, is all but completely depleted.

If you feel that you need to eat something between your weight training session and your cardio session, make it a small portion of protein - if you consume any carbohydrates (stored as glycogen) that’s what your body will use FIRST, making it take longer to burn fat in that particular cardio session.