To put it simple the answer is a definite yes. When you are undertaking aerobic exercises the body requires fuel to sustain this form of exercise. Thus it starts burning proteins in order to generate this energy. However you should not worry a lot due to this new revelation. It is normal for the body to alternate periodically the two processes on muscle building which are anabolism and catabolism. The process of alternating between anabolism and catabolism is usually referred to as ‘protein turnover’. This is a process which must take place as long as you are living. As a bodybuilder you major goal should be to ensure that anabolism is always more than catabolism. As long as the process of anabolism is more than the process of catabolism you are safe because this implies that your muscles are growing. Many fitness experts tend to exaggerate this factor and this has had the resultant effect of causing many bodybuilders to shun aerobic exercises all together. The reason is because the bodybuilders have come to buy the theory that aerobic exercises will make them lose muscles.
I am not ruling out the factor that aerobic exercises can make you lose weight completely. However the fact is before your body gets to the point that you start to lose your muscles you must have undertaken very intense aerobic exercises. This is the only way the scale can tip in favor of catabolism.
The term very intense aerobic exercise is a very broad term and I will try to explain just what it means to have undertaken intense aerobic exercises. By intense aerobic exercise I mean undertaking an aerobic session which lasts for more than 50-60 minutes each day of the week. Couple this with failure to eat proper nutrition then you are only preparing yourself for disaster. The only way you can be able to reduce catabolism is by keeping your aerobic session intense but short. If you do aerobic exercises for more than 30 minutes then you are only promoting catabolism. Bodybuilders are especially advised to undertake aerobic exercises because they help aid the recovery of the muscles after being damaged by intense weight training. It does this by increasing the supply of blood and oxygen to the various muscle tissues. Aerobic exercises lead to cardiovascular density which is the increase in the number of blood vessels. When the number of blood vessels increase this implies that you will be able to transport more oxygen and various nutrients to the muscles tissues. This implies therefore that the process of muscle repair will be faster.
Catabolism usually occurs when you couple taking an inadequate diet with intense aerobic exercises. The major of loss of body muscles include four main factors which are; lack of taking adequate protein in the diet. Proteins are the building blocks of muscles and therefore if you neglect them from your diet you will lose muscles, Taking inadequate carbs, when you neglect to train with weights and if you reduce your calorie intake forcing the body to go into starvation mode.
Dane Fletcher is the world’s most prolific bodybuilding and fitness expert and is currently the executive editor for BodybuildingToday.com. If you are looking for more bodybuilding tips or information on weight training, or supplementation, please visit http://www.BodybuildingToday.com, the bodybuilding and fitness authority site with hundreds of articles available FREE to help you meet your goals.
