Running is an exercise that is easy to access. I’d say that a decent pair of running shoes are all that is absolutely necessary for men approaching 50 (or anyone else for that matter) to get out there on the road, track or treadmill and give it a go. It’s part of looking after your fitness. If you take a look at many professional runners, then the image is similar to Mo Farah – all skin and bones. This leads to the natural conclusion that running burns muscle. But that may not be the case. Let’s take a look at does running burn muscle or build muscle.
Burning Muscle While Running
The body is a complex machine that draws energy from a number of places. The first places that your body looks to burn energy from when exercising include –
- Blood sugar
- Far stores
- Glycogen in the muscles
As it burns these more efficiently, the body has been designed over a number of years to burn these as a first port of call. But if you don’t have large reserves of these, the body will then switch to burning protein from the muscles instead. In any form of endurance exercise such as running, it is estimated that 10% of the energy comes from burning muscle protein. This means that you burn muscle while running, if it is for a significant distance.
Building Muscle While Running
I have personally found that my leg muscles have developed significantly while I have been running. The difference between before and after is about more than losing the extra weight and exposing the muscles. It is about larger muscles that are more powerful. Does running burn muscle or build muscle? Well, a bit of both.
To build muscle effectively while running, you need to give the body the right energy sources. I have found that Argi+ from Forever Living is a great way to give me the energy I need. Packed with L-Arginine and vitamin C, this fuels my body and aids recovery too.
Burn Muscle Or Build Muscle
The key to building muscle while running then is to feed the body. If you run regularly then you will find the different ways that support your performance. If you are not sure, then keep a diary. This will help you make notes of what you ate before and after a run, how you felt and what the performance was like. Review regularly and you can build a picture of how your fuel feeds your body. Something like the Runner’s World Training Journal
