looking to add muscle mass, should i lay off cardio?

[mr_sandman]

I'm going to give another attempt to add some muscle mass, I'm going back to my routine of gym 3-5x a week. I'm 5'5" and weight 140lbs, and still semi-flabby. I'm going to try some Monster Milk protein shakes, before and after workouts.

few things tho: because I'm still semi-flabby and due to my poor eating habits, i've remained heavy on cardio workouts. I usually dedicate 1-2 of those workouts per week to cardio, and about 10min to finish off my other workout days. But I've been told I should lay off the cardio workouts if I want to add muscle mass?

when should I be taking the protein shake? i tend to go after work since its close by but the drive home after takes nearly 45min.

I've also head about "recovery drinks" right after workouts, what are these? Right now I just drink half a bottle of Boost before my drive home after gym

[randomdef]

eat more food, eat more real food.

[Wiill]

Take your shake after your workout. If you feel like you need a second shake you're not eating enough.

Eat healthy even though you think you're under weight. I've tried for years to gain muscle mass, and only did when I took an effort to cut out all the junk especially pop, and eat only unprocessed, whole foods. Learn to cook for yourself. I think a lot of skinny people who want to gain mass think they can binge eat cuz they are skinny, but in the end that really hurts their gains and they wonder why.

Most people give up after 3 months, mainly cuz they hit a plateau and stop seeing gains. I love March, that's when all those people who bought gym memberships during xmas give up and there's more room in gym for the regulars. What they don't know is that your body is still getting stronger, and that later on will result in more long term gains including mass.

[MoonDoggy]

What's your heartrate during your cardio?



In terms of protein shake, generally you take it within 1/2 hour after workout. If its a long workout session, sip the shake during the workout. Protein shakes are not meal replacements, they're meal supplements.

[Kujo]

Yes, you should reduce cardio if you're trying to put on mass. It should be slow and steady cardio on off days, or short high intensity sessions (10-20 mins max). 2-3 days a week is fine.

High intensity cardio may affect your recovery, so lower intensity cardio is generally recommended when trying to put on mass.

Even more important, you need to get your diet in check.