Cardio or weights first? Does it matter?

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  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
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    britishbroccoli wrote: »
    jkwolly wrote: »
    britishbroccoli wrote: »
    I would also recommend breaking cardio and lifting up into separate days so that you can give your all to whichever you're working on that day. Lift until you can't lift any more. Cardio until you can't talk through your cardio.
    Unless you're running, you should always be able to keep a light conversation otherwise you're going too fast.

    What? Going too fast for what?
    britishbroccoli wrote: »
    Cardio until you can't talk through your cardio.
    As I said, if your cardio choice is running, you should always be able to keep a light conversation otherwise you're going too fast. :)
  • terar21
    terar21 Posts: 523 Member
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    Whatever your goal is. I personally lift first. I don't want my lifts to suffer and I feel stronger rested. Cardio on tired legs isn't bad for me since my fitness goal (triathlon) will require me running on tired legs anyway. So I have no problem lifting and biking or running.
  • Robertus
    Robertus Posts: 558 Member
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    I do my long-distance cardio (eg, 3-mile continuous swimmin) on separate days. I do strength training once or twice a week, circuit training with three sets, weights first followed by 20-25 minutes on three different cardio machines which focus on my legs (rowing, steps, bike). Rowing, when done properly, is also is a good core work-out and some arms. This gives some priority to strength training on these days and also helps complement my swimming work-outs (mostly arms) with some focus on my legs. This works really well for me.
  • DedRepublic
    DedRepublic Posts: 348 Member
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    You will burn more fat lifting weights first and doing a cardio session after...

    How long the post workout cardio session is depends on how much fat you have to lose...but you'll be glycogen depleted if your workout was intense tapping into fat stores.
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
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    I do cardio first... because I have to get up at 5:15 am to work out. The cardio wakes me up and then I move onto some strength training.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
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    jkwolly wrote: »
    britishbroccoli wrote: »
    jkwolly wrote: »
    britishbroccoli wrote: »
    I would also recommend breaking cardio and lifting up into separate days so that you can give your all to whichever you're working on that day. Lift until you can't lift any more. Cardio until you can't talk through your cardio.
    Unless you're running, you should always be able to keep a light conversation otherwise you're going too fast.

    What? Going too fast for what?
    britishbroccoli wrote: »
    Cardio until you can't talk through your cardio.
    As I said, if your cardio choice is running, you should always be able to keep a light conversation otherwise you're going too fast. :)

    Too fast .. for what? Like, how can being fast be bad? There's no such thing as too fast unless you're trying to run for X miles. There's no such thing as too fast unless you're just starting out. I do HIITs.
  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
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    britishbroccoli wrote: »
    jkwolly wrote: »
    britishbroccoli wrote: »
    jkwolly wrote: »
    britishbroccoli wrote: »
    I would also recommend breaking cardio and lifting up into separate days so that you can give your all to whichever you're working on that day. Lift until you can't lift any more. Cardio until you can't talk through your cardio.
    Unless you're running, you should always be able to keep a light conversation otherwise you're going too fast.

    What? Going too fast for what?
    britishbroccoli wrote: »
    Cardio until you can't talk through your cardio.
    As I said, if your cardio choice is running, you should always be able to keep a light conversation otherwise you're going too fast. :)

    Too fast .. for what? Like, how can being fast be bad? There's no such thing as too fast unless you're trying to run for X miles. There's no such thing as too fast unless you're just starting out. I do HIITs.
    Sorry, distance

    Merpy derp
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    typically weights first.

    warm up- lift then cardio.

    I would say this applies for lifters- and general fitness folks.

    For people who need endurance with a splash of lifting- do your endurance training first- obviously- that trumps lifting.

    For her case- I would suggest- doing her mile warm up- lifting- then doing whatever cardio she wants.


    The OTHER exception that general guideline is if you HATE cardio- and won't do it after lifting- b/c of excuses and lazy (this is me quiet honestly) then do your cardio first.

    I know I'll lift- unquestionably.

    But if I have a justification to leave- but I don't NEED to- I'll sacrifice cardio sometimes- so occasionally (depending on my programming) I'll do light cardio first just to get it done- because I freely admit sometimes I'm just THAT lazy.

    But no- it doesn't matter greatly at the beginning stages of fitness.

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