Cardio First or Lifting First??

garrisonwife

So, I've heard many different answers to this question...but I'd love some feedback from my MFP peeps!

A little background info:

I have a good 50-60 lbs to lose. My heaviest weight was 255. I'm now in the 180s. I'm 5'3".

I love strength training...but I also love a good cardio workout.

When it comes to lifting/strength...I try to do arms/shoulders/back two or three times a week, abs every day, legs mostly two times a week...sometimes three. Cardio sessions are anywhere from 30-60 minutes a day.

Here's my issue: when I do cardio first...I find that I can't lift as heavy as I can when I go straight to lifting after warm-up. But when I do strength first (with a 5-10 min cardio warm-up), I find that I tire out more quickly when I switch to cardio. I know I can burn more cals if I lift first, then do cardio. However, part of the reason I want to do a somewhat longer session of cardio is because I want to work on endurance and lowering my heart rate recovery time.

Ok...so hit me with it! Should I lift first, then cardio? Should I do cardio first, then lift? Should I switch it up? I could use some helpful suggestions/opinions! Thanks!!!

KYT1121

I've been told you should lift first and then do cardio. You'll get a longer "burn" that way. This is how I've worked out and it works for me. I'll be curious to see what others think.

toronto81

I do strength training first, then cardio.

mccallp319

I run 3 miles then I lift for about 40 minutes. I find that if I lift first, it's too easy to talk myself out of running.

SpringFever19

You have to decide what your focus is. Which ever you do first will get the majority of your energy that day. I switch it up every now and then, but generally I do 10-15min of cardio to get my HR up, treadmill, elliptical, whatever, and then lift. If I have energy after or want to burn more cals, I go back for more cardio.

ttippie2000

Yep, that's the same thing my powerlifting coach told me. And also my bicycling coach. Weights first, then cardio.

JustJennie1

It all depends on YOU.

I know that if I don't do cardio before I lift I won't do it. Period. I have not had any issues with my ability to lift heavy when I do an intense cardio workout prior to weight training nor have I not had any gains from doing it this way.

This is what works for me which is why I do it.

Figuremum

I do weights and cardio on separate days. Weights Mon, Wed and Fri. Cardio Tues and Thurs with abs. Then on the weekends get a walk in with the family. I do a quick 5-10 min warm up on the treadmill or bike before weights.

But generally it's weights before cardio in the same session.


Mel

c50blvdbabe

Just like the other posters, weights first then cardio. I find I push myself more in my runs after a good weight lifting session.

phjorg1

what works: either.

what is best: weights first.

exception is if you're training specifically for cardio performance.. then do cardio first.

stumblinthrulife

My preference - cardio and lifting on different days.

If you must do them together, do the one that's most important to you first. If you absolutely, positively, have to ready for a race, you should be doing your cardio first. If strength is more important to you, do your lifting first.

If both are of equal importance, then experiment. Find the order which gives you the most acceptable results in both.

garrisonwife

Thanks so much for all your input, guys!! I really appreciate it. I've heard many, many times that I should lift first, then do cardio...but I have found that lifting heavy takes away from the intensity of my cardio...and the length of time I do cardio if I lift first. I think I will experiment a bit and see what works for me. Maybe make a schedule like:

First day of arms: Lift first, then cardio
Second day of arms: Cardio first, then lift

Etc.

Right NOW, both are equally important to me...but as more weight comes off...my focus will be more on lifting.

Thanks, again!!!

RAGGEDYANN1970

just wanted to give my 2 cents.
it's very hot here where i live, and i ride my bike outdoors (with my daughter in-tow in a trailer behind my bike) for my cardio every day. if i don't do it first before the gym, it gets too hot to ride. (by 10:00 a.m. sometimes it's already 90 degrees outside...) PLUS the child care at my gym doesn't open until 8:00 a.m. so i can ride before 8:00, then hit the gym for weight lifting and drop my daughter at the child care. i think i have heard that weights should come first, but this just isn't an option for me in the summer. perhaps in winter or fall when the weather is cooler, i can start with weights at the gym, then hit my bike outdoors later in the day. as it is right now, i am losing at a good pace, and this system seems to work for me.

sophayz

i usualy run for 15 minutes for actuvations then do weight training for an hour .. then 20 - 30 minutes of cardio (i do more running or elliptical usualy) always finish with 5+ minutes of stretching

Merrysix

today, I mixed it up at boot camp, and it felt great! Still going off the energy. We ran two miles first, and then did a circuit with pull ups, kettle bells, ropes, then ran for 8 minutes. We did the circuit 4 times. Finished up with stretch. Felt great -- raised my heart rate to 80% during the first run, and kept it there! Love B OOTCAMP!

faceoff4

I have always heard that you should do lifting first and then cardio afterwards. I have never been able to do it in that order though and I always do the cardio first.

KiltFuPanda

Lifts, then cardio. Lifting always has better results when you lift with fresh muscles, as you can do more at higher weights. Once you've burnt through your fast reserves and you can't do that last squat or deadlift, then jump on the bike or elliptical and burn out your calories. Doing it in reverse may let you go faster on the treadmill or longer on the elliptical, but you're too pooped to lift afterwards, and you either don't lift as heavy as you should be able to do, or you get injured because you're too tired to keep good form.

dbg1

As a mid-distance track coach, I tell my high school athletes, we warm up, stretch,do excels, train (run their distances), then do circuit. What ever your priority is you do first, as you have the most energy then. For runners, if they did circuit training first, they wouldn't as effective when running.

So if lifting is your focus, do that first followed by cardio. If Cardio is the priority then lift afterwards.

Hope this helps.

Azdak

It is purely a matter of personal choice. And your body is more adaptable than most people think. I prefer to do cardio first, since that is my #1 priority. Personally, I have found that I can lift as heavy as I want (4-8 RM sets), even after 45-60 min hard, performance cardio sessions. Quite frankly, I have found that on days when I lift w/out doing any cardio at all, I feel more energized, but I can't say my lifting performance is any better.

If one's focus is strength training, then it would make sense to do that first and use whatever energy you have left for your cardio.

It truly makes no difference from a weight-loss standpoint.

6spdeg

better to split it.. IMO.. do either first. then round 6 hrs apart do the other.. you should be well rested to give 100% on ea.. otherwise you dont and not so beneficial.

thatonegirlwiththestuff

I warm up for 10 minutes with cardio either on the elliptical or jogging. I do about 45 minutes of strength training and then about 20 minutes of cardio after. Oddly, I find I have more endurance after my weight training session.