Cardio before or after lifting

Natdogg37

wondering what is best for weight loss, doing cardio before or after lifting.

IsaackGMOON

Weight loss comes from a caloric deficit. Exercise timing is irrelevant.

Laurenjenai

I like to do my cardio first, but either way doesn't matter. It's just my personal preference.

cwolfman13

it doesn't matter one bit for losing weight. your weight loss is going to largely be about your diet, not what exercise you're doing or when you do it, etc.

it's highly beneficial to start looking at exercise and fitness for the sake of fitness...setting independent fitness goals can help in this RE.

I ride about 80 miles per week...usually get in a 5K or two as well...I lift 3x per week and I like walking my dog, doing a little hiking, and taking the occasional swim. I have lost weight, maintained weight, and gained weight doing all of those things. The difference between those three weight management goals was not my exercise, it was my eating...

Personally, I like doing cardio on opposing days to my resistance training, but if I do them on the same day i like to have some time between workouts...so I'll do my cardio in the morning or at lunch and then lift in the evening after work...this way you can actually put forth your best efforts for both rather than having to half *kitten* one of your workouts.

debsdoingthis

Having this discussion at work this morning and as the fat gal in the group, my opinion doesn't seem to matter. This latest convo came about as a result of a co-worker mentioning her new trainer has her running for about 30 minutes and then lifting and ab work for another 2 hours. So not that she will take any advice from me on which way is more efficient, but I would like some opinions on which way is better for calorie burn. Any pro's/con's come to mind?

Sean_TheITGuy

debsdoingthis wrote: »

Having this discussion at work this morning and as the fat gal in the group, my opinion doesn't seem to matter. This latest convo came about as a result of a co-worker mentioning her new trainer has her running for about 30 minutes and then lifting and ab work for another 2 hours. So not that she will take any advice from me on which way is more efficient, but I would like some opinions on which way is better for calorie burn.

calorie burn is the same either way, assuming the order you do it in doesn't limit your performance. If cardio wipes you out so you can only half heartedly lift, or vice versa, then that's the wrong way for you to do it.

CSARdiver

I do ~30 mins light cardio before and after lifting - the after is more of a stretch and cool down jog.

As @cwolfman13 stated I want to be at my peak when lifting, so don't exert myself on the pre-lift cardio, just a quick jog to get the blood flowing and HR up.

dahhhhhling

Like others have said, the order doesn't really matter for weight loss. However, I lift before I do cardio simply because cardio tires me out, so if I were to lift after I've already done my cardio it puts me at a greater risk of improper form and injuring myself.

I usually do a warm up (I like Tony Horton's warm up on Youtube), do my lifts, then end with about 30 minutes of HIIT on the elliptical.

KittensMaster

I do cardio fasted when possible.

I purposely want my mitochondria to be more adapted to burning a higher percentage of fat as fuel in the mix. I eat moderately low carb so glycogen depletion comes easily.

I will slam an electrolyte pack when a bike ride goes over an hour and a half. I am in a calorie deficit. It is about fat loss

For lifting days I eat at maintenance calorie level. I lift hard to add muscle, it isn't a fat burning event for me.

Google endurance training mitochondria for hundreds of hits. It is a body adaption process not a diet fad. Lots of university research papers to read if you care to.

It is a bit tiring at first but your mitochondria is an adaptive organelle.

A bit of info, University of New Mexico

https://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article folder/physiologgfatloss.html

JoRocka

Unless you're specifically training for something - it doesn't matter.

My running takes slight precedence over my lifting this seasons- but come October that will flip back over and running will become second fiddle.

I have specific goals right now- and I will in the winter as well. So- my methods will change.

If you have no specific goal- then focus on the calorie deficit and incorporate and general fitness plan- in which case I generally recommend lifting then cardio- only so you get the most bang for your buck out of your lifts.

rick_po

In general, it's best to do the thing that's most important to you first, so you're freshest when you do the thing you're practicing the thing that's most in line with your fitness goals.

If your goal is just general fitness, I'd do just a 2 or 3 minutes of cardio warm-up, then strength training, then the main cardio workout, because it's slightly more dangerous to lift heavy weights when you're tired.

For weight loss, it doesn't matter.

whmscll

For weight loss it doesn't matter. However, everything I've read about lifting (which I've just started) says that to reap the most benefit from lifting and to maintain proper form you should lift first and do cardio after if you are doing both on the same day.

sixxpoint

IsaackGMOON wrote: »

Weight loss comes from a caloric deficit. Exercise timing is irrelevant.

^ This.

If I even do cardio, I will do it before weighlifting. But I do very little cardio... 1-3 miles tops at a fast pace.

Most of the strenous activity I do in the gym is weightlifting (yes, this elevates heart rate and breathing too). So, if I put in 40-60 minutes of heavy lifting then I definitely I won't want to jump on the treadmill afterward.

debsdoingthis

rick_po wrote: »

In general, it's best to do the thing that's most important to you first, so you're freshest when you do the thing you're practicing the thing that's most in line with your fitness goals.

If your goal is just general fitness, I'd do just a 2 or 3 minutes of cardio warm-up, then strength training, then the main cardio workout, because it's slightly more dangerous to lift heavy weights when you're tired.

For weight loss, it doesn't matter.

This was the advice given to me by the last trainer I had. Made perfect sense to me as I was lifting to maintain and strengthen muscles and cardio for the calorie burn.

ryanflebbe

They use different energy systems. Lifting first so performance and muscle sparing is emphasized. Cardio second so hopefully glycogen is depleted some and burning calories from fat is emphasized.

cronus70

If your looking to include cardio on lifting days, instead of big blocks of cardio before or after your lifting, why not do some during your routine, it's called cardio acceleration.
A typical example would be after you complete all your reps of a set, instead of sitting and resting before your next set you do some cardio for 30-60 seconds I.e jumping jacks, jump rope, butt kicks, high knees etc etc etc.

CasperNaegle

It's what ever works for you the best.. You are just burning calories and when you do it doesn't matter.

peaceout_aly

I don't think it really matters - whatever your personal preference is. I like to lift first, run after.

Meganthedogmom

I typically do strength training first, then cardio. Otherwise I find I'm kinda worn out by the time I do strength and I can't do as much.

lizzocat

I don't do cardio on lifting days usually (I am not counting walking here) however, I do accessory work and that usually works up quite a sweat.

fannyfrost

The only good advice I got on this is that if you are doing cardio and lifting on the same day, you may want to lift first if you will be tired after doing your cardio.

Other than that as far as best benefit and all that crap, it makes no difference.

Personally I like to Circuit training or classes that get your heart rate up and lifting mostly. I also do supersets and just move from one exercise to another. I don't have a lot of time so it works for me.

ninerbuff

whmscll wrote: »

For weight loss it doesn't matter. However, everything I've read about lifting (which I've just started) says that to reap the most benefit from lifting and to maintain proper form you should lift first and do cardio after if you are doing both on the same day.

Well unless you split them the same day. Then it doesn't matter what you do first.
I will do cardio first thing in the morning, then after my morning sessions, I lift.
If it's same SESSION, and you want your lifting to be most efficient, I would then agree with you.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

ninerbuff

cronus70 wrote: »

If your looking to include cardio on lifting days, instead of big blocks of cardio before or after your lifting, why not do some during your routine, it's called cardio acceleration.
A typical example would be after you complete all your reps of a set, instead of sitting and resting before your next set you do some cardio for 30-60 seconds I.e jumping jacks, jump rope, butt kicks, high knees etc etc etc.

Actually that's just a variance of an "old school" ACTIVE RECOVERY method.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

cronus70

ninerbuff wrote: »

cronus70 wrote: »

If your looking to include cardio on lifting days, instead of big blocks of cardio before or after your lifting, why not do some during your routine, it's called cardio acceleration.
A typical example would be after you complete all your reps of a set, instead of sitting and resting before your next set you do some cardio for 30-60 seconds I.e jumping jacks, jump rope, butt kicks, high knees etc etc etc.

Actually that's just a variance of an "old school" ACTIVE RECOVERY method.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Thanks for the info, up until last year I had never done any serious exercise/resistance training in my life and I'm now 45 so it's all new to me, steep learning curves.
What ever it's called, I can't speak highly enough about cardio acceleration

ScreeField

I like to do cardio before lifting (like running or riding my bike to the gym). It seems to help warm up my muscles (and clear my mind) which is nice before lifting. When I take my bike or run, I get a bit more cardio (or a cool down) on my way home--although, if I ran to the gym, I might be walking home depending upon how hard the workout was.

When the weather is nice, I skip the gym and go swimming instead (with a bike ride to and from the pool). Today the weather was nice so I rode, ran, rowed, in that order.

tiggerlove

it depends on the person..some ppl are too tired after cardio to do strength training and vice versa. I would say try both ways and see what works for you..Good luck

piperdown44

Can't tell you what's best for you, only what works for me.
If, that's if, I have time for cardio it's always after lifting. Tried it the other way around and simply did not have the energy to lift after cardio.

cdahl383

I prefer cardio after lifting. I feel stronger lifting first and doing cardio afterwards.

120poundstogo

I switch it up mostly after but sometimes if I have the energy before.

barryplumber

I use to do cardio first then lift but found during my lifting i would get tired easy. I find it better to do 2.5 miles before lifting which lays about an hour then do another 3 - 4 miles after.

Maggieba

I've found I'm less sore the following day if I do a quick 15 min HIIT workout right after my SL5x5 workouts.