When to do cardio ?

suzely0530

This week I returned to the gym after a 1 1/2 yr absence. During that break, I sadly gained 30 lbs. i used to lift with little cardio, however since I've gained so much weight, how much cardio should I do when lifting? Should I do cardio after lifting or would it be better to do it on an off day ? Thank you for your suggestions!

katnoir1

If you're going to do cardio and lift on the same day, some recommend that it is better to lift first. Reason being that your body needs some fuel in the tank for strength, so you have more energy for lifting when done first. Then once the tank is empty you do your cardio, which burns more energy in less time. There's some suggestion that doing cardio last may burn more fat given you have already exhausted your glycogen reserves in strength training, but this isn't certain. Alternatively, you can do cardio on an off day. It really depends on how your body is feeling.

As for how much cardio - again, that is up to you. You can either do long sessions of moderate intensity, or short sessions of higher intensity. If you're looking to build up muscle though, high intensity is the way to go.

Personally, I do 4-5 workouts a week which usually follow a format of 5 min cardio warm up, 40-50 min strength, 10 min high intensity cardio, then 5 minutes stretching/cool down. That said, my main focus is the strength training - I don't have much weight to lose and I'm not looking to drop it in a hurry.

cecsav1

If at all possible, do your cardio separate from your strength training. You could also incorporate circuits (do 10 min of cardio after each round of a circuit for a total of three sets of each exercise and 30 min cardio).