Cardio and Strength Training combo?
akafful
Posts: 69 Member
Hey guys, I need help with understanding how these workouts work. How can I combine cardio and strength training to make an effective program for me. Should I start of with cardio minutes before strength training or the other way around?
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Replies
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What are your goals?
You can do cardio as a warm up before lifting or you can do it afterwards.
I would say do the one that you want to use the most energy towards first.
Or do them on alternate days.3 -
Strength training always before cardio. Cardio will only deplete your glycogen stores, reducing your energy levels for strength training.8
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@MichelleLei1MichelleLei1 wrote: »Strength training always before cardio. Cardio will only deplete your glycogen stores, reducing your energy levels for strength training.
That really isn't a problem for most people unless they are doing two hard hours of cardio. Often thrown around by people who simply don't like cardio and want an excuse not to do it!
There is no single "always" rule for everyone, it depends on goals, priorities, capabilities, intensity of the exercise etc. etc.
I can still hit my PB's lifting after an hour of cardio, someone else may find their strength training suffers.
My personal preference is to do my cardio and weights on alternate days to fully concentrate on that days' workout - but that's all it is, a preference.10 -
Personally, I love alternating days. For me, 3 days of 45-60 mins strength and 3 days of 25-60 min cardio (the 25 min days are HIIT). I like the variety and i always have the energy for whichever workout is up that day.0
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@MichelleLei1MichelleLei1 wrote: »Strength training always before cardio. Cardio will only deplete your glycogen stores, reducing your energy levels for strength training.
That really isn't a problem for most people unless they are doing two hard hours of cardio. Often thrown around by people who simply don't like cardio and want an excuse not to do it!
There is no single "always" rule for everyone, it depends on goals, priorities, capabilities, intensity of the exercise etc. etc.
I can still hit my PB's lifting after an hour of cardio, someone else may find their strength training suffers.
My personal preference is to do my cardio and weights on alternate days to fully concentrate on that days' workout - but that's all it is, a preference.
I normally do an hour of lifting, then a half hour of cardio. I guess you're right it is down to personal preference, but I find this method the most efficient. I can easily do an intense session of cardio after a heavy lifting session, because I'm still on an energy high. But the thought of doing a heavy lifting after an intense cardio session sounds like death. I've done it before, but I definitely find that my workout is slower and less intense.1 -
I lift 2-3 times per week...I cycle 5-6 days per week...on lifting days I cycle in the AM and lift in the PM so I have plenty of time between the two. Some weeks I forgo cycling on lifting days if I'm feeling a little run down and need some extra recovery.0
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You can combine cardio and lifting by incorporating interval training or a program like German composition training, but the emphasis is on conditioning as opposed to strength or hypertrophy.0
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Personal preference but I try to do cardio on "active recovery" day. Very rarely will I do both lifting and cardio on the same day. If I do, I'll lift early in the AM and do cardio later in the PM.0
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I lift monday wednestay friday then I do cardio tuesday thursday and one long run on a weekend day which ever best fits my schedule.1
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The only strength I can do is body weight. Workout in basement. I mix cardio and body weight together with exception to pull-ups.0
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I need to do some cardio on my lifting days sometimes, especially when I miss one of my cardio days.0
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samanthaluangphixay wrote: »What are your goals?
You can do cardio as a warm up before lifting or you can do it afterwards.
I would say do the one that you want to use the most energy towards first.
Or do them on alternate days.
Cardio as a warm-up? I didn't know it could work that way.0 -
MichelleLei1 wrote: »Strength training always before cardio. Cardio will only deplete your glycogen stores, reducing your energy levels for strength training.
Okay, sounds good. I haven't thought it through that way either.2 -
She just posted this and I found this to be pretty good a routine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqFzWx8X5AM Check it out. 0 -
samanthaluangphixay wrote: »What are your goals?
You can do cardio as a warm up before lifting or you can do it afterwards.
I would say do the one that you want to use the most energy towards first.
Or do them on alternate days.
Cardio as a warm-up? I didn't know it could work that way.
5-10 minutes at a moderate pace.0 -
sammyliftsandeats wrote: »What are your goals?
I rank kind of low on the cardiovascular fitness chart according to Fitbit, I score between Average and Good, but I want to get to at least Very Good to Excellent.0 -
On a strength training morning I generally run the mile down to the gym (warm up/cardio), then on a Monday I do a stretch session with my PT before I hit the weights, then run again after (recovery run from Sunday's long run).
My other strength day I run to gym, spend an hour doing my main lifting work, then have half hour intense cardio with my PT before I do my accessory work.
But my main fitness goals are running orientated, meaning that the other days of the week I do a lot of cardio.
My strength targets are upper body (until after I do my marathons) and I'm working on increasing my 1rpm in bench and shoulder press so I save intense cardio on those days until after I've lifted.0 -
My main cardio is walking. I strength train with dumbbells 5 days per week. The book I'm using also includes 4 15-minute weights-and-cardio interval workouts and once in a while, I'll do one of those, but I really find I prefer my walks.
For some reason, I find it hard to do strength training early in the day. Late afternoon to early evening works better. What this means is that in winter, I do my walking first. Days are short. I'm not taking a 2-hour walk at night. In the summer, strength-training around 4 or 5, then going for a walk works well. If I can't get out for a walk, I use the glider in the basement; it's not the greatest piece of equipment, but it does what I need it to.0 -
Sometimes. I like to mix it up. Im not one for long drawn out cardio so i love tabata training or high intensity interval training.
Days I lift heavy i do not add cardio only on leg day and i will finish my legs off with some spinning or I might just add legs on thursday with chest and back and do an hour of spinning on Wednesday.
My tuesday and Saturday i do both but also incorporating body weight exercises and high intensity interval training. Lifting upper and lower body at the same time gives me cardio benefit too. I lift weights quickly with little rest in between.
My friday is straight cardio with walk/jogging/ sprint work. I play with speed and incline making it an interval thing.
Monday-shoulders biceps and triceps-lift heavy
Tuesday- i teach a full body muscle with tabata/hiit training (hiit only about 25 min)
Wednesday- legs-heavy spin bike finisher
Thursday- chest and back- lift heavy
Friday- walk/jogging/sprint work
Saturday- full body muscle with tabata hiit
Training. Some body weight exercises, hiit training, weight training.
Sunday- yoga0 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »I lift 2-3 times per week...I cycle 5-6 days per week...on lifting days I cycle in the AM and lift in the PM so I have plenty of time between the two. Some weeks I forgo cycling on lifting days if I'm feeling a little run down and need some extra recovery.
similar schedule here. weight lifting in the morning 2-3x per week before work. Cardio (running/cycling & dancing) in the evening. Preferably (for me), the harder cardio on the same days as lifting (I'm more fatigued the next day versus later in the same day).0 -
MichelleLea122 wrote: »Strength training always before cardio. Cardio will only deplete your glycogen stores, reducing your energy levels for strength training.
Only if you run a marathon before lifting.
Otherwise, no.
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I tend to do cardio first before any weights. It makes my blood pump to get hyped before heavy things. I do it after waking up mostly, so yea... cardio wakes my body up.0
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