Cardio or Weights first?

Leather_N_Lace
Leather_N_Lace Posts: 518 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
When I first started working out, I was told to lift weights first and then do cardio if I am wanting to lose weight and tone up. Then when I reached my goal weight/size, to switch and do my cardio first and then lift weights and it will help me maintain my physique.
My goal is to obviously lose weight, however, I really want to tone up... I look more at my inches lost each week versus what the scale is telling me.
My exercise routine is:
2 sets upper body 3x a week, 2 sets lower body 3x a week, 1 set abs 6x a week (about to begin Crossfit, on ramp in Aug)
Cardio - 6 days a week.. (Zumba, running)
Is there any fact behind what I was told or was he just blowing smoke?

Replies

  • refinedredbird
    refinedredbird Posts: 208 Member
    I do weights first because the first exercise you do is often your strongest because your body isn't fatigued yet. I often do my cardio on off days of my strength training except on arm days, I will run about 1-2 miles afterward.
  • carbons2k
    carbons2k Posts: 383 Member
    Ill cardio 1st on non leg days. gets the blood flowing and all my joints loose. If I do weights 1st I can tell im cold and just not giving it my all
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
    I've only been lifting a few weeks but I tried both and have found that I need every bit of strength I have to lift so I always lift first. Then if I have anything left I hit the treadmill.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    cardio
  • MightyDomo
    MightyDomo Posts: 1,265 Member
    Weights then cardio, if you do cardio first it can limit your weight lifting but if you do it after weights it's more beneficial.
  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
    Weights first
  • happycauseIride
    happycauseIride Posts: 536 Member
    I always do my cardio first because I work out first thing in the morning and cardio wakes me, and my body up. If I start with lifting all I do is yawn in between sets. :)
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    Weights first because muscles need to be fresh when you lift. If your muscles are already beaten when you start lifting you won't see as much of a benefit from it.
  • Shadawn75
    Shadawn75 Posts: 3 Member
    I was told by a trainer at L.A. fitness to do weights first it seems to work out great because by time I get to the treadmill I just give my body what I have left over. I'm glad you opened this forum open because it was a big question on my mind.
  • homegirl614
    homegirl614 Posts: 93 Member
    I always do cardio first. I find that when I do weights first, I dont have enough energy to do cardio, and then i don't give it my all. For some reason, when i get off the elliptical, I am more energized, call my crazy. But I have lost a lot of weight doing it this way so I figure I will stick with what works for me...
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Your problem is that you are confusing weight-loss goals with fitness goals. If you have actual fitness goals that are independent of weigh-loss goals...those fitness goals would be directing you to do what, when, where, and how. It completely depends on your fitness goals.

    i.e....someone training for a marathon or triathlon is going to spend a lot more time focusing on cardio with some, but likely minimal resistance training...resistance training is going to be a distant 2nd to everything else. Conversely, someone who is body building is going to spend a considerable amount of time in the weight room lifting...if they're in a cut, they're likely to do some cardio afterwards, but the focus is their muscle development...thus weight lifting. If someone is training for strength or power lifting, they may do little to no cardio whatsoever.

    Use your diet for weight control (and cutting the fat); exercise for fitness.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Weights first, you want all your energy for weights, plus you get the added bonus of depleting glycogen during weight training, which increases the fat oxidation of any cardio that you do following your weight training, it's a win-win.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I always do cardio first. I find that when I do weights first, I dont have enough energy to do cardio, and then i don't give it my all. For some reason, when i get off the elliptical, I am more energized, call my crazy. But I have lost a lot of weight doing it this way so I figure I will stick with what works for me...

    Why wouldn't you want to give weight training your all?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Edit: double post
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,749 Member
    If I don't do cardio first I won't do it.

    I also don't feel as though I am not giving my weight training my all by doing my workout this way. It is what works for me. I am still able to lift heavy doing it this way.
  • Leather_N_Lace
    Leather_N_Lace Posts: 518 Member
    Guess I should have really defined my goal...
    I want to have clear defined muscles groups.
    To build my lean muscle and reduce body fat %.
    I currently eat a high protein low fat meal plan.
  • homegirl614
    homegirl614 Posts: 93 Member
    I always do cardio first. I find that when I do weights first, I dont have enough energy to do cardio, and then i don't give it my all. For some reason, when i get off the elliptical, I am more energized, call my crazy. But I have lost a lot of weight doing it this way so I figure I will stick with what works for me...

    Why wouldn't you want to give weight training your all?

    That's not what I meant. I do give my all to weight training. I said, when I do weight training first, I feel too tired and I dont give my all to cardio.
  • johnelwell
    johnelwell Posts: 38 Member
    My opinion and also some other martial artists that we do weights first then cardio, the logic behind our exercise regime is you are using your food consumed source/energy to do the weights then when you switch to cardio you are burning fat. It is felt that you won't get the muscle development by trying to build the muscle off depleting fat levels ( if i have explained it right and not confused you). We are also trying to do single exercises that develop more than one muscle group as we are not really interested in isolation exercises as we are not body building.
    Hope that helps
  • wswilliams67
    wswilliams67 Posts: 938 Member
    Before CrossFit, I used to do a quick 10 minute cardio warmup, then lift, then maybe finish up with a 20-30 minute cardio afterwards just to completely deplete the glycogen stores.

    You want all the energy for the lifts, then use the cardio to finish off the muscles.

    My 2¢
  • uneik3
    uneik3 Posts: 68 Member
    It depends on your goals. Ideally, you'd want to do them together like in a circuit to maximize your burn. But if you have a routine for each and are going to do the same thing, one before the other, cardio first burns more calories, but weights first is less likely to get you injured because you're not fatigued lifting weights.

    http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/health-fitness/exercise/newsletter-exclusive-fat-loss-cardio-vs-weights?page=all
  • Klem4
    Klem4 Posts: 399 Member
    I have read more info and been told more that weights first, then cardio. Until... I moved and this new gym, for some reason the fitness instructors (not the personal trainers) like to spread this info that you should do cardio first and then weights. My eyeballs rolled when I first heard it, kind of annoying, but whatever, I ignore now. My trainer now says weights then cardio, or a circuit. Really depends on the goal.
  • hkall23
    hkall23 Posts: 10
    Hey Hakinion,

    I’ve worked out both ways in the past and until recently I always preferred weights first, but a little while back a Physical Therapist I met showed me a really cool way to intermingle both and I REALLY enjoy it much more.

    1. 10 minutes cardio
    2. do your core work
    3. 10 minutes cardio
    4. do whatever weight training you have planned for the day
    5. 10 minutes of cardio or 20 if you prefer, depending on how you feel that day

    Don’t lift too heavy, always keep good form and only take 30 second breaks between sets to keep your heart rate up during the workout (If you’re not used to it, take slightly longer breaks at first and you’ll notice soon that your breaks will naturally get shorter as you continue to train that way. 20-30 second breaks between sets is your goal, don’t feel you have to start out like that right away, just do your best and you’ll become much faster in a few weeks).

    Also, if you workout in a gym, you can split your cardio between the bike, treadmill and elliptical. Do 10 minutes each so you don’t get bored with them if you like. I always liked the bike first to warm up. Then I usually run on the treadmill in the middle and I use the elliptical to finish up because I enjoy the elliptical and most days I won’t stop at 10 minutes. I usually finish up with 20 or 30 minutes depending on my energy level and my schedule that day. You should give it a try for a couple weeks even if it’s just to switch things up briefly before going back to your routine. It’s a blast

    Hey! Don’t forget to hydrate and do your 5-10 minute cool down. Good luck :-)

Categories