Cardio with Strength Training

bringingsexyback2007

Prior to adding strength training, I worked out 5 days a week for 1 hour doing straight cardio. This week, I added strength training, working a different muscle group 3 out of those 5 days. I have still been doing my hour of cardio on the days I do weights. From what I have gathered, you should do weights before cardio. However, what I am getting conflicting information on is how often and for how long my cardio workouts should be now that I am weight training as well. My #1 priority is to burn fat and continue losing weight. Does anyone have the answer? TIA!

AnvilHead

There's no hard and fast rule that weights should always be done before cardio, it's up to personal preference according to which you're prioritizing. I do weights first and cardio after because my priority is weight training and I want to be fresh for it. Cardio is my secondary concern and I personally find it easier to do cardio after weights than vice-versa (my post-lifting cardio usually consists of a 30 minute treadmill run or session on the stationary bike).

If you can handle an hour of cardio after lifting, there's no reason not to do it, given your stated goals. If you'd prefer to do it before lifting and still have enough energy to dedicate to your strength training, that's fine too. It would also be fine to do your cardio and weights on separate days if you so desire.

tl;dr - it's all up to personal preference in the context of your goals.

Gallowmere1984

To echo the above, preference and goals trump all else.

I don't do cardio on lifting days at all. Mine is done on recovery days in roughly the same timeframe. For one, I've found the hour of LISS to be very beneficial to my recovery process. For another, this gives me something to do for that hour and a half when I would otherwise be doing nothing.

Azdak

http://www.burnthefatinnercircle.com/public/A-Seat-at-the-Cardio-Roundtable.cfm

This a lot of detail from Tom Venuto, but the gist of it is that there are no hard and fast rules that are applicable to everyone.

Since this is an area where the strength of opinion tends to be inversely proportional to the knowledge of the person expressing the opinion, extensive internet searches are likely to be more confusing than educational.

Ann262

I don't think it really matters.

rybo

While yes the research shows no clear victor, I prefer strength training first. Get a solid full body session in and then finish off with a shorter (5-15 mins) & more intense cardio/conditioning 2-3x a week. On days you don't strength train, you can do your normal hour or so cardio of choice.

bringingsexyback2007

Thanks for the input. I think I am going to stick with an hour of cardio on days that I don't do weights and 40 minutes of cardio on days that I do weights. I do notice that when I do cardio after weights, it seems easier to complete the workout. I'm not sure if it is accurate, but I read that doing weights first is best because it uses up your glycogen (sp) so when you do cardio, your body has depleted it's glycogen so your body has no choice but to burn fat. I am new to weights so it is all so overwhelming with all of the conflicting info out there.

AnvilHead

bringingsexyback2007 wrote: »

Thanks for the input. I think I am going to stick with an hour of cardio on days that I don't do weights and 40 minutes of cardio on days that I do weights. I do notice that when I do cardio after weights, it seems easier to complete the workout. I'm not sure if it is accurate, but I read that doing weights first is best because it uses up your glycogen (sp) so when you do cardio, your body has depleted it's glycogen so your body has no choice but to burn fat. I am new to weights so it is all so overwhelming with all of the conflicting info out there.

The bolded part is hogwash, but other than that you're on the right track.

moonstroller

Play around with your workouts and changing things up until you find what works for you.

Muscle_for_Fitness

You don't have to do cardio at all and you can still lose weight if you stay in a calorie deficit. Doing cardio definitely makes it easier to hit calorie goals though. Do what works for you. With your current goals, I think your plan of 1 hr on non-lifting days and 40 minutes on lifting days would work fine. Adjust as you feel necessary based on how your body feels.

Unknown

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TR0berts

Azdak wrote: »

http://www.burnthefatinnercircle.com/public/A-Seat-at-the-Cardio-Roundtable.cfm

This a lot of detail from Tom Venuto, but the gist of it is that there are no hard and fast rules that are applicable to everyone.

Since this is an area where the strength of opinion tends to be inversely proportional to the knowledge of the person expressing the opinion, extensive internet searches are likely to be more confusing than educational.

LOL. True, though.

sijomial

bringingsexyback2007 wrote: »

Thanks for the input. I think I am going to stick with an hour of cardio on days that I don't do weights and 40 minutes of cardio on days that I do weights. I do notice that when I do cardio after weights, it seems easier to complete the workout. I'm not sure if it is accurate, but I read that doing weights first is best because it uses up your glycogen (sp) so when you do cardio, your body has depleted it's glycogen so your body has no choice but to burn fat. I am new to weights so it is all so overwhelming with all of the conflicting info out there.

Complete twaddle.
You have enough glycogen to fuel approx 2 hours of hard cardio - an hour of strength training isn't going to make the slightest difference.
Fuel used during exercise is primarily mandated by exercise intensity, it's also an irrelevance for weight loss/fat loss.

midlomel1971

I do strength-training every other day. I do the lifting first, then walk/run on the treadmill for 30 minutes. Then on off strength-training days, I do a light cardio for about 45 min. There is no way I could lift after doing cardio for 30 minutes. I'd be exhausted.

Unknown

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