Opinions Please! weights one day and cardio the next?

LisaUlrey

Opinions on weights followed by cardio daily or weights one day (full body) and cardio the next?

karllundy

I have been doing weights followed by short, light cardio on M/W/F and a longer, intense cardio only session on T/Th for about 15 months. It works well for me. My diary should be open if you want to look.

MelStren

I prefer to do full body weight lifting one day and Cardio the next.

mlnick69

From what I have read you are better off doing cardio same day after weight training so that your lifts are not hampered by being tired from cardio. If you do cardio the next day you also have to consider that your muscles are repairing from the previous days lifting and take care not do such intense cardio that your muscles suffer by not being able to repair.

JenMc14

I sometimes do some cardio after lifting, but my "main" cardio sessions, when running a heavy lifting program, are typically on off days from lifting. I think it's fine.

BrianSharpe

The correct answer is dependent on a number of factors such as the duration, impact and intensity of the cardio and how long you've been exercising (eg: long time runners can frequently run daily - or 2 x daily - but it's a seriously bad idea for new runners to do the same) and same with the weights.

With the weights you wouldn't want to be doing the same muscle groups on consecutive days.

To err on the side of caution I'd probably go with the cardio one day & weights the next, at least for the interim.

A_Warrior_Princess

I run almost daily and lift stronglifts 5 x 5 3 days per week. I don't find it too much and my weights keep improving, hope this helps!

rybo

I prefer to do them on different days, but when I do do both in the same day I will split it & lift before work & run after work.

raingirl21

For me it depends on how much time I can dedicate to the gym. I usually do 1/2 hour of weights, with either a 1/2 hour to an hour of cardio. Some days I just do an hour of cardio or a class.

lithezebra

I do weights and strenuous cardio on different days. I do easy cardio on weight days.

ElliottTN

Weights in the morning, cardio at night. Just how many body performs best.

tartsul

i don't have enough time to do both in the same day since i do my workouts early in the morning before work. i like to do lifting usually on t/th and then go to a spin class or something on m/w/f. if i'm really sore though, i scale it back or don't do it at all. you need to give your muscles a chance to recover and repair from the lifting. on weekends, i like to stay out of the gym since it's so crowded - instead, i like to go hiking or play tennis or something with my husband. or just rest.

megsi474

I do them on alternate days and keep my cardio pretty short because, to be honest, I don't like doing it. Maybe a 20 minute HIIT on the treadmill or some incline intervals.

MzManiak

I do them on opposite days. I do SL5x5 one day, and C25K the next (each 3x/week). I'm both a beginner lifter, and a beginner runner though, so it works for me. I was exhausting myself trying to do both in the same day. If I still feel the need to workout after lifting, I may do 20 minutes on the elliptical, or just walk a mile or something not strenuous.

caseythirteen

Personally, I lift 3x a week and usually on two of those days I will throw in 15 minutes of HIIT afterwards. On the other days I try and get in at least one day of dedicated cardio for about 45-60 minutes and the other days it's typically whatever I get out and do with the family/dog.