The answer to cardio before or after weight training

CelticWarrior

I had this question for myself few months ago , and I seen it on the forum few times, I found the answer that seems pretty good to me. Got it from realage.com


Maximize the calorie-burning benefits of your workout by tackling cardiovascular exercise before strength training.

Doing cardio first can help you exercise longer, and thus burn more calories, than you would if you were tired out by weight training first. And finishing your workout with weights helps boost post-workout metabolism -- the rate at which your body burns calories after you're done. The result may be an overall better calorie burn, according to a small study.

Although all types of exercise -- cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility -- help you burn calories, cardio workouts result in the greatest calorie burn. Because of this, it may be best to do your cardio exercises first while you are fresh. You're likely to spend more time on aerobic exercise and work out harder if you haven't tired yourself out by doing other kinds of exercises first. On the other hand, strength training results in the greatest boost in post-exercise calorie burning. It boosts your metabolism for a longer period of time, helping your body burn more calories after your workout is done. Ultimately, this means that doing your cardio workout first can help ensure that you achieve the maximum calorie burn from it, and ending your workout with a strength-training session helps ensure your post-exercise metabolism stays high.

KKButter

thank you for this post I've been doing it backwards by advice of the gym owner

mynameiscarrie

I read the same thing and I have seen awesome results. I lift every workout after doing cardio and I can see differences faster than when i just did cardio. The scale is a different story, but my clothes fit way differently--in a good way!

scaryfairy81

thank you for this post I've been doing it backwards by advice of the gym owner

I had a trainer at the gym I used to work at tell me to do weights/strength training first and then cardio, and was also telling all of his clients the same thing, but I knew what worked for MY body and if I lifted first I wouldn't be able to do nearly as much cardio, but after 30-45 min of intense elliptical I was totally fine to go lift. He was also telling people to do a MINIMUM of an hour of cardio at intense levels, otherwise what they did was useless. Honestly, I don't know how you can say any one particular thing will work for every single person. Isn't a PERSONAL trainer supposed to give you personalized advice?

bmontgomery87

In every weightlifting magazine I've read it was the exact opposite.

Strength train and then run.

If you run first you're going to wear yourself out and not lift as heavy. (I've tried both methods and this is true.)
Cardio also depletes glycogen which you need for weight training.

It all depends on your goals.
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/training/a/ExerciseOrder.htm

bmontgomery87

. He was also telling people to do a MINIMUM of an hour of cardio at intense levels, otherwise what they did was useless. Honestly, I don't know how you can say any one particular thing will work for every single person. Isn't a PERSONAL trainer supposed to give you personalized advice?

Sounds like a bad trainer to me. Low intensity sessions should last upwards of an hour. But a high intensity session doesn't need to be that long.
Days when I do High Intensity Interval Training, my sessions are barely over 20 minutes.

CelticWarrior

In every weightlifting magazine I've read it was the exact opposite.

Strength train and then run.

If you run first you're going to wear yourself out and not lift as heavy. (I've tried both methods and this is true.)
Cardio also depletes glycogen which you need for weight training.

It all depends on your goals.
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/training/a/ExerciseOrder.htm

I was getting the same answers everywhere I looked ,but in the end I think like everything else, that may a bit of old school thinking. I mean I still dunno, but look at these athletes today ,especially in the NFL. Built and all they do is run all day everyday..........

bmontgomery87

I was getting the same answers everywhere I looked ,but in the end I think like everything else, that may a bit of old school thinking. I mean I still dunno, but look at these athletes today ,especially in the NFL. Built and all they do is run all day everyday..........

Well NFL players are also going to be eating probably 5000 cals a day.
Not sure exactly how their routine goes.
But if you look at any professional bodybuilder or fitness model, they got that way by lifting, not running.
Cardio is great, I do mine on off days when I don't have to lift.

But I've never had anyone suggest for me to run before lifting. Pretty sure it lowers your GH or test levels when you run, so you're losing efficiency right there.


Either way it won't hurt. try both and see what works for you.

beckajw

I think it is whatever works best for you. I've read a number of articles saying that the opposite is true. That you should do weights first when you aren't tired so you can keep good form. Then do your cardio.

I had always done cardio first, until yesterday. I did weights first and I think it was the best thing I've ever done. First, I was able to lift heavier and keep good form. Second, I actually felt like I had more energy for my cardio.

Again, I'm not saying to do it my way. I think everyone should try both ways and find what works best.

Mayor_West

In every weightlifting magazine I've read it was the exact opposite.

Strength train and then run.

If you run first you're going to wear yourself out and not lift as heavy. (I've tried both methods and this is true.)
Cardio also depletes glycogen which you need for weight training.

It all depends on your goals.
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/training/a/ExerciseOrder.htm

Agreed wholeheartedly.

RunHardBeStrong

I have always been told by a couple of really good friends that are trainers that if your goal is fat loss to lift then do cardio because you use your glycogen stores lifting leaving your fat to be burnt during your cardio. This is what I do and I lift heavy, I'm not a girl scared of getting out of my comfort zone even after lifting heavy I'm still able to do 45-60 mins of intense kickboxing or running but I realize everyone's different. I've lost 80 lbs of fat and gained muscle I never knew I had so it must be working. If you're going for endurance then do cardio first. I honestly think you have to do what works for you and your schedule as long as your moving, lifting and burning calories then you're doing something right!

havingitall

my trainer said to work on what you wanted to work hardest on first. If you are body building or sculpting, go weights first. If you are trying to lose weight ( and yes I do know that building muscle burns calories) do cardio first. It is an individual thing.

feliciapeters

personally I do 10-20ish minutes of cardio (10 elliptical or 20 bike) before weights. but its just habit for me, since i started just doing the bike before i startd weight training.

I do about 30 minutes of strength then I walk 10 minutes or so on the treadmill on a low incline (3) at 3mph as my "cooldown" it seems to help me keep my leg muscles loose when I do a lower body day. for me at least

hkystar

my trainer said to work on what you wanted to work hardest on first. If you are body building or sculpting, go weights first. If you are trying to lose weight ( and yes I do know that building muscle burns calories) do cardio first. It is an individual thing.

thats what worked for me, and logically what made sense to me!

milehighcritic

I split my workouts at the gym I start out with strength training 30 -40 minutes including 5 minutes of stretching. I then do my cardio 70 minutes. I finish up with 30 minutes of strength training.

bmontgomery87

I split my workouts at the gym I start out with strength training 30 -40 minutes including 5 minutes of stretching. I then do my cardio 70 minutes. I finish up with 30 minutes of strength training.

thats an awful long workout there. But whatever works for you.

bmontgomery87

The way I see it if your goal is getting stronger and building muscle the logical choice is to run AFTER.

You're going to see more muscle growth from benching 185x10 than if you ran beforehand and were tired and benched 180x10.
If you're running daily and your body is tired for the lifting, over time you'll have developed less because that 5 pounds eventually makes a difference in your progress.

stormieweather

My understanding is that they shouldn't even be on the same day!!

I lift on Tue, Thu and Sat and run on Mon, Wed and Fri. Sun is rest day.

bmontgomery87

My understanding is that they shouldn't even be on the same day!!

I lift on Tue, Thu and Sat and run on Mon, Wed and Fri. Sun is rest day.

This is what works best for me. Except my days are switched.

shannonpatton

Thanks for posting! I have found it alot easier to do cardio before strength training

CelticWarrior

Well after reading many of these post , we can all agree on one thing. There is no right or wrong answer , just what feels best for the person , what to start with. See I read a lot on this and my friend told me jogging is bad period if your trying to gain muscle. He has been lifting for awhile and has entered body building compititions. He says it breaks down the muscle.

I just think in the end is no one set of rules for everyone , what works for one may not work for the other

RunHardBeStrong

Well after reading many of these post , we can all agree on one thing. There is no right or wrong answer , just what feels best for the person , what to start with. See I read a lot on this and my friend told me jogging is bad period if your trying to gain muscle. He has been lifting for awhile and has entered body building compititions. He says it breaks down the muscle.

I just think in the end is no one set of rules for everyone , what works for one may not work for the other

Exactly! Your friend is correct, after about an hour of steady state cardio your body does start using muscle as fuel.

BflSaberfan

In every weightlifting magazine I've read it was the exact opposite.

Strength train and then run.

If you run first you're going to wear yourself out and not lift as heavy. (I've tried both methods and this is true.)
Cardio also depletes glycogen which you need for weight training.

It all depends on your goals.
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/training/a/ExerciseOrder.htm

Same here I was doing cardio first then my strength training and my trainer told me to reverse it. I find it much easier to do the weight machines first and then cardio.

123nikki123

Thank you for sharing :flowerforyou: That's exactly what I've been doing! I run on my treadmill for 45 minutes and then finish my workout off with some weights...glad to know I'm doing it right :bigsmile:

CelticWarrior

Well after reading many of these post , we can all agree on one thing. There is no right or wrong answer , just what feels best for the person , what to start with. See I read a lot on this and my friend told me jogging is bad period if your trying to gain muscle. He has been lifting for awhile and has entered body building compititions. He says it breaks down the muscle.

I just think in the end is no one set of rules for everyone , what works for one may not work for the other

Exactly! Your friend is correct, after about an hour of steady state cardio your body does start using muscle as fuel.

Well I liked running a lot ! but ever since I spoke with him I just figured Id like lifting a little more, so I did what he said and it's giving me results. It's a funny thing, for a month your lifting, the weights getting heavier, but your body appears the same, then one day you wake up and your muscles are bigger ! lol


But on the other hand, I also workedout for 6-7 months running every morning then weight training and I lost a lot of weight and didnt lose much muscle, so I really do beleive it all depends on what the person is looking to do.

pyro13g

Cardio first is counter productive to optimal muscle building. You want all your energy to lift as intensely as possible to trigger hypertrophy. Why Cardio to burn calories? Just eat less. And never ever mimic professional athletes. They are the elite(talent, genetics,) and what they do and can do does not apply to the rest of us.

lois2324

In every weightlifting magazine I've read it was the exact opposite.

Strength train and then run.

If you run first you're going to wear yourself out and not lift as heavy. (I've tried both methods and this is true.)
Cardio also depletes glycogen which you need for weight training.

It all depends on your goals.
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/training/a/ExerciseOrder.htm

totally depends on your aims tho, women in general arnt wanting to build a lot of muscle but burn fat so i guess cardio then weight would probally work better for that

lois2324

In every weightlifting magazine I've read it was the exact opposite.

Strength train and then run.

If you run first you're going to wear yourself out and not lift as heavy. (I've tried both methods and this is true.)
Cardio also depletes glycogen which you need for weight training.

It all depends on your goals.
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/training/a/ExerciseOrder.htm

totally depends on your aims tho, women in general arnt wanting to build a lot of muscle but burn fat so i guess cardio then weight would probally work better for that

pyro13g

In every weightlifting magazine I've read it was the exact opposite.

Strength train and then run.

If you run first you're going to wear yourself out and not lift as heavy. (I've tried both methods and this is true.)
Cardio also depletes glycogen which you need for weight training.

It all depends on your goals.
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/training/a/ExerciseOrder.htm

totally depends on your aims tho, women in general arnt wanting to build a lot of muscle but burn fat so i guess cardio then weight would probally work better for that

http://www.myfooddiary.com/resources/ask_the_expert/fat-burning_zone_myth.asp

Reign in the cardio.

lois2324

Well after reading many of these post , we can all agree on one thing. There is no right or wrong answer , just what feels best for the person , what to start with. See I read a lot on this and my friend told me jogging is bad period if your trying to gain muscle. He has been lifting for awhile and has entered body building compititions. He says it breaks down the muscle.

I just think in the end is no one set of rules for everyone , what works for one may not work for the other

indeed i started reading and thought i had the answer and now im confused again lol, i think im going to just play around for what works best for me! :noway:

bmontgomery87

indeed i started reading and thought i had the answer and now im confused again lol, i think im going to just play around for what works best for me! :noway:

Probably the best way to do it. Both are going to work for just general fitness.
But if you have specific goals one way is going to be superior to the other.