Cardio or Weights first?

dgilner

I heard it both ways - does anyone know if it is more beneficial to do weight training or cardio first during a workout? Or does it even matter?
Thanks for the advice!

Jxnsmma

Cardio first so that your muscles are warmed up. Less likely to tear muscles.

Driagnor

Everything I've read says weights first - otherwise you don't have the energy to push yourself in your weights workout and actually work the muscles.

GorillaNJ

I focus on one at a time... cardio days there is no lifting and visa versa. I look at it as why only focus on half a workout. I pick one and go all out on it.

kelleypf

I've heard weights first as well, and that's what I do. You can focus more intention into the moves when you're fresh.

greeneyed84

Supposedly weight training first is better. A quick cardio warm up, then weights and then the big cardio. They say you burn more calories that way.
I usually do a quick warm up, then half and hour of weight, maybe a bit longer and then an hour of cardio

natajane

Hmmmm, hard one.

If I'm in the gym then I tend to do a cardio warm up (so some mobilising and then 5-10 mins on the treadmill), then my weights otherwise I find I'm too tired to do them properly at the end.

My personal trainer though in our sessions usually has me do cardio, then weights, then resistence, then cardio, then weights e.t.c

If she can make me run up the stairs with a pair of dumbells in my hands then she's a happy lady! So in a sense, she intertwines they both intertwine. I'd say her sessions have me burn more calories/see quicker results.

bizco

Weights first, then cardio. However, you do need to warm-up before lifting. A good warm-up serves 3 purposes:

1. It raises the temperature in the muscles you're about to work and starts the flow of adrenaline, which allows more blood to reach your muscles.

2. It gets muscles, joints, and nerves ready for the specific actions you want them to perform.
3. It accomplishes the first two goals without depleting a significant amount of the energy you'll need for the actual workout.

A good warm-up raises your core temperature and gets your heart rate elevated a bit. This can be done by 5 minutes on the treadmill, elliptical, bike, or just moving your body through full ranges of motion.

You should also do lifting warm-up sets. Here's a general guide depending on the number of reps you plan on doing:

More than 12 reps per set: You're likely using lighter weights. Do one warm-up set of 8 reps with about 2/3 of the weight you'll be using in your first "working" set.

8 to 12 reps pers set: You're likely using medium weights. 5 to 8 reps with about 50% of the weight you'll use in your first "working" set. Then 4 to 6 reps with about 75% of the weight you'll use in the first set.

Fewer than 8 reps per set: You should be using heavy weights. 5 to 6 reps with about 50% of the weight you'll be using in your first "working" set. Then 3 to 4 reps with about 75%. Then 2 to 3 reps with about 90% of the first-set weight.

This is for the first exercise in each workout. Do a lifting warm-up each time you use muscles you haven't already used in the workout. For example, if your first exercise is squats or deadlifts (lower-body) and the next exercise is bench presses or rows (upper-body), I recommend doing a warm-up set for that subsequent exercise.

forthespace

I chatted to a personal trainer at my gym a while ago and he recommended that you should do enough cardio to bring up your heart-rate, then some weights, some more cardio, some more weights etc..
Apparently its beneficial to do weights while the heart rate is up. I also find it far easier to break it up like this- you are still doing the equal amount of weights and cardio, burning the same calories, without getting to the point where you just want to scream "STOP" lol

LindaSueBakk

I know nothing, but I like to do some cardio first so my heart rate is up. That way my HRM shows more calories burned. Thanks for posting a great question. I liked all the info!

lilRicki

I do 20 minutes of cardio, 25 minutes of weights and calisthenics, 10 - 15 minutes of cardio. Just so I don't feel like i'm dying