strength training

pffssas

First day strength training with dumbbells...i have 4 questions. 1) should i do my cardio before or after? 2) interval rebounding on my off days? 3) eat before or after? 4) how much protein should i consume after?

JennLifts

I'd suggest cardio after. What's the question in number two..? You can do both on the same day, or you could do cardio on off days. Eat before AND after. and Depends on your daily goal. I do 1-2 scoops and somekind of carb. muscles need them both Carb before is dandy as well.

jessieo387

In response to your questions, this is what my PT tells me to do:

1)Best way to get your cardio in is to do in during your strength training. Do one set then hit the stair stepper for 1 min, then do another set. Treadmill or elliptical in-between sets, or if you gym has a track use that in between. My trainer always starts me w/a 5-15min cardio warm-up also.

2) Cardio should be done on your off days from strength training in addition to doing it with your strength training.

3) Eat a few hours before your workout so you don't burn out, you need the calories to get through your workout, and remember that you will be in high burn mode after your workout so eat then also. (You should be eating every 3-4 hours, so you will probably be hungry anyway)

4) Not sure one exactly how much protein you should consume, but be careful eating only 1200 calories a day, you are pushing the limits on minimum calorie intake per day. Most trainers and physicians say don't get below 1200, did myfitnesspal give you that number or is that a personal goal?

Hope this helps! Stay motivated!

HoopFire5602

I always do cardio after weights.
Not sure what interval rebounding is, but I tend to do HIIT (High Intensity Interval training.) 30 sec all out, 90 sec recovery.
I eat after.
I use muscle milk powder...2 scoops is about 25g (light) or 32g (not light).

pffssas

wow...all of that info was great!!! thanx everybody. i also increased my cals to 1500 because of the strength training...just didn't know how to change it on my food page

AI1108

1. Whichever works better for you.. there's different schools of thought. I've heard strength first and then cardio because of the benefits of the added afterburn but it's whatever your body's more comfortable with and which one you can withstand. Some people get winded quicker if they do weights first and then cardio, while others feel they don't put as much effort into weights if they do cardio first.

2. Yes if you can handle it on off days it's great a great interval workout.. you should consider having a real rest day throughout the week though where you aren't using much muscle strength. When you're strength training, your muscles need enough rest for recovery.

3. You may not want to eat anything too heavy before (some people don't eat anything before) because it may make you feel sluggish and won't make working out very pleasant. Because I workout late, I normally have a protein shake or bar about an hour or two before, or sometimes I'll have a little fruit if I need a boost before. I have a protein shake (with berries or some other carb) right after. Try to get some lean protein in after also to boost recovery.

4. There's no hard or fast rule. You should keep your protein level up the whole day to avoid muscle fatigue. I normally have two scoops of protein after which is about 40g for mine. It's recommended that when you start a strength training regimen that you make sure you're getting at least 1 - 1.5 g of protein for each lb of body weight.