Do you Weight Lift or Do Cardio First?

SPNLuver83
SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
On days you do short cardio (30 minutes or less) AND strength training, which would you do first?
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Replies

  • Toddrific
    Toddrific Posts: 1,114 Member
    I personally strength train then do cardio as I don't like being dripping wet while before lifting weights.
  • Blessedmommy_2x
    Blessedmommy_2x Posts: 419 Member
    Strength Train, then cardio
  • tnrunningnurse
    tnrunningnurse Posts: 549 Member
    Weights first, then cardio, for two reasons: 1) I don't want to be dripping wet with sweat, and 2) My legs can't handle weights after doing an intense cardio workout.
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,749 Member
    Cardio then strength. Mostly because if I don't do my cardio first when I'm done with my lifting I'm not going to want to do cardio nor will I have the energy to do it. I do it, get it out of the way and then hit the weights. I do 30 minutes of cardio every day then supplement a long, vigorous walk in the afternoon. It's all a matter of preference and what works for you.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    cardio then strength. I don't think my legs would be able to handle running after doing a bunch of squats and stuff.
  • delmc1
    delmc1 Posts: 331 Member
    always strength first ,use up all your stored energy on weights .so its all fat burning doing cardio
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
    I've always done cardio first as well, because I thought warmed muscles would benefit more from lifting... but some of you are saying I will burn more fat if I do cardio last... It seems to be 50/50. Not helping!!!! lol
  • Monkee_Magic
    Monkee_Magic Posts: 32 Member
    When doing weights, I prefer to do light cardio cycle or jog to gym to warm up. Then into the weights, after that I generally do some intervals on the X-trainer to increase the burn. Seems to work ok that way, I only tried doing cardio first once and it had quite an impact on my strength, but perhaps I'm just weak!
  • Taoism
    Taoism Posts: 1
    There should be a distinction here... Doing a light cardio warm-up before lifting is beneficial (like 5-10 mins light jog on a treadmill) because it gets more blood out to your muscles before you start lifting. Then do your heavy lifts because the muscles are primed with more blood flow, and then follow up with your more intense cardio.

    Just my $0.02...
  • always strength first ,use up all your stored energy on weights .so its all fat burning doing cardio

    this is absolutely correct :)
  • WildFlower7
    WildFlower7 Posts: 714 Member
    I do strength then cardio.
  • gazerofthestars
    gazerofthestars Posts: 255 Member
    30 minute weights > 5 minute light warm-up > 30 minute intense cardio.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    I usually do a 3 stage workout: 1/2 cardio, then weights, then 1/2 cardio.
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
    Nothing wrong with doing a 5 min warmup before lifting, but you should do your 30 min cardio sessions always AFTER lifting.
  • Picola1984
    Picola1984 Posts: 1,133
    Interesting

    I always do cardio first, whether it is intense or light

    I may try strength first now!
  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,247 Member
    Nothing wrong with doing a 5 min warmup before lifting, but you should do your 30 min cardio sessions always AFTER lifting.

    Why?
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
    Nothing wrong with doing a 5 min warmup before lifting, but you should do your 30 min cardio sessions always AFTER lifting.

    Why?

    1. Improved Recovery
    2. Maintaining Conditioning / Work Capacity
    3. Improved Calorie Partitioning
    4. Keeping Fat Burning Pathways Active
  • DFWTT
    DFWTT Posts: 374
    The consensus is.....light cardio warmup, strength, cardio. I agree as well.
  • mznisaelaine
    mznisaelaine Posts: 2,262 Member
    Strength training first then cardio
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    Well. I'll be honest... each time I've hurt myself it was from doing weights first (even with a warm up) and cardio last. So, I've gone back to how I used to do it when I first started losing weight - cardio first, weights last and haven't had any issues. It works for me (and has worked in the past), so I'll keep doing what works. :)
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    I personally strength train then do cardio as I don't like being dripping wet while before lifting weights.

    Exactly this as my process and logic for it as well.
  • Miss_Krissy87
    Miss_Krissy87 Posts: 214 Member
    It depends on what workout I am doing.. sometimes i stregnth train first and then do cardio then sometimes I cardio then stregnth train.. I like to confuse my body .. it makes me lose more weight..
  • GoldspursX3
    GoldspursX3 Posts: 516 Member
    I run in the morning before work 5-6 days a week. On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday I do my strength training (Currently SL 5X5) in the evening after work. I feel this gives me adequate time to recover after my morning run and my lift session doesn't suffer.
  • trysha1231
    trysha1231 Posts: 163 Member
    Nothing wrong with doing a 5 min warmup before lifting, but you should do your 30 min cardio sessions always AFTER lifting.

    Why?

    1. Improved Recovery
    2. Maintaining Conditioning / Work Capacity
    3. Improved Calorie Partitioning
    4. Keeping Fat Burning Pathways Active
    Thank you for stating this. I am starting TurboFire/Chalean X tomorrow and was wondering which to do first.Thanks.
  • DFWTT
    DFWTT Posts: 374
    I run in the morning before work 5-6 days a week. On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday I do my strength training (Currently SL 5X5) in the evening after work. I feel this gives me adequate time to recover after my morning run and my lift session doesn't suffer.


    This works too. A-la two-a-days...I haven't missed those since high school and I won't be missing them anytime soon. :wink:
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
    Interesting

    I always do cardio first, whether it is intense or light

    I may try strength first now!

    I'm thinkin this too... Couldn't hurt to switch things up that way regardless!
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
    Nothing wrong with doing a 5 min warmup before lifting, but you should do your 30 min cardio sessions always AFTER lifting.

    Why?

    1. Improved Recovery
    2. Maintaining Conditioning / Work Capacity
    3. Improved Calorie Partitioning
    4. Keeping Fat Burning Pathways Active
    Thank you for stating this. I am starting TurboFire/Chalean X tomorrow and was wondering which to do first.Thanks.

    That's exactly what I've been doing too :)
  • Bakkasan
    Bakkasan Posts: 1,027 Member
    I mix it up and just make sure I get to the gym 5 days a week, 6th is a bonus.
  • HorrorChix89
    HorrorChix89 Posts: 1,229 Member
    Depends if I can make it tot he weights before Zumba starts. Usually it's Zumba first then weights.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    I keep my days separate.. IE One day I do a light warm up(like 5 min on the treadmill and then lift) and then the following day it's a cardio day.

    Reason being by the time I'm doing lifting, the last thing I want to do is hop on a treadmill/elliptical/whatever your cardio choice is.
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