Cardio before or after weight lifting?

laurasimmons

Which do you think is best for fat loss?

pinkgumdrop123

bump...im interested in what people think

jacksonpt

after

SPNLuver83

You're gonna get opinions in either direction.

But from my experience, it makes no real difference. I've tried it both ways with the same results.

My advice would be to do the one that is harder for you first, so you are not drained by the time you get to the second half and can't push hard.

xoTammyox

I don't think it matters. It's really up to you, If you want to have more energy for weights- I recommend doing it first. If you want to focus on cardio do that first.

MissLuana

For me it's after. Only because if I do 1 hour of cardio before weight training, I'm usually too pooped to do anything else other than going home and taking a shower:laugh:

beanerific518

I do a 10 minute warmup, do my weight lifting, then follow with 15-20 minutes of HIIT cardio. On lower body strength training days I skip cardio since my legs feel like jello afterward.

aaeros

I think a lot of that depends on what you're doing for weight lifting. Typically I like to get in a minimum of 15 minutes of Cardio before weight lifting to get the blood flowing good.

Ideally, I would alternate weight lifting days and pure cardio days.

LorinaLynn

I don't do heavy cardio on the same day as weight lifting, but if I were doing both on the same day, I'd do weight lifting first.

If I do weight lifting first, and I'm pooped, I'll just go a little slower on the cardio. Speed doesn't matter much... if you run 3 miles at 5mph or at 7mph, the calorie burn will be close to the same.

But if I do cardio first and get all tuckered out, my form is going to be sloppy when lifting, which could result in injury.

TeachTheGirl

Both. At the same time. While riding a unicycle.

yksdoris

whatever works for your body.

For a while I did this: warm-up cardio 10 min; bracket of 3 different strength excercises, 3 sets each; 15 min cardio; bracket of 3 different strength excercises, 3 sets each; 15 min cardio; bracket of 2-4 different strength excercises, 3 sets each (depending on how exhausted I was); and to finish off another 15-20 min cardio.

Now I only do the warm-up cardio, and my strength/resistance excercises are pretty heartbeat-intensive, so it's kind of a combination.

neverstray

Most people would recommend cardio first, including most experts. Everything I've read says to do it this way. Mostly because, I think, weight lifting is harder, so its better to do the harder thing first.

John2347

It is better to do a warm up of about 10 mins then your weight training followed by cardio. If you do your long cardio first, you start to deplete energy stores in your muscles so you will not get as good of a weight workout as if you do weights first. Think about it, how tired are you after JUST your cardio session? Most people doing 30+ minutes are pretty tired. Now how tired are you after you do weights? Decently tired but still have enough in the tank to do some more cardio (about 20 minutes or so). Do what you think is best but I would highly recommend warmup, weights, cardio. Good Luck!

birdieaz

i don't think burn wise it matters but i can't do cardio first. it leaves me like a noodle and wanting a nap. not good if im trying to lift something heavy afterwards.

Charlie003

Cardio in morning on empty stomack.

Weights at night.

smily159

Both. At the same time. While riding a unicycle.

lol awesome...
i do cardio first, mostly because that is my main focus. unfortunately that usually makes me too tired to do weights after, so i'd recommend doing the weights before any heavy cardio

embercakez

I like to do cardio after, so I can give it to my weights harder!

myofibril

The combination which keep the intensity of the overall workout the highest depending on the individual.

Goal_Line

I typically do it after.

but I like to mix things up as well, sometimes I'll do it before. Or both before and after.

jacksonpt

I typically do it after.

but I like to mix things up as well, sometimes I'll do it before. Or both before and after.

Do your workouts ever work the same muscles? i.e. do you go run after leg day? or do you only run after upper body work?

csuhar

An argument I've heard for doing weights first, in addition to the one previously mentioned about being able to use proper form, is that weight lifting will consume a good portion of your readily available energy so that, when you're burning calories during your cardio, your body turns to fat stores sooner.

bagge72

I do it after when I workout at the gym so I don't get the weight equipment all sweaty and gross, because I sweat a ridiculous amount, and smell really bad after my runs.

embercakez

I typically do it after.

but I like to mix things up as well, sometimes I'll do it before. Or both before and after.

Do your workouts ever work the same muscles? i.e. do you go run after leg day? or do you only run after upper body work?

If one can run after leg day, then they might want to reconsider their workout routine.

mdbs2004

After. Its to hard and probibly not safe to properly lift weights when I'm tired.

BruhManFif

I do a 10 minute warmup, do my weight lifting, then follow with 15-20 minutes of HIIT cardio. On lower body strength training days I skip cardio since my legs feel like jello afterward.

I was going to say exactly this. Great minds think alike...

Joannie30

After.

RedHeadDevotchka

Go after. You need all the strength you can get for the weights!

jacksonpt

I typically do it after.

but I like to mix things up as well, sometimes I'll do it before. Or both before and after.

Do your workouts ever work the same muscles? i.e. do you go run after leg day? or do you only run after upper body work?

If one can run after leg day, then they might want to reconsider their workout routine.

That was my thinking. I can barely stand up after a heavy leg day... never mind do any kind of serious running or biking.

bizco

Always lift before cardio.

tom_olech

I typically do it after.

but I like to mix things up as well, sometimes I'll do it before. Or both before and after.

Do your workouts ever work the same muscles? i.e. do you go run after leg day? or do you only run after upper body work?

If one can run after leg day, then they might want to reconsider their workout routine.

Hahaha, what an awesome response! ...As for me, i do it before simply because after weights, i do not want to. Added bonus: doing cardio before weight training acts as a warm up...

hughtwalker

During

start on bike or cross-trainer for 20 0r 30 minutes (depending on whether I've had my banana or not) then do a set of weights then do another 20 or 30 minutes of cardio then do more sets then finish with a stroll on the treadmill