Splitting Cardio? Defeats Purpose?

MysticRealm

I recently have started to split my cardio sessions up. Instead of doing all 30 mins at once, then weights, I have been doing 15 mins cardio, then weights, then 15 mins cardio. I started doing this as I was having a harder time motivating myself to get to the gym when I thought about doing 30 mins straight of hard cardio. It's daunting, long, and boring!
The first day was a bit hard cause I was used to my weights being the last thing I did at the gym so to then have to do another 15 mins of cardio sucked haha. However both sessions of cardio were so much better for me. Today, it was easier for me cause I was a little more used to doing cardio after weights.
I think this is really gonna help me, and I can push myself harder in these shorter periods of work. I sure was dripping with sweat throughout my whole workout (lower body weights also really keep your heart rate up).
However I posted this plan on my FB status and somebody said "Doesn't that defeat the purpose of doing cardio?"

Do you feel that splitting up my cardio is defeating the purpose? Do I have to go back to 30 mins straight?

bearwith

no that is a good way because you don't kill yourself in the process, you are more likely to do it again if u enjoyed it.

tndejong

my fiance does that. he will do 15 on a program on our elliptical. then do push ups or something in that nature. then do more on the elliptical. he gets to bored and doesn't feel challenged if he just does a half an hour straight. i have no idea if its better one way or the other. i just started and keep setting myself mini goals and just do the half hour or put it on a program. whatever i have to do day to day to get me moving. were both seeing results and going about it in different ways.

Mummyadams

Personally I think it's better. Because you are in effect interval training, making your body work harder. Also mentally it's more interesting because like you - 30 mins of cardio just sometimes seems sooooooo long.
I have been told that if you are for example training legs then you should not do the equivalent in cardio - like running/cycling but do rowing instead. If you are doing upper body, then your cardio should be leg based.

gmallan

If splitting it like that allows you to work at a higher intensity then I don't see any problem with doing it. Perhaps you could work on slowly upping the time that you do. You would probably get slightly different benefits from doing 2 15 minute sessions as opposed to 1 half an hour but still good benefits provided you are constantly challenging yourself.

Note it is generally better to do cardio after weights. Maybe you could try doing 10 minutes steady state cardio as a sort of warmup before your weights and 20 minutes high intensity intervals afterwards

ktied

Note it is generally better to do cardio after weights. Maybe you could try doing 10 minutes steady state cardio as a sort of warmup before your weights and 20 minutes high intensity intervals afterwards

This is what i do and I really enjoy it. And its a killer. but not boring at all! which is what I struggle with with cardio

acm130

I sometimes do that as a "2-a-day" when I've reached a plateau in training and it's been an effective jump start. Basically you're doing circuit/interval training (look at the BodyPump, the Firm classes etc those workouts are modeled after cardio bursts then weight training). And if you're really getting your HR up quickly in those 15 min and maintaining a 85% of max training HR for 12 of those 15 minutes you might have BETTER results then doing steady state cardio for 30 min (look @ Tabata Intervals, CrossFit training). Keep up the good work girl! Honestly anything that gets you moving and helps you maintain your motivation is a winner in my book Edit for disclaimer I'm no expert and not a trainer just my oppinion/based on personal experience:)

MysticRealm

Thanks guys. I think that I will stick with it and see how it goes! I usually feel like passing out (haha, not really but it's definitely HARD work) with in the first 5 mins so I think I am getting my heart rate up pretty quick!