Cardio THEN Weights Training OR Cardio&Weights Training?

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  • davidr730
    davidr730 Posts: 126 Member
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    I learned that strength training should be first because it burns the glycogen stored within the muscles, making it easier to burn fat when you do cardio.
  • kazey901
    kazey901 Posts: 33
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    I don't know if it's right but when I get to the gym I stretch my legs a little big.

    Then do my strength training (one day I do legs, the next day I do arms) and then I get on the elliptical for 35 minutes doing a cross training program and then I stretch again.
  • erinzehr
    erinzehr Posts: 1
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    In my humble opinion you need both Cardio and Weights to get the most effective workout.

    Generally you want to do a 5-10 minute cardio warmup. Then you do your weights - weight machines or free weights - your choice. You want to put most of your energy into your weights. I would suggest one set of 8-12 repititions to start (this strengthens existing muscle on your body). You can always add a second or third set at any time when you start to feel like you need a little more (this will begin building new muscle). You should feel somewhat fatigued with your weights. Push through it.

    Once you are done your weights I suggest doing another 20-30 minutes of cardio afterwards.

    Burning calories doing cardio is great but, in the long run muscle burns more than fat, and muscle needs to feed so the more muscle you have the more calories you will burn (while sedentary/at resting heart rate).

    Just my opinion though.
  • princessfe19
    princessfe19 Posts: 4 Member
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    In order to lose weight, it is important to get in cardio exercise at least four times a week. Weight training is also important, because the more muscle you build, the higher your basal metabolic rate is. That means for a five pound increase in muscle mass, you will be burning an extra 250-500 calories a day just sitting there.
  • jaynove01
    jaynove01 Posts: 5
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    Thank you everyone for your input!! I really appreciate it, and it helped me out so much! I learned a lot! I love the MFP community :love:
  • gsager
    gsager Posts: 977 Member
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    I do 15 or 20 minutes of cardio, then my weights and then 30 or 45 minutes of cardio.
  • mandamama
    mandamama Posts: 250
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    I always do a cardio warm up a good 7-10 minutes and hit it pretty hard get a good sweat going, then I do my weights, sweating like a pig, and then go do another 20+ of cardio depending on the day, and how much time I have that day :)
  • MelStren
    MelStren Posts: 457 Member
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    I don't know if it's right or not, but this is what works for me. I do cardio first then lift, all on the same day. Mon. Thur. Sat. I walk at 3.5 to 4 mph for 1 hour, cool down sometimes as long as 30min... it usually takes that long for my knees to stop hurting. Then I go into my light lifting with 8lb dumbells.

    Now, Once I move up to larger weights I may change that up and lift 3 days a week and cardio on NON-lifting days....
  • Reneefit135
    Reneefit135 Posts: 170
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    Great info on this thread....and i concur, i seem to see more progress when doing both.
  • FlyEaglesGuy
    FlyEaglesGuy Posts: 436 Member
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    Bumpy
  • elri1908
    elri1908 Posts: 160 Member
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    Bump! Thanks to OP for asking this question.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    Strength training 3 times a week and cardio twice tops if you must, IMO.

    That's a tad absolute, isn't it? Surely it depends on goals.... ?
  • smilesalot1969
    smilesalot1969 Posts: 392
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    In my humble opinion you need both Cardio and Weights to get the most effective workout.

    Generally you want to do a 5-10 minute cardio warmup. Then you do your weights - weight machines or free weights - your choice. You want to put most of your energy into your weights. I would suggest one set of 8-12 repititions to start (this strengthens existing muscle on your body). You can always add a second or third set at any time when you start to feel like you need a little more (this will begin building new muscle). You should feel somewhat fatigued with your weights. Push through it.

    Once you are done your weights I suggest doing another 20-30 minutes of cardio afterwards.

    Burning calories doing cardio is great but, in the long run muscle burns more than fat, and muscle needs to feed so the more muscle you have the more calories you will burn (while sedentary/at resting heart rate).

    Just my opinion though.

    This, although i lift heavy with less reps and min 3 sets
  • yksdoris
    yksdoris Posts: 327 Member
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    I always do a cardio warm up a good 7-10 minutes and hit it pretty hard get a good sweat going, then I do my weights, sweating like a pig, and then go do another 20+ of cardio depending on the day, and how much time I have that day :)
    this is what I do, too. Except for the last bit of cardio because my weight training is actually pretty cardio-friendly (for example, right now I'm doing split-jumps as part of my routine. Before that it was squat-leg-raise-to-elbow which looked like a slowed-down cancan but let me tell ya, it got my heart going!)

    When I was first starting out though, I did 10 min warm-up, then a grouping of 3 strength excercises (15 to 20 reps, 3 sets each), then 10 minutes of cardio, then another grouping of 2 or 3 strength excercises etc; ending with a nice long 20-30 min cardio bit.

    The rule of thumb is to not spend more than 1,5 hours working out but to use that time to really break a sweat! And, whenever you do strength, always warm up properly first, otherwise you cramp (I learned that the hard way, lol)
  • nlwilliamson
    nlwilliamson Posts: 225 Member
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    the trainer I have been working with wants me to to strength training first (weights or machines) because after a lot of cardio it can make you a little fatigued so you can't put as much into your strength training.
    He has me doing 10-15min warm up (treadmill, bike or elliptical) then strength, then my cardio.

    seems to be working for me :)
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    Strength training 3 times a week and cardio twice tops if you must, IMO.

    That's a tad absolute, isn't it? Surely it depends on goals.... ?
    I was assuming weightloss at a sensible rate.
  • yksdoris
    yksdoris Posts: 327 Member
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    Strength training 3 times a week and cardio twice tops if you must, IMO.

    That's a tad absolute, isn't it? Surely it depends on goals.... ?
    I was assuming weightloss at a sensible rate.

    well, uh... I average twice a week. I did before I started MFP and I still do. The weight I've lost is really, truly 80% because of what I (don't) eat rather than how many hours I spend in the gym. Gym is just to get my body toned up and improve my overall condition, but I don't rely on the calories I burn there.

    Now, granted, I set my goal to a loss of 1 lb/week because I was in no hurry and I wasn't all that heavy to begin with but for my height I was, in fact, obese. I'm now aaaalmost in the normal range and I do see the weight loss going harder but that's because I'm getting closer and closer to my goal. And, my BMR is at 1240.
  • l3rob
    l3rob Posts: 28 Member
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    If you do weights and cardio in the same day, do the weights first...

    ^^This - Trainer told me the same thing and to be sure to eat (protein shake will do) within an hour of exercise. He also said only do 20-25 minutes of cardio if you do it on the same day. If you alternate days with strength training and cardio, do 30-35 minutes of cardio. (this does not apply to highly fit athletes....)
  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
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    I personally do my cardio and weights at different time of the day, but I would always do weights before cardio if I had to chose.
  • schwest76
    schwest76 Posts: 77 Member
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    I do weights then 30 minutes of cardio. I wouldn't have any energy left if I did cardio first. I've seen more results doing it this way than when I was just doing cardio.

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