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    Cardio before or after weight lifting?

    Posts: 575 Member
    edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
    Which do you think is best for fat loss?

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    • Posts: 262 Member
      bump...im interested in what people think
    • Posts: 10,413 Member
      after
    • Posts: 2,050 Member
      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.
    • Posts: 74 Member
      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.
    • Posts: 356
      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:
    • Posts: 152
      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.
    • Posts: 157
      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.
    • Posts: 13,247 Member
      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.
    • Posts: 2,091 Member
      Both. At the same time. While riding a unicycle.
    • Posts: 327 Member
      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.
    • Posts: 3,845 Member
      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.
    • Posts: 336 Member
      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!
    • Posts: 448 Member
      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.
    • Posts: 1,333 Member
      Cardio in morning on empty stomack.

      Weights at night.
    • Posts: 13
      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
    • Posts: 141
      I like to do cardio after, so I can give it to my weights harder!
    • Posts: 4,500 Member
      The combination which keep the intensity of the overall workout the highest depending on the individual.
    • Posts: 474 Member
      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.
    • Posts: 10,413 Member
      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?
    • Posts: 779 Member
      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.
    • Posts: 1,377 Member
      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.
    • Posts: 141
      show previous quotes

      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.
    • Posts: 220 Member
      After. Its to hard and probibly not safe to properly lift weights when I'm tired.
    • Posts: 136 Member
      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...
    • Posts: 415 Member
      After.
    • Posts: 1,394 Member
      Go after. You need all the strength you can get for the weights!
    • Posts: 10,413 Member
      show previous quotes

      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.
    • Posts: 1,949 Member
      Always lift before cardio.
    • Posts: 139 Member
      show previous quotes

      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...
    • Posts: 2,213 Member
      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
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