Cardio before or after weight lifting?

laurasimmons
laurasimmons Posts: 575 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Which do you think is best for fat loss?
«13

Replies

  • pinkgumdrop123
    pinkgumdrop123 Posts: 262 Member
    bump...im interested in what people think
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    after
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 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.
  • xoTammyox
    xoTammyox 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.
  • MissLuana
    MissLuana 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:
  • beanerific518
    beanerific518 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.
  • aaeros
    aaeros 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.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn 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.
  • TeachTheGirl
    TeachTheGirl Posts: 2,091 Member
    Both. At the same time. While riding a unicycle.
  • yksdoris
    yksdoris 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.
  • neverstray
    neverstray 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.
  • John2347
    John2347 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!
  • birdieaz
    birdieaz 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.
  • Charlie003
    Charlie003 Posts: 1,333 Member
    Cardio in morning on empty stomack.

    Weights at night.
  • smily159
    smily159 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
  • embercakez
    embercakez Posts: 141
    I like to do cardio after, so I can give it to my weights harder!
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    The combination which keep the intensity of the overall workout the highest depending on the individual.
  • Goal_Line
    Goal_Line 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.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt 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?
  • csuhar
    csuhar 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.
  • bagge72
    bagge72 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.
  • embercakez
    embercakez Posts: 141
    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
    mdbs2004 Posts: 220 Member
    After. Its to hard and probibly not safe to properly lift weights when I'm tired.
  • BruhManFif
    BruhManFif 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...
  • Joannie30
    Joannie30 Posts: 415 Member
    After.
  • RedHeadDevotchka
    RedHeadDevotchka Posts: 1,394 Member
    Go after. You need all the strength you can get for the weights!
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt 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?

    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
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
    Always lift before cardio.
  • tom_olech
    tom_olech Posts: 139 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?

    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
    hughtwalker 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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