Cardio and weight training, how do mix it?

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imarlett
imarlett Posts: 228 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I plan to start incorporating weight training with my exercise program next week.

I have heard various ways to combine cardio and weights but I am not sure which is the safest workout.
I have heard to warm up 15 minutes on the treadmill, do the weights then do 30 minutes of medium to hard cardio.
I have heard do weights first then 45 minutes of cardio, then vice versa...
I do have a bum knee and I do not want to injure it.
What is everyone's experience with this? Which one produces better results?
Thank you!

Replies

  • imagymrat
    imagymrat Posts: 862 Member
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    I can share what works for me. I do a 10 minute cardio warm up, then hit the weights for an hour or more, then finish with 60 minutes of cardio, usually a class...If I do my cardio first, I'm spent when it comes to lifting, I choose to lift heavy weights and need all my energy that the cardio would suck right out of me of I did it first.
  • lilchino4af
    lilchino4af Posts: 1,292 Member
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    If you're wanting to do both strength training and cardio on the same day/time, then strength first. Start with 5-10 mins of light cardio to warm up your muscles, then stretch and do weights. Follow up with your medium-high cardio and cooldown. This is so you have the energy to do weights properly and safely while still having the stamina for cardio.
  • hallswan
    hallswan Posts: 90
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    I think it depends on you - but I will do 30mins cardio - whether it is running or cross trainer - then I do weight - then I finish with short cardio sessions or sometimes just stretching if I go quite heavy as I normally have slight tremors afterwards

    My programme goes a bit like this

    Monday - Cross trainer - 30min - weights - squats, lunges, dead lift, leg press, abductor, adductor, leg curl, leg extension (reps x 4 of 10)
    Tuesday - running 30 mins, spin 45
    Wednesday - swimming
    Thursday - cross trainer 30min - weight - Chest Press, shoulder press (with dumbells), single arm row, cleans, dorsal rises
    Friday off
    Saturday - Zumba & 30min other cardio
    Sunday - 7-10km run

    I vary this up a bit - and do a bit of core every day - I only do weights twice a week, and that seems enough for me - but I am naturally quite strong - so I can bring my weights up quite quickly - but on the down side, I bulk up quite quickly - so I am careful not to do too much

    As for the knee - if you are doing weights at the gym ask for some help;/advice to make sure you are doing the technique properly and then you should be fine - most injuries occur because you lift too much weight which throws your technique off, or you just have bad technique - a gym instructor - or one session with a PT should help

    Just find what is easier for you and enjoy!
  • imarlett
    imarlett Posts: 228 Member
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    I can share what works for me. I do a 10 minute cardio warm up, then hit the weights for an hour or more, then finish with 60 minutes of cardio, usually a class...If I do my cardio first, I'm spent when it comes to lifting, I choose to lift heavy weights and need all my energy that the cardio would suck right out of me of I did it first.

    I have to ask, how many hours a day do you work out? It seems from your response its 2.5 hours. Isn't that a lot ? Or is that normal if you are in shape?
  • MissingMinnesota
    MissingMinnesota Posts: 7,486 Member
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    This is what my trainer has set up for me on the days I train with her.
    Streach
    Warm up 5-10 minutes medium speed
    When weight training between machines or exercise do a 30-60 second cardio blast (sprinting, high level eliptical, half mile on the bike, etc) that keeps your heart rate up while doing weight training.
    My weight training session last 30 minutes
    After the session do cardio for atleast 20 minutes
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    Do what works best for you. If you are just adding weights, then you won't really be lifting enough or working hard enough (or at least you shouldn't be at first) to require a tremendous amount of energy.

    If you work hard at one or the other, it will most likely affect the quality of the subsequent part of the workout. So choose first whichever you want to emphasize.

    In most cases, I prefer to do cardio first, because my cardio workout would absolutely suck if I tried to do it after lifting--it would be a complete waste of time (for me). Usually I can do a pretty good effort at strength training (even including some PR lifts in the past) after doing cardio workouts--even harder or longer ones. But sometimes, the quality of my strength workout suffers because of fatigue. If I really want to emphasize strength for a day, then I will just do a brief cardio warm up and I won't do cardio at all--unless I do a second workout later in the day.

    But that's what works for me--others prefer a different set up.

    The main point is that there is no "best" way for everyone. This is one of those peripheral distractions that I address in my other post on "FOCUS" that's still rattling around on the front page (I think). For someone like yourself, who is just starting a lifting program, it is of ZERO significance. Focus your efforts on learning how to lift properly.

    And dismiss out of hand anyone who tries to tell you to lift weights first because "you'll burn more fat during cardio".
  • imagymrat
    imagymrat Posts: 862 Member
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    I can share what works for me. I do a 10 minute cardio warm up, then hit the weights for an hour or more, then finish with 60 minutes of cardio, usually a class...If I do my cardio first, I'm spent when it comes to lifting, I choose to lift heavy weights and need all my energy that the cardio would suck right out of me of I did it first.

    I have to ask, how many hours a day do you work out? It seems from your response its 2.5 hours. Isn't that a lot ? Or is that normal if you are in shape?

    I have to say i'm not the norm. I compete and also work in a gym, so I tend to put a little more time in then most people would, my average "regular" client, and in that I mean someone who is looking to get in exercise and just be healthy, would be 20-30 minutes or so of cardio and approximately 30-45 of weights, you can definitely fit everything in in an hour if you use your time wisely.but as Azdak pointed out, there's days where you can strictly focus on lifting and others only on cardio.
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    I do 5 minutes of cardio warm up (jump rope), then about 30-40 minutes of strength training, then usually go for a walk for 30 minutes. Cardio days I will do 30-40 minutes of harder cardio.

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