Cardio or Strength Training - What goes first?

dxtra30
dxtra30 Posts: 498 Member
edited January 14 in Fitness and Exercise
When doing exercising is it best to start with Cardio then do Strength training ? Or Strength first then Cardio??
I figure I'd ask you the experts on here.. Thanks!

Replies

  • Raybug0903
    Raybug0903 Posts: 86 Member
    A trainer once told me it's better to strength train before cardio because your muscles will be more tired and not work to their maximum capacity if done after cardio. Good luck!
  • dxtra30
    dxtra30 Posts: 498 Member
    A trainer once told me it's better to strength train before cardio because your muscles will be more tired and not work to their maximum capacity if done after cardio. Good luck!

    That makes sense.. Thank so much! :)
  • 10kaday
    10kaday Posts: 177
    I do cardio in morning and strength training in the evening. Ultimately, I don't think it matters. If you do it all in morning, I'd think doing cardio first is better because you get the blood flowing and you loosen up your muscles. Going straight into strength training on cold muscles is never a good idea. Always need to warm up. Cardio is good warm up.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    A trainer once told me it's better to strength train before cardio because your muscles will be more tired and not work to their maximum capacity if done after cardio. Good luck!

    However, if you are doing strength training correctly you shouldn't have much energy left to do cardio.

    Proper strength training for me causes me to be tired and my muscles feel like jelly.

    OP, what about doing them on opposite days? Strength one day, cardio the next.... you shouldn't lift for the same muscles two days in a row.
  • dxtra30
    dxtra30 Posts: 498 Member
    A trainer once told me it's better to strength train before cardio because your muscles will be more tired and not work to their maximum capacity if done after cardio. Good luck!

    However, if you are doing strength training correctly you shouldn't have much energy left to do cardio.

    Proper strength training for me causes me to be tired and my muscles feel like jelly.

    OP, what about doing them on opposite days? Strength one day, cardio the next.... you shouldn't lift for the same muscles two days in a row.

    Good Point!.. That make sense to break it up..
  • aj445
    aj445 Posts: 183 Member
    I think it depends on your goals. My priority is running, and training for the marathon in May. so I strength train 1 day a week that I'm not running and at least 2 or 3 other days a week after my run. I'm not looking to bulk up or build a lot of muscle just enough to be strong, toned, and ready to run :)
  • lilmisfit
    lilmisfit Posts: 860 Member
    I do strength training first, then cardio.
  • baldzach
    baldzach Posts: 1,841 Member
    I think it depends on your goals. My priority is running, and training for the marathon in May. so I strength train 1 day a week that I'm not running and at least 2 or 3 other days a week after my run. I'm not looking to bulk up or build a lot of muscle just enough to be strong, toned, and ready to run :)

    This. If your goal is to body build or add muscle mass, do strength first. If your goal is to run a marathon, do cardio first. That said, if you can separate them into completely separate workouts (either different days or morning/afternoon or whatever), that's better for all cases.
  • dxtra30
    dxtra30 Posts: 498 Member
    I think it depends on your goals. My priority is running, and training for the marathon in May. so I strength train 1 day a week that I'm not running and at least 2 or 3 other days a week after my run. I'm not looking to bulk up or build a lot of muscle just enough to be strong, toned, and ready to run :)

    This. If your goal is to body build or add muscle mass, do strength first. If your goal is to run a marathon, do cardio first. That said, if you can separate them into completely separate workouts (either different days or morning/afternoon or whatever), that's better for all cases.

    Great Post!.. Thanks for heads up!!
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    I think it depends on your goals. My priority is running, and training for the marathon in May. so I strength train 1 day a week that I'm not running and at least 2 or 3 other days a week after my run. I'm not looking to bulk up or build a lot of muscle just enough to be strong, toned, and ready to run :)

    As a female you will not bulk up unless you take drugs to help you do so.

    Strength training is a great addition as it will help you retain more muscle mass while in a calorie deficit. When trying to lose weight you lose some muscle along the way... strength train to help preserve it.
  • Reza151
    Reza151 Posts: 517 Member
    I HATE cardio (except for zumba and kickboxing). The onyl way to make myself do cardio is with a book on the elliptical, stairclimber, or stationary bike. As such, I've noticed that in the past, I wouldn't typically give myself enough time to do cardio, and kept putting it off by doing more weight training instead. So i do cardio first, to get it over with.

    HOWEVER, according to the fitness director at my college's gym, doing strength training first is better beacuse the first 30 minutes of exercise is just lowering your blood sugar/emptying your glycogen stores. You don't start burning calories really until after that.
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