Which came first?

kakes80
kakes80 Posts: 251 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
For me a high Cardio works for me first before strength training. Is it the correct to do it that way? I have a lot of weight to shred off so I was wondering if its the proper way? If I do strength training first it feels like I barely have the energy to do the High Cardio workout after it.

So which comes first, Strength before Cardio, or Cardio before Strength?

Replies

  • _noob_
    _noob_ Posts: 3,306 Member
    Strength training always.
  • __RANDY__
    __RANDY__ Posts: 1,036 Member
    Strength training always.
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
    From what Ive read Strength in the AM cardio in the PM or Strenght first. Dont ask me why ive read the information but I cant recite it nor remember the mechanics behind it. Im sure some one will explain it in great detail if you want to know.
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,010 Member
    Strength training always.
  • kakes80
    kakes80 Posts: 251 Member
    Thanks everyone. I just saw the other post in this same forum. I appreciate it :)
  • PennStateChick
    PennStateChick Posts: 327 Member
    The best workout is the one you like, because you will continue doing it. Everyone has their own opinion of what works best and how you will get the best results. Personally, I say it is up to you and your preferences. I do cardio first followed by strength.
  • MommaKit79
    MommaKit79 Posts: 852
    Thanks for posting this Shawna!! I'll be watching for other responses as well!! :-)
  • FitBeto
    FitBeto Posts: 2,121 Member
    I dance so i dont have that problem.

    I feel the music
  • _DaniD_
    _DaniD_ Posts: 2,186 Member
    There is no right way to do it. Do whatever you feel works best for you.
  • chubby_checkers
    chubby_checkers Posts: 2,352 Member
    I dance so i dont have that problem.

    I feel the music

    You're so pretty.
  • K_Serz
    K_Serz Posts: 1,299 Member
    Strength training always.

    ^^THIS

    Also, it sounds like from your OP you are in a hurry. Like you want all the weight you have gained over X amount of time, to be shed in Y amount of time.

    PATIENCE
  • Bronx_Montgomery
    Bronx_Montgomery Posts: 2,284 Member
    Strength train first then do cardio after
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Like anything there are two schools of thought on this. And it very much depends on what your goals are. If you are looking to increase strength or build muscle, doing high intensity cardio before you work out will not work.
    I do not have this problem. I sweat way too much during cardio to be able to lift weights after. I don't feel like being drenched while lifting so lifting always comes first.
    That said, I don't usually do high intensity or hard cardio and heavy lifting on the same day, I'll alternate days. You don't need to kill yourself with cardio everyday nor do you have to lift hard every day.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    For me a high Cardio works for me first before strength training. Is it the correct to do it that way? I have a lot of weight to shred off so I was wondering if its the proper way? If I do strength training first it feels like I barely have the energy to do the High Cardio workout after it.

    So which comes first, Strength before Cardio, or Cardio before Strength?

    If cardio first works for you, then it seems you already have your answer.

    Personally, when I do both back to back, I like cardio first too because I can recover from it faster. A short 5 min break and I can still give my strength training the power it needs. But if I've really given strength training what I feel I should, I'm going to be too weak for cardio.
  • llkilgore
    llkilgore Posts: 1,169 Member
    I do my main cardio and strength training on alternating days and always warm up with a few minutes of cardio before strength training. I stretch after both. Wrong?
  • MommaKit79
    MommaKit79 Posts: 852
    Strength training always.

    ^^THIS

    Also, it sounds like from your OP you are in a hurry. Like you want all the weight you have gained over X amount of time, to be shed in Y amount of time.

    PATIENCE

    I dont believe that is what she is saying in her OP. I think she is just saying she wants the most effective way, not the quickest. Sometimes how some people do things are more effective and better for the body then doing it another way. If Strength Training first builds better muscle or causes more effective cardio then that is what we want to do. We all dont have the hours to spend in the gym or doing our workouts so we want our time to be effective. That is all. :-)
  • kakes80
    kakes80 Posts: 251 Member
    Yes I wasn't asking to see what the quickest way was, I was asking because I was asked this question and then I wondered myself. I did read today that it is best to do Strength first to prevent injury. But I was just kind of wondering what others were thinking. People assume too much out of simple questions. ugh.... Thank you for your responses. :) I really do appreciate them.
  • Ta2dchic20
    Ta2dchic20 Posts: 376 Member
    The best workout is the one you like, because you will continue doing it. Everyone has their own opinion of what works best and how you will get the best results. Personally, I say it is up to you and your preferences. I do cardio first followed by strength.

    ^ I agree. I don't have the energy for much cardio other than the bike after strength training. Do what works best for you, that you know you'll be able to stick with. In the end, you'll follow the program longer.
  • kakes80
    kakes80 Posts: 251 Member
    And let me clarify. When I said I have a lot of weight to shred it initially had nothing to do with the question. I was saying it because I do a lot of Cardio to shred the weight. I have a workout where I Strength training in one and Cardio in the other. I always feel better doing the cardio first because its harder for me. I was doing one before the other (strength before cardio) but I was be so worn out half way through cardio when I did it that way. I was just wondering thats all.
  • kakes80
    kakes80 Posts: 251 Member
    The best workout is the one you like, because you will continue doing it. Everyone has their own opinion of what works best and how you will get the best results. Personally, I say it is up to you and your preferences. I do cardio first followed by strength.

    ^ I agree. I don't have the energy for much cardio other than the bike after strength training. Do what works best for you, that you know you'll be able to stick with. In the end, you'll follow the program longer.

    Thank you both for this :)
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
    I'm backwards, twisted and old. So i swim 72 to 110 laps first. Then hit the weight room. I need the long warmup.
    On weekends I have more time to spread out the workouts. Swim at 6AM, lift at 11:30 with my son. Then swim again at 3:30 with my daughter.
  • kakes80
    kakes80 Posts: 251 Member
    I'm backwards, twisted and old. So i swim 72 to 110 laps first. Then hit the weight room. I need the long warmup.
    On weekends I have more time to spread out the workouts. Swim at 6AM, lift at 11:30 with my son. Then swim again at 3:30 with my daughter.

    Thats a lot of laps! Well done :)
  • MommaKit79
    MommaKit79 Posts: 852
    Here is an article that was found that helps explain it...

    http://www.sbcoachescollege.com/articles/SmartCardiotoBurnFat.html

    It says to do Strength then Cardio but, if the other way works best for you, then go for it. You have to do what is best for you and how you feel better and can get thru a workout.
  • wareagle8706
    wareagle8706 Posts: 1,090 Member
    Strength before cardio.

    You need the power at the beginning to get through the strength part. As for the cardio, you get a great cardio workout because you'll be trying your hardest, even if it's not as high intensity as you feel like it should be.
  • Lt_Starbuck
    Lt_Starbuck Posts: 576 Member
    I do them on separate days.
  • kakes80
    kakes80 Posts: 251 Member
    I had a friend post this just now in a group:

    You want to lift first before cardio. The goal of cardio is fat loss. Your body burns 4 things for fuel, muscle glycogen, liver glycogen Blood Borne amino acids and then fat. It takes 25-30 minutes of working out to get to the point where you are burning fat. So you do the lifting/resistance training first because you utilize these first three sources to be able to lift heavier and build more muscle, and then you do cardio. This also decreases injury because of fatigue both in your body and in your muscles.


    :)
  • Lt_Starbuck
    Lt_Starbuck Posts: 576 Member
    plus your weights routine will keep that burn going all day, whereas the burn from cardio tapers off pretty fast.
  • KimberlyDCZ
    KimberlyDCZ Posts: 525 Member
    The other day, I read somewhere about how someone does cardio before and after strength training. It helps burn more calories. I'm not sure how this works or how accurate it is. They seemed to have a hard time explaining how/why. I workout at Curves which is a circuit workout alternating cardio and strength but I can't do Curves on Zumba days without feeling worn out during Zumba. So I do Curves M, W, F and Zumba on T, Th. Sometimes I walk half mile at 3mph before my Curves workout and repeat that afterwards (it seems to work well, but I don't have time for this)
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    I'm sure somebody already posted this but just in case...

    Strength first. You want maximum output from your muscles AND proper form. If you are winded and or muscles are tired, your bound to cheat a bit with bad from and not reach your maximum weight per exercise.
  • KimberlyDCZ
    KimberlyDCZ Posts: 525 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/915330-cardio-then-lift-or-lift-then-cardio

    This thread has a lot of people doing a cardio warmup (15 mins max) then lift then cardio (30 mins +)

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