Cardio then lift or lift then Cardio?

Unless we're talking about doing curls with pink rubberized dumbbells that weigh 3 lbs, always always always do lifting first, and to get even more nuanced, do the biggest lifts first. Finish with cardio. Warm-ups do not count as cardio, and you're better off doing a dynamic warm-up that emphasizes flexibility and range of motion than hopping on a treadmill for 5 minutes.

If you are doing cardio properly, you will be too tired afterward to lift with proper form. Cardio should be a finisher to a strength training session or should be a workout unto itself. It should not precede heavy lifting, ever.

Unless we're talking about doing curls with pink rubberized dumbbells that weigh 3 lbs, always always always do lifting first, and to get even more nuanced, do the biggest lifts first. Finish with cardio. Warm-ups do not count as cardio, and you're better off doing a dynamic warm-up that emphasizes flexibility and range of motion than hopping on a treadmill for 5 minutes.

If you are doing cardio properly, you will be too tired afterward to lift with proper form. Cardio should be a finisher to a strength training session or should be a workout unto itself. It should not precede heavy lifting, ever.

Hoping to only clarify, not derail...

Is that always the case, or are you assuming full body lifting? For example, could someone run 5 miles then put in a solid upper body workout?

Depends on your goals and what you're focusing on. Personally, I'm working on strength and definition so I lift heavy first...then do cardio. Otherwise, I'd be too tired to lift asmuch as I'd like to.

This will sound redundant.....

1.Warm-up
2.Lift/Strength training
3.Cardio/Conditioning

Back in HS we always did conditioning at the end of practice. Similar???

I warm up for about 10 minutes, then lift, then do about 20-30 more minutes of cardio.

This one! I think of it as 20 / 20 / 20 - 10 mins warm up then 20 mins toning / weights, 20 mins cardio, 20 mins of mat work (crunches, planks, press ups) then 10 min stretch and cool down. Feel great afterwards espesh with a playlist on my mp3 player suited to each part.

Good luck!

I think studies will show that in terms of burning calories, you should lift first, then do cardio. That way you will be in full fat-burning mode by the time you do cardio.

My personal take is that if I'm planning to do both, I try to figure out which one I'm more motivated to do at that moment and do the other thing first.

I been doing cardio for a 5-10 min warm up, lift and then end with cardio

Reserve your energy for whatever your goals are focused on.

If your goals are to become a better runner/cyclist, run and cycle first.

If your goals are to get stronger, lift first.

Do whatever works for you. This site has some great info..

http://exercise.about.com/od/gettingweightlossresults/a/Cardio-Before-Strength-Training.htm

Since when did 5-10 min of a warm-up equal cardio. I must've missed that memo.

LOL!

I find a good warmup is to do abs before training. By the time I am done with abs I am sweating and my HR has gone from 65 to around 110 after maxing out at around 125.

But that doesnt mean do abs, then go right into your first set of squats. Should still make sure the groups of muscles you are going to be working hard are properly warmed up too. This is also age dependent mind you. I warm up way more now at 38 than I ever did at 18.

While there really isn't a *right* way to do it, I have found that I'm much less sore if I go for a 30 min run after lifting.

I heard (at my gym, from one of the personal trainers, for what it's worth) that if you have an hour to dedicate to working out, you should do 20 minutes of cardio, followed by 20 minutes of lifting, followed by 20 minutes of cardio. The idea is that the first 20 minutes of cardio are to be done at lower heart rates (fat burning mode) to use up the glycogen stores so that when you are lifting you are likely in fat burning mode (glycogen stores are likely empty by this time). The last 20 minutes of cardio are to burn calories (if done at higher heart rates) and support your metabolism for the rest of the day or evening.

Seems plausible, but I can't confirm.

Unless we're talking about doing curls with pink rubberized dumbbells that weigh 3 lbs, always always always do lifting first, and to get even more nuanced, do the biggest lifts first. Finish with cardio. Warm-ups do not count as cardio, and you're better off doing a dynamic warm-up that emphasizes flexibility and range of motion than hopping on a treadmill for 5 minutes.

If you are doing cardio properly, you will be too tired afterward to lift with proper form. Cardio should be a finisher to a strength training session or should be a workout unto itself. It should not precede heavy lifting, ever.

I don't lift with your pink 3lb dumbbells and I am able to do 30 minutes of hard cardio before I lift (heavy) and I'm not too exhausted and I lift (heavy)with proper form. However I don't do a full body workout. I work one muscle group a day (alternating abs and legs) which could probably be why I am able to do my workouts the way I have been for years and have no problems. I am still able to lift heavy and during my cardio session -- depending on what I am doing -- my HR can get up to 170+ BPM. I'm dripping with sweat and panting so to say that if you can actually do a hard cardio session and then are able to lift heavy weights means "your doing it wrong" is a blanket statement. I've said it a billion times: I have to do cardio every day or else I will gain weight. How do I know this? Because I was one of those 'Phaw! Cardio! I don't need it!" and with MY body and how I am I do need it. I also know that if I don't do cardio before I do my lifting I'm not going to do cardio (which circles back to the fact that I need to do cardio or else I will gain weight. It doesn't matter how much or how little I eat I will gain weight). When I'm done lifting all I want to do is go home.

I get results doing it the way I have been. Cardio leans me out lifting gives me muscles.

I think this argument is one that will go on and on and on forever and there will always be disagreements as to what is "best" but it really comes down to the individual and what works best for them.

And just to be clear, I am not being snarky, nasty or rude. I'm not trying to provoke an argument, derail or whatever either.

This gets asked every week. Search the boards and you will find plenty of info. It doesn't really matter though.