Resistance Training Before or After Cardio?

LonnaRox
LonnaRox Posts: 38 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
What order is optimal for fat burning ... resistance before or After cardio? And why?

I've been reading lots of conflicting info on this topic. Does anyone have personal results to share?

Thanks,

Lonna

Replies

  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    You will get varying opinions and stats.

    Personally, I do cardio warm up with dynamic stretching ( I like butt kicks, knee raises, etc), some moderate cardio, and then start mixing in strength training. Do that for about 20-30 minutes, then on to 20 minutes of mostly strength traiing with a bit of cardio. I do static stretching as part of my cool down. That works for me so your mileage may vary.
  • Mulikme
    Mulikme Posts: 30 Member
    My trainer has me do 10 minutes of cardio as a warm up. Then I switch to resistance training and finish with at least another 20 minutes of cardio.
  • AMBlass
    AMBlass Posts: 161
    Resistance training and then cardio. Resistance training needs a lot of your glycogen stores for energy, so if you burn through it in cardio, you might find yourself weaker. I know I do.
  • dstromley1
    dstromley1 Posts: 165
    Resistance training and then cardio. Resistance training needs a lot of your glycogen stores for energy, so if you burn through it in cardio, you might find yourself weaker. I know I do.
    this
  • terrie_k
    terrie_k Posts: 406 Member
    My trainer has me do 10 minutes of cardio as a warm up. Then I switch to resistance training and finish with at least another 20 minutes of cardio.

    Same here, 10 cardio, resistence (30 +) then 30 cardio.
  • LonnaRox
    LonnaRox Posts: 38 Member
    Thank you for your input.

    For my last workout, I tried resistance training first ... then cardio. I noticed the resistance training seemed 'harder' and no difference in cardio difficulty. I'm going to continue resistance first, then cardio ... I'll let you know my results.
  • funhouse77
    funhouse77 Posts: 179 Member
    Always a little cardio first to warm up, 10-15 minutes is usually enough, then resistence, then back to cardio.
  • AmyBecky74
    AmyBecky74 Posts: 437 Member
    For me I hate resistance trainning. so I get that in first while I have energy, then I do cardio ( I love cardio so I can do that even when I'm tired). I noticed if I do cardio first I give up on the resistance part. I figured getting in the resistance first (even if it's not the best order) is better than no resistance at all. Although i'm done 25 lbs so the order I do it can't be all that bad.
  • Liftnlove
    Liftnlove Posts: 235
    If your goals are strength or looking better naked, lift first.

    If your goal is endurance, such as running a marathon or training for an IronMan, do Cardio first.
  • T1mH
    T1mH Posts: 568 Member
    Many say resistance first so that your not tired and have the best form. It's harder to lift with proper form if your already tired from cardio.
  • T1mH
    T1mH Posts: 568 Member
    double post
  • curlygirly80
    curlygirly80 Posts: 176
    I was alwayz told weights first then cardio, you will burn more calories that way.
  • rogerbosch
    rogerbosch Posts: 343 Member
    Excerpt from The New Rules of Lifting:

    "You could divide all lifters into two groups, based on how they warm up:

    Group 1 gets on a treadmill or stationary bike and stays there for somewhere be- tween fifteen and thirty minutes. I’m not sure how anyone in this group arrives at the optimum time to tread or cycle, but I suspect it has something to do with the length of the magazine articles they’re reading or the segment on CNN on the TV overhead.

    Group 2 loads up a barbell and starts lifting.

    Now, the people in Group 1 may literally get warm, but they don’t do anything to prepare their bodies to lift weights. And when they do finally get around to lifting, they tend to do it about as intensely as they pedaled that bike. (Remember New Rule #7: Don’t “do the machines.”)

    The people in Group 2 tend to be the most serious, hardest-working lifters in the gym. (And I should note that they’re often a lot stronger than I am.) But they don’t do anything special to prepare their bodies for lifting, either. I’ve seen these guys walk in and start lifting with 90 percent of the maximum weight they’re going to use on that exercise.

    I hope to get two ideas across in this chapter:

    1. You will lift better, with less risk of injury, if you take a few minutes to prepare your body for the task.
    2. Walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike doesn’t prepare your body for the task of lifting heavy weights."

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