Cardio and Strength training...same day????

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  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    Wow, you strength train 6 days/week? What strength program are you following?

    I would suggest finding a 3 day program and do cardio opposite days. You can do it the way you are but will not be the most effective use of your workouts and recovery


    I'm not following a program. I just split my strength training into three muscle groups and do them twice a week which equals 6 days.

    I will guess back, upper body, and lower body.



    That seems like a good split, I may try that.

    right now I have a three way split like this:

    Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
    Biceps, Back, Abs
    Legs and butt

    I like to do opposing muscles.

    biceps and triceps
    quad and hamstrings is a challenge. Can never do both heavy.
    chest and back.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    That cool but next time try a PR for running a mile then try PR for any muscle group. Something is going to give.

    And how much energy is actually burned in running a mile?

    http://www.runnersworld.com/weight-loss/mythbusting-running-mile-always-burns-same-calories

    I've seen lots of track runners at meets set a PR in a distance such as the mile, and also in other events on the same day.

    Track runners who train a lot. Not average people.

    Also I like to see any fitness person at any top level set a PR in a cardio event then go set a PR in squats or dead lift same sessions. Then ask them how many years if decades they have been training.
  • FlowerFairy493
    FlowerFairy493 Posts: 182
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    I do this daily. I work my muscles through the week, and in addition to that I walk 3-5 miles a day.

    I have to.

    Because I like to eat.

    A lot. ;P
  • auticus
    auticus Posts: 1,051 Member
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    I do both all the time.
  • TMM211073
    TMM211073 Posts: 153 Member
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    On upper body day I do 10 minutes rowing machine, 10 minutes arm bike (Upper Ergometer I think it's actually called) and then I do 45 minutes of upper body strength work - high reps at low weight; I then finish my routine with 15 minutes on the cross/elliptical trainer.

    On lower body day I do 15 minutes on the cross/elliptical trainer, then I do 30 minutes of lower body strength work - again high reps and low weight, then I finish my routine with 30 minutes on the upright exercise bike.

    On Power Plates day I do 10 minutes exercise bike, 10 minutes rowing machine, then I do a 25 minute Power Plate routine (which is both strength & cardio); then I finish my routine with 10 minutes on the Wave (it's a bit like the Thigh Master thing that Thane Direct advertise) and another 6 minutes on the exercise bike.

    I do these routines in order, every other day, on the days between these programs I just do an hour on the exercise bike, or go for a walk, depending on my mood and the weather.

    My weekly routine looks something like this:

    Day 1 - Upper Body
    Day 2 - Cycling or Walking
    Day 3 - Lower Body
    Day 4 - Cycling or Walking
    Day 5 - Power Plates
    Day 6 - Cycling or Walking
    Day 7 - Rest Day

    I have always done cardio and strength on the same day, and it hasn't killed me yet, but it has killed 156lb or weight - which is almost half my starting weight (I only have another 3lb to go to have lost more weight than I actually weigh).

    To be honest, I think so long as you haven't been advised against it for medical reasons, then what harm can it do, so long as you're sensible and listen to your body, if it tells you it needs a break - give it a break....

    xXx
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
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    There's nothing wrong with it, after a heavy workout I tend to be able to squeeze in 20-30 minutes of cardio after my heavy workouts. On my days inbetween lifting I tend to do more cardio. Dead lift and squats really take it out of me so I find myself not able to do a ton of cardio afterwords on the same day.
  • joe_piercey
    joe_piercey Posts: 12
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    Ya it's fine but do the cardio after your lifting. Your muscles will get more of a workout.

    Can you explain the why about this? I do my weight lifting after cardio and now I'm worried I'm doing it wrong. :)

    I'm no doctor, but what I've learned from personal trainers and general research along the way is that any kind of work you do (cardio or weights) your muscles use glycogen as the source of energy. When you do weight lifting first, you expend that energy source and your body must use something else to create energy for cardio work - so it burns fat!! The key is not to go too long at the cardio after this or you just go into survival mode where the body will break down muscle as a simpler way of getting energy. So 20 minutes of cardio at the end of an intense weight workout is lots. But if your weight workouts are not as intense you can afford to do more cardio beacuse you have glycogen left.

    The problem with cardio first is that you expend some or all of the glycogen your muscles need in order to lift. Because most people want to get stronger and burn fat, cardio first is counter-productive. Weights first followed by cardio, and then followed with a recover meal, is the way to strength and fat loss.

    Again, I'm no doctor. I'm not a certified trainer either. But I do intend on getting certification. I love this stuff. My first post or reply BTW. Hope it helps somebody :smile:
  • FlowerFairy493
    FlowerFairy493 Posts: 182
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    Ya it's fine but do the cardio after your lifting. Your muscles will get more of a workout.

    Can you explain the why about this? I do my weight lifting after cardio and now I'm worried I'm doing it wrong. :)

    I'm no doctor, but what I've learned from personal trainers and general research along the way is that any kind of work you do (cardio or weights) your muscles use glycogen as the source of energy. When you do weight lifting first, you expend that energy source and your body must use something else to create energy for cardio work - so it burns fat!! The key is not to go too long at the cardio after this or you just go into survival mode where the body will break down muscle as a simpler way of getting energy. So 20 minutes of cardio at the end of an intense weight workout is lots. But if your weight workouts are not as intense you can afford to do more cardio beacuse you have glycogen left.

    The problem with cardio first is that you expend some or all of the glycogen your muscles need in order to lift. Because most people want to get stronger and burn fat, cardio first is counter-productive. Weights first followed by cardio, and then followed with a recover meal, is the way to strength and fat loss.

    Again, I'm no doctor. I'm not a certified trainer either. But I do intend on getting certification. I love this stuff. My first post or reply BTW. Hope it helps somebody :smile:

    Unless you are like me and go eat cake or ice cream after your lifting sessions...:laugh: I'd say that's enough energy for some walking long distance.
  • xmichaelyx
    xmichaelyx Posts: 883 Member
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    Cardio warm-up BEFORE strength training AND cardio cool-down AFTER strength training puts the body in a greater, longer fat-burning mode.

    Ummmm no. Strength training in and of itself, will continue to burn calories after your workout is over. Cardio burns calories while doing and stops burning calories when finished.

    Strong broscience all over the place.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    Ya it's fine but do the cardio after your lifting. Your muscles will get more of a workout.

    Can you explain the why about this? I do my weight lifting after cardio and now I'm worried I'm doing it wrong. :)

    I'm no doctor, but what I've learned from personal trainers and general research along the way is that any kind of work you do (cardio or weights) your muscles use glycogen as the source of energy. When you do weight lifting first, you expend that energy source and your body must use something else to create energy for cardio work - so it burns fat!! The key is not to go too long at the cardio after this or you just go into survival mode where the body will break down muscle as a simpler way of getting energy. So 20 minutes of cardio at the end of an intense weight workout is lots. But if your weight workouts are not as intense you can afford to do more cardio beacuse you have glycogen left.

    The problem with cardio first is that you expend some or all of the glycogen your muscles need in order to lift. Because most people want to get stronger and burn fat, cardio first is counter-productive. Weights first followed by cardio, and then followed with a recover meal, is the way to strength and fat loss.

    Again, I'm no doctor. I'm not a certified trainer either. But I do intend on getting certification. I love this stuff. My first post or reply BTW. Hope it helps somebody :smile:

    So close for post number 1. Paragraph one is correct. The second one not so much from what I read and my experience. I have been working out for 8+ years. Running burns more of a closer ratio of fats, carbs, and proteins
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
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    That cool but next time try a PR for running a mile then try PR for any muscle group. Something is going to give.

    And how much energy is actually burned in running a mile?

    http://www.runnersworld.com/weight-loss/mythbusting-running-mile-always-burns-same-calories

    I've seen lots of track runners at meets set a PR in a distance such as the mile, and also in other events on the same day.

    Track runners who train a lot. Not average people.

    Also I like to see any fitness person at any top level set a PR in a cardio event then go set a PR in squats or dead lift same sessions. Then ask them how many years if decades they have been training.

    Wait a minute. First you said "try a PR for running a mile then try PR for any muscle group". Any muscle group includes upper body lifting PR's.

    Now you want to change your point to only include squats or deadlifts?

    OK. Which is it? ;-)

    Chances are that during the season, athletes who compete in running/cycling are not doing much weight lifting at all outside of perhaps a weekly maintenance session at 70-85% of their Maximum 1 lift PR, and some ongoing core work. It's during the off-season (where the race is really won based on the training they do - or don't do) that PR's are set in their lifting routine. Not to mention there is a large contigent of the endurance athlete that avoids weights, instead focusing on the actual activity for gains and improvements. Without working through the phases of lifting again during the season to get to PR's - I doubt any endurance athlete will be able to set a PR on a day they did cardio, or a day they didn't do cardio due to how their season is built.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Wow, you strength train 6 days/week? What strength program are you following?

    I would suggest finding a 3 day program and do cardio opposite days. You can do it the way you are but will not be the most effective use of your workouts and recovery


    I'm not following a program. I just split my strength training into three muscle groups and do them twice a week which equals 6 days.

    I will guess back, upper body, and lower body.

    Oh a bro split? That is not ideal for beginners and is aimed more for body builders.
    I would suggest 3 day/week full body or upper lower split done twice each 4day/week, or maybe a push/pull split done twice (4 days/week) anymore is a little overkill for anyone in the first couple years of training for the most part.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    Wow, you strength train 6 days/week? What strength program are you following?

    I would suggest finding a 3 day program and do cardio opposite days. You can do it the way you are but will not be the most effective use of your workouts and recovery


    I'm not following a program. I just split my strength training into three muscle groups and do them twice a week which equals 6 days.

    I will guess back, upper body, and lower body.

    Oh a bro split? That is not ideal for beginners more like body builders. I would suggest 3 day/week full body or upper lower split done twice each 4day/week, or a push/pull split done twice (4 days/week) anymore is a little overkill for anyone in the first couple years of training for the most part.

    bro split? I could not imagine doing the four main lifts in the same session with any sort of intensity. Maybe beginners can. I have been doing bro splits since day one.
  • joe_piercey
    joe_piercey Posts: 12
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    Ya it's fine but do the cardio after your lifting. Your muscles will get more of a workout.

    Can you explain the why about this? I do my weight lifting after cardio and now I'm worried I'm doing it wrong. :)

    I'm no doctor, but what I've learned from personal trainers and general research along the way is that any kind of work you do (cardio or weights) your muscles use glycogen as the source of energy. When you do weight lifting first, you expend that energy source and your body must use something else to create energy for cardio work - so it burns fat!! The key is not to go too long at the cardio after this or you just go into survival mode where the body will break down muscle as a simpler way of getting energy. So 20 minutes of cardio at the end of an intense weight workout is lots. But if your weight workouts are not as intense you can afford to do more cardio beacuse you have glycogen left.

    The problem with cardio first is that you expend some or all of the glycogen your muscles need in order to lift. Because most people want to get stronger and burn fat, cardio first is counter-productive. Weights first followed by cardio, and then followed with a recover meal, is the way to strength and fat loss.

    Again, I'm no doctor. I'm not a certified trainer either. But I do intend on getting certification. I love this stuff. My first post or reply BTW. Hope it helps somebody :smile:

    So close for post number 1. Paragraph one is correct. The second one not so much from what I read and my experience. I have been working out for 8+ years. Running burns more of a closer ratio of fats, carbs, and proteins

    When I say burn fat, I mean lose fat. The muscles use glycogen first regardless what you do (cardio or weights). Fat loss comes from simple math, burning more calories than you take in (did I mention I'm captain obvious?) When you do cardio you have to deplete your glycogen stores prior to drawing on fat stores for energy. If you lift first to deplete the glycogen stores, you start drawing energy from fat stores sooner. I'm not talking about fat vs. carbs vs. protein. I'm talking about where the body looks to create energy from. Your comment raises a good point about recover though. A recover meal after a run is pretty well even carbs/protein (and yes fats are important too). This is beause you've carbs are the quickest way to replensih muscle glycogen. A recovery meal after a weight routine should be more protein because that's about rebuilding muscle. But carbs are still needed in order to top up mucsle glycogen and keep the body burning fat (and I mean using fat to create energy), rather than tearing down muscle in an attempt to keep moving.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    When I say burn fat, I mean lose fat. The muscles use glycogen first regardless what you do (cardio or weights). Fat loss comes from simple math, burning more calories than you take in (did I mention I'm captain obvious?) When you do cardio you have to deplete your glycogen stores prior to drawing on fat stores for energy. If you lift first to deplete the glycogen stores, you start drawing energy from fat stores sooner. I'm not talking about fat vs. carbs vs. protein. I'm talking about where the body looks to create energy from. Your comment raises a good point about recover though. A recover meal after a run is pretty well even carbs/protein (and yes fats are important too). This is beause you've carbs are the quickest way to replensih muscle glycogen. A recovery meal after a weight routine should be more protein because that's about rebuilding muscle. But carbs are still needed in order to top up mucsle glycogen and keep the body burning fat (and I mean using fat to create energy), rather than tearing down muscle in an attempt to keep moving.
    Sorry but most of this is inaccurate or exagerated and trying to make it far more complex than needed.
    The bolded part is spot on though and all that 99.9% of people need to worry about.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    Options
    Ya it's fine but do the cardio after your lifting. Your muscles will get more of a workout.

    Can you explain the why about this? I do my weight lifting after cardio and now I'm worried I'm doing it wrong. :)

    I'm no doctor, but what I've learned from personal trainers and general research along the way is that any kind of work you do (cardio or weights) your muscles use glycogen as the source of energy. When you do weight lifting first, you expend that energy source and your body must use something else to create energy for cardio work - so it burns fat!! The key is not to go too long at the cardio after this or you just go into survival mode where the body will break down muscle as a simpler way of getting energy. So 20 minutes of cardio at the end of an intense weight workout is lots. But if your weight workouts are not as intense you can afford to do more cardio beacuse you have glycogen left.

    The problem with cardio first is that you expend some or all of the glycogen your muscles need in order to lift. Because most people want to get stronger and burn fat, cardio first is counter-productive. Weights first followed by cardio, and then followed with a recover meal, is the way to strength and fat loss.

    Again, I'm no doctor. I'm not a certified trainer either. But I do intend on getting certification. I love this stuff. My first post or reply BTW. Hope it helps somebody :smile:

    So close for post number 1. Paragraph one is correct. The second one not so much from what I read and my experience. I have been working out for 8+ years. Running burns more of a closer ratio of fats, carbs, and proteins

    When I say burn fat, I mean lose fat. The muscles use glycogen first regardless what you do (cardio or weights). Fat loss comes from simple math, burning more calories than you take in (did I mention I'm captain obvious?) When you do cardio you have to deplete your glycogen stores prior to drawing on fat stores for energy. If you lift first to deplete the glycogen stores, you start drawing energy from fat stores sooner. I'm not talking about fat vs. carbs vs. protein. I'm talking about where the body looks to create energy from. Your comment raises a good point about recover though. A recover meal after a run is pretty well even carbs/protein (and yes fats are important too). This is beause you've carbs are the quickest way to replensih muscle glycogen. A recovery meal after a weight routine should be more protein because that's about rebuilding muscle. But carbs are still needed in order to top up mucsle glycogen and keep the body burning fat (and I mean using fat to create energy), rather than tearing down muscle in an attempt to keep moving.

    DIsagree with bold. When you lift weight the muscle depletes mostly carbs. That is the first energy it goes for lifting weights. Cardio will not burn as much carbs as lifting weights would in the same time frame. I said carbs, fats, and protein because that is what you are burning( using for energy) when you exercise.
  • marissanik
    marissanik Posts: 344 Member
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    I do cardio 6x a week, strength 3x. Always do strength after my cardio. Cardio is 30 mins, today I had less time so it was a 15 min warm up. Doesn't seem to affect me really.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Ya it's fine but do the cardio after your lifting. Your muscles will get more of a workout.

    Can you explain the why about this? I do my weight lifting after cardio and now I'm worried I'm doing it wrong. :)

    You're not doing it wrong- it's 100% dependent on you're goals- and then followed up by how you can arrange you're day.

    I mostly lift first then do cardio. because lifting is a prioirty for me.

    But sometimes I go running- then I go lifting- does it suck- sure does. But I haven't died yet.

    If you're training for an endurance event then cardio takes priority.
  • AlyssaJoJo
    AlyssaJoJo Posts: 449 Member
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    If it works for you go go go...

    Side note - in a healthy class that I recently took we learned that strength before cardio is actually healthier for your heart due to the different ways your heart acts between the two work outs.
  • rbailey614
    rbailey614 Posts: 28
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    Depends on your goals.

    Cardio warm-up BEFORE strength training AND cardio cool-down AFTER strength training puts the body in a greater, longer fat-burning mode.

    Does anyone else do this cardio before and after?

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