Strength training First?

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JennaM222
JennaM222 Posts: 1,996 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi All,

Quick question. Are there benefits to doing my strength training first, followed by my cardio? More often than not I notice that my cardio work outs are alot more intense/long when I lift before hand.

I know my personal trainer always has me do it this why, but I have never askey why. Any ideas?

thanks Mucho!

Jenna

Replies

  • thehobbyist
    thehobbyist Posts: 23
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    From what I've read on various fitness websites, the general suggestion is to do a 5-10 minute cardio warm-up followed by weights, more cardio, then stretching. Apparently studies have shown that while running a significant distance beforehand negatively impacts the amount of weight you can squat, the reverse isn't true, so you'll get best results if you do cardio later.

    Personally, I like the excuse to really exert myself on weights and then just zone out and recover during the cardio.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    From my understanding, you burn most of your glycogen stores during the earlier parts of your workout, this means that you will burn off a bunch of that during weigh training leaving you with having to dip into your fat stores during cardio, doing it the other way the glycogen stores will be used for cardio and you will not burn as much stored fat.
  • chantalicious
    chantalicious Posts: 68
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    All of what everyone else says and...I'd prefer it if after you sweat your *kitten* off from your cardio workout you go home to shower! Not come over to the free weights and sweat all over everything! :)
  • wriglucy
    wriglucy Posts: 1,064 Member
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    I read in a Self magazine that you should do the weights first because it causes your blood pressure to peak, and then cardio because it will stablize it. I have high blood pressure so the article caught my attention and I remembered it.
  • marindak
    marindak Posts: 168
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    warm up, weights, then cardio, and stretching. :)
  • darrenw74
    darrenw74 Posts: 86 Member
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    I personally prefer to separate cardio days from strength training days, though I do agree with doing a small amount of cardio before lifting to get your heart rate up.
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
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    All of what everyone else says and...I'd prefer it if after you sweat your *kitten* off from your cardio workout you go home to shower! Not come over to the free weights and sweat all over everything! :)

    HAHAHA!! Yes I agree first with what everyone else has said esp. the using your glycogen stores during strength making your body burn more fat during cardio and definately agree with I don't wanna touch other people's sweat!!!!!!
  • kiuney
    kiuney Posts: 68
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    Two reasons...

    1. Better to lift when you're fresh as you're more likely to injure yourself weight training than doing cardio.
    2. Cardio helps move the lactic acid out your muscles which is helpful after lifting weights.
  • Brady_
    Brady_ Posts: 108 Member
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    bumpyy :-)
  • brityn
    brityn Posts: 443 Member
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    From what I've read on various fitness websites, the general suggestion is to do a 5-10 minute cardio warm-up followed by weights, more cardio, then stretching. Apparently studies have shown that while running a significant distance beforehand negatively impacts the amount of weight you can squat, the reverse isn't true, so you'll get best results if you do cardio later.

    Personally, I like the excuse to really exert myself on weights and then just zone out and recover during the cardio.

    I completely agree!

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