Weight training muscle schedule-- what is best?

kris10cass · February 2016

Have been working out 5 days a week

What are the best muscle groups to work together for each of those 5 days? And, should I incorporate cardio before or after a weight session?

My goal is to lose fat and tone up.

Thanks!

distinctlybeautiful · February 2016

I do chest, triceps, and shoulders one day, back and biceps the next, and legs for the third day. As for which to do first, cardio or strength, do whichever is your main focus. If your fitness goal is to run faster and farther, for example, do cardio first so you can focus your energy on that. If getting stronger is your main goal, lift first!

rileysowner · February 2016

Unless you are experience in weight training, I would suggest finding a program put together by someone who is. The are not something you can just through together without any experience. There are a bunch of free programs out there, or you can purchase things like New Rules for Lifting for Women.

successgal1 · February 2016

I think.... it doesn't much matter in some ways. It depends on your fitness, what you're trying to accomplish too. I'm in no way a heavy lifter and am far from being fit, though back in the day I was much fitter. Cardio for me is fitness and endurance, and weight loss (in that I can eat like a normal person not on a diet when I work out).

Strength training is something extra to the cardio, I think of cardio to get the fat off, and show what the strength training has been up to. It does not surprise me that many videos incorporate both at the same time, like Cardosculpt by The Firm. One of my favorites that I hope to be fit enough to do again in a few weeks. But, I hardly think my low weights are what you have in mind.

I prefer to do cardio before weights, I'm warm and loose. Some days I do weights only, others cardio only, sometimes cardio WITH light weights.

My thoughts on "it doesn't matter" comes from me remembering how I was back in my early 20's, mucking 20 stalls and throwing 40lb bales of hay, and lifting 50lb sacks of grain, interspersed with miles of walking horses and often jogging with a trotting horse. I guess you could say I was fit, and what and when I did depended on the job, and folks think too much about "when" is the right time to do whatever.

To be truly functional with what you're doing..... mix it up.

goofypest24 · February 2016

I joined the YMCA last Sept to help rebuild the strength in my legs after knee surgery.
They set me up with 7 machines so that I could get upper and lower body back on track.
Starting out I went 6 days. 3 days strength and 3 days cardio. I gradually got up to 13 machines with 50% of my cardio on my strength days.
Now I'm doing 14 machines 7 upper 1 day & 7 lower the next and do cardio each time as well.
I was doing 30 min cardio then my strength then another 30 mins cardio.
BUT my trainer suggested that I do my strength 1st then do my cardio and have found that I now have more energy when I'm finished.
I was at a plateau and I'm losing again since I made the changes.

Good luck you will find what works best for your goal.

daniwilford · February 2016

I am working with a personal trainer, I do arms and shoulders 1 day, back and abs 1 day and legs 1 day. Each day is about an hour work out and I rest a day in between. I walk/run 5 miles a day 6 days a week. I walk a couple miles in the morning with girlfriends, do weights if it is a weight day and finish up walking/running another hour. I have one total rest day once a week.

NaturalNancy · February 2016

I do cardio first, then I will alternate between legs one day and arms the next.
Sometimes I will do arms and legs both and in a row as long as I take 1 or 2 days off a week.
And I also "listen to my body" if something is too sore or too tired I rest.
I like getting cardio out of the way first.

Weight training muscle schedule-- what is best?

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