Which is better? Cardio first, or weights?

lissypriss
lissypriss Posts: 157 Member
edited September 29 in Fitness and Exercise
I hear of the cardio first vs. weight training. I usually do elliptical training first, then weights. Is that the best way to go?? I find that doing free weights after a hard cardio is relaxing, and I feel a better burn. Should I rotate the work, or keep this way? I would love feedback! :)
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Replies

  • destiny637
    destiny637 Posts: 79
    I would also LOVE to hear what others say regarding this. Thx for posting. :)
  • Happyhappy352
    Happyhappy352 Posts: 153
    bump
  • Jellyphant
    Jellyphant Posts: 1,400 Member
    I'd like to know myself.
  • jennlee80
    jennlee80 Posts: 142
    I have read some great info stating that weights before cardio are best!!!
  • citylights117
    citylights117 Posts: 59
    I'd like to know too... Bump!
  • LisaS519
    LisaS519 Posts: 4
    I have always heard that if you are going to do both, you should do the cardio first. I head out the door to run around 5am so needless to say, I do cardio first..lol. I usually do strength in the afternoon, but right now I'm doing it at physical therapy so that might change in the future.
  • malibu83
    malibu83 Posts: 1
    I've actually read in Women's Health that it is best to do a little bit of cardio to warm up first. Strength train then do your cardio. I feel that as long as you're getting it all in you are ahead of the game!
  • BeLightYear
    BeLightYear Posts: 1,450 Member
    I do not know which one is better, but personally I burn more calories if I do the cardio first, then the lifting:flowerforyou:
  • Misty1777
    Misty1777 Posts: 29
    I have read some great info stating that weights before cardio are best!!!

    I have read this a couple of places also....weights then cardio.
  • JennsLosing
    JennsLosing Posts: 1,026
    i normally do weights first. just because if i dont, by the time im done with cardio im pooped, and i dont think ill do them.
  • rainbowbuggy
    rainbowbuggy Posts: 320
    *bump*
  • fraiseroja
    fraiseroja Posts: 215 Member
    I do cardio first then weights if they fall on the same day. My reasoning is that cardio is harder and you have to really put all your effort in unlike weight lifting where there are more breaks. If I am too sore from lifting, then I might not really put my all into my run or whatever cardio I'm doing. My other reasoning is because after doing cardio, your heart rate is up so you are burning more calories while you are strength training then if you did it the other way around. This works out best for me anyway.
  • Sj20fame
    Sj20fame Posts: 205 Member
    Our personal trainer at LaFitness says Strength training first, then cardio....I'll have to ask why, we just do what he says, LOL
  • ljsmamma07
    ljsmamma07 Posts: 30
    this has been a discusion in our house also. my hubby has heard weights before cardio and so that is what he does. i do cardio first and then weights. i just want to tone, so the fact that i spend more time on cardio than i do weights doesnt bug me.
  • amsparky
    amsparky Posts: 825 Member
    It used to be that you did cardio, then weights. Recent research shows that is may be better to do a short warm up, then weights, then cardio.

    I have switched my routine to follow this and like it.

    http://www.fitsugar.com/Cardio-First-Weights-Second-2717838

    The idea makes sense to me in theory, so I figure I may as well try to optimize where I can! ;)
  • 2011EP
    2011EP Posts: 95 Member
    strength first because during that time you can burn carbs and once you start cardio you are burning fat. It takes some time for your body to start burning fat so I would do cardio after some kind of strength or light warm-up to ensure efficient workouts.
  • AZTrailRunner
    AZTrailRunner Posts: 1,199 Member
    It depends on what you want to accomplish. Doing one before the other will have a small negative effect on the latter. Meaning, if you do a true cardio workout, it will cost you a little strength, and vice versa.

    However, I've read that cardio before strength will help burn more calories while strength training since your HR will already be elevated before lifting any weights.
  • charliebird
    charliebird Posts: 168 Member
    The advice I have been given is it is best to do a 5 min warm-up then weights then cardio. It apparently is the most effective way.

    However long and the short of it - is whichever way round - its better than doing nothing!!
  • exercisarah
    exercisarah Posts: 37
    it depends if you are doing the exercises consecutively or separate throughout the day. if you are doing them consecutively, I would recommend doing your weights first and then cardio. When you do cardio, your body is using up the energy stores in your body, so by the time you get to weights you'll have far less energy. It's still ok to do cardio first if that's what you're used to, but it might be helpful to refuel with a quick snack before your weights to get the most out of your workout. If you are doing cardio and weights at separate times, then it shouldn't really matter which order you go in.
  • jjclem07
    jjclem07 Posts: 127 Member
    My trainer has my doing a 10 -15 minute warm up, then hit the weight lifting, once the weight lifting is done she has me then cardio for 20- 60 minutes after that.

    Explanation she gave me was: the human body does not start to burn fat till 20 minutes into a workout. Muscles have to warm up before they can cook the fat! So if you warm up 10-15 and then lift weights your muscles and body are fully loaded for burning fat the minute you hit the cardio machines, instead of 20 later.

    My rotation is M-W-F cardio and weights (M: legs, W: abs, F: arms)
    T-TH just cardio 40- 60 mins

    However I can do the weights again if I like as long as I do not work the same routine in a row. Skip and day inbetween the muscle groups worked.

    Hope this helps!
  • RCKT82
    RCKT82 Posts: 409 Member
    I like doing both... I warm-up with cardio to get my HR up before my lift. If I go straight into lifting, my heart rate is much tougher to keep at an elevated state. So a quick 20 min cardio session helps sustain a certain zone for me. I also do cardio right after my lifting session is complete. I don't like doing it all up front, because I don't want to wear myself out before a lifting session and wind up not having energy to lift heavy. I do a short burnout at the end of my lift, usaually another 20-35 mins to completely use up the last of my energy stores.
  • jessicamiller8884
    jessicamiller8884 Posts: 9 Member
    It somewhat depends on your ultimate goal...by that I mean endurance during cardio, building muscle, burning fat overall, etc. whatever you do first, you will do with more intensity. What I learned from a trainer a couple years ago was to do weights first. This way your muscles are less fatigued for lifting, your main source for energy is higher thus weight lifting is more effective. Also, this gets your body into fat buring mode. Then when you go do cardio you will be burning fat right away due to the fact that your body has already depleted initial carbs and glycogen that are for energy used during the weights.

    Other options are alternating days.. Cardio MWF, weights Tues/Thurs, etc. Otherwise, combine the two with interval or circuit training.
  • smuehlbauer
    smuehlbauer Posts: 1,041 Member
    I have found that when I do weights first I have more strength to get it done. If I do cardio first I am sometimes tired and don't get as much out of my lifting.
    I say weights first, then cardio.
    But that's just my opinion.
    :flowerforyou:
  • MeekMeals
    MeekMeals Posts: 517 Member
    Weights 1st and then cardio. Preferably stretch the time between your weights and cardio by 6 hours or so...
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
    It depends on what your goal is when strength training. If your goal is to increase strength and build lean muscle then you're lifting heavy weights, in which case you should lift first then do cardio. Of course you need to do a warm-up before lifting weights to raise your internal temperature and you can do 3-5 minutes of cardio to accomplish this.

    If your strength training goal is simply endurance, then you're lifting light weights and you can choose to do either weights or cardio first, it doesn't matter.
  • sullivanx4
    sullivanx4 Posts: 5
    My trainer at the gym says I should always start by doing 5-10min of cardio to get your heart rate up and then weights. But you can do cardio after weights too because clearly 10min of cardio is not enough!
  • Dark_Latin_Guy
    Dark_Latin_Guy Posts: 149 Member
    Weights before Cardio, is a great idea - This order of doing things is beneficial, as this way round the cardio training won’t sap your energy for resistance/weight training, this order is also good for your cardio training as you burn more fat during the cardio part of your training.

    Doing the weight workout before aerobics led to marked increases in lactate, norepinephrine and growth hormone levels.

    Imagine yourself doing 30 minutes to an hour of aerobics and then going on to do your weight training. How much energy do you really have left to do justice to your weight training? After all that cardio, you have burnt through your glycogen stores (which are the muscle preferred source of fuel) and will not have the energy to stimulate the most outrageous fat burning method available to you. An all day long, increased metabolism, because you stimulated your muscles.
  • iAMaPhoenix
    iAMaPhoenix Posts: 1,038 Member
    No perfect answer as you can see. My trainer says to do weight then cardio and I have not taken his advice yet and have lost 40#s to date. Depending on how I feel is what I do, but it is usually Cardio first. If you want to climb a tree 40 times, then go swimming with weights on your leg, do what works for you. I say change it up at times to surprize the body so it does not get used to your schedule. Just keep moving.

    Enjoy,
    E.
  • lissypriss
    lissypriss Posts: 157 Member
    These are all good answers! This is my second go round with losing weight. The first time I lost weight, I did full on elliptical for an hour, then went straight for the weight circuit. I lost over 100 lbs. This second time, after many setbacks, not to mention getting older..I'm having a hard time with endurance. I really need to get my body into the fat burning machine it used to be! I'm not as strong as I used to be (my fault for letting myself go) and I really want to do this right! I have many people telling me that cardio is the best way to lose weight, then I hear from T.V. and other trainers that weight training after cardio is more beneficial to someone of my stature. I've always been a thick gal, even when I was thinner, so I'm just a little confused on what would be best for me.
  • BR1986FB
    BR1986FB Posts: 1,515 Member
    Weights, then cardio.
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