Which is better? Cardio first, or weights?

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Replies

  • TK421NotAtPost
    TK421NotAtPost Posts: 512 Member
    Cardio first if you are planning on doing anything intense, like intervals, or if you're goal is to improve endurance training over building your physique.

    If the cardio is going to consist of low to moderate intensity steady state training, then it's more of a personal preference type of thing.

    For me, I prefer to do cardio first because I generally do not exceed 20 minutes, and I like to get in my PWO shake asap after resistance training.
  • Iceskatefanrn
    Iceskatefanrn Posts: 489 Member
    Thanx to the OP that started this, what a great thread!


    And thanx to all who answered - I've learned a lot!

    :drinker:

    Ice
  • MsLadyVirgo
    MsLadyVirgo Posts: 160 Member
    My opinion....

    Warm Up 5-10 mins, stretch, Weight Lifting, stretch, then Cardio, and stretch again. That's if you're doing it all in one session.

    I' ve been told that the first 15 to 20 minutes of your workout (excluding warm up) you're burning sugar (which carbs supposedly turn into sugar when not burned up), and the last part (cardio) is up to you:
    -you can burn fat by staying in your target zone
    -or increase your fitness by exceeding your fatburn zone

    Good Luck!
  • mer2016
    mer2016 Posts: 4
    I've talked to several trainers about this and have been exercising regularly for just about 14 years. It sounds to me that it really depends on how you feel and that one is not truly "better" than the other. Caloric burn lifting weights after cardio is said to be higher, but the difference is not supposed to be "significant". I've done both over the years, but I've found that cardio before weights leaves my glycogen levels so low that I cannot hit the weights as hard as I'd like to.Why not try both and see what is more effective for you?
  • electromg
    electromg Posts: 70 Member
    When I had a trainer back in the day, we did 5-10 minute cardio warm up, weights, then the full cardio.
  • rodrigo_r21
    rodrigo_r21 Posts: 3 Member
    Warm up 5-10 minutes Muscle
    Warm up 5-10 minutes Cardio
    rotate
  • hroush
    hroush Posts: 2,073 Member
    I have done it both ways, but if you are lifting heavy weights you definitely want to start with the weight lifting first.
  • katekrise
    katekrise Posts: 178 Member
    When I hired a personal trainer...she told me that you do weights first so that you're using up your stored glycogen first.
  • FemmeAndi
    FemmeAndi Posts: 107 Member
    My trainer told me to do weights first before cardio for the reason that after cardio your muscles are tired and you won't be able to push your muscles as much as you would if you started with weights first and waited for cardio after. That made sense to me and stuck with me since. Bu just warm up before you start weights.. like 5-10 mins on bicycle or something.
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