Which order should workouts go?

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PinUpMommy
PinUpMommy Posts: 94
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been going to the gym for about a week now, and I want to get the most out of my gym time. Should I do cardio first then weights? Or weights first? Or some combo of cardio/weights/cardio or weights/cardio/weights?

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  • bstamps12
    bstamps12 Posts: 1,184
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    Cardio then weights for greatest calorie burn. Once you get your HR up during the cardio, you will continue to burn at a higher rate while you lift weights than what you would burn lifting weights without cardio first.

    Or you could alternate days as many people on MFP seem to like.
  • FitCoachJen
    FitCoachJen Posts: 139 Member
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    What are your goals? Create your goals first, your plan second.

    I do weights first, cardio second (if I feel like doing cardio). Or I'll add cardio to my workout in bursts in between sets (things like burpees, mountain climbers, or other full-body movements).
  • PinUpMommy
    PinUpMommy Posts: 94
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    Cardio then weights for greatest calorie burn. Once you get your HR up during the cardio, you will continue to burn at a higher rate while you lift weights than what you would burn lifting weights without cardio first.

    Or you could alternate days as many people on MFP seem to like.

    That's what I've been doing (cardio then weights), and I wanted to make sure that I was doing it the best way possible.
  • atombud
    atombud Posts: 38 Member
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    Well I have to give you the opposite advice, weights first then cardio.
  • PinUpMommy
    PinUpMommy Posts: 94
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    What are your goals? Create your goals first, your plan second.

    I do weights first, cardio second (if I feel like doing cardio). Or I'll add cardio to my workout in bursts in between sets (things like burpees, mountain climbers, or other full-body movements).

    My current goal is to lose 50 lbs, so cardio is really important to me right now, along with the weights.
  • robinaddison
    robinaddison Posts: 232 Member
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    My feeling is that unless you're training at an elite level, it really doesn't matter what order you do your workout; the point is merely to move! For me, I like to do cardio 1st - warms me up and gets my head in the right place for some weights. My usual workout buddy likes to do things in the opposite order - she says doing her cardio 2nd helps decrease the stiffness after a heavy weight session. So, in the spirit of equality, we switch it up regularly. According to her hrm, we still burn the same number of calories!
  • carl1738
    carl1738 Posts: 444 Member
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    Well I have to give you the opposite advice, weights first then cardio.
    I agree. This way, you're not already tired when you do your strength training and can get the most benefit out of your strength training workout.
  • nicole00lynn
    nicole00lynn Posts: 110
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    ive heard both, now i do weights before cardio because the weight training is supposed to burn sugars before your cardio
  • RoanneRed
    RoanneRed Posts: 429 Member
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    I've read that, as well as using the glycogen stores during weight training so your body has to use fat stores for the cardio, a hormonal response is triggered that makes your body more likely to use fat.

    I suggest a cardio warmup and minimal stretch then weights before cardio with abdominal work done any time after weights.
  • noexcuses1218
    noexcuses1218 Posts: 332 Member
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    Cardio first, then weights, or at least that's what my trainer told me several years ago when I would hit the gym at 6 am and spend 30 minutes on the weight machines. He said I was pretty much wasting my time working on the weights and what I really needed to do was the cardio, add weights in 3 - 4 times a week.

    But really what it comes down to is whatever works for you. I'm a firm believer in changing things up a LOT so your body never really knows what you're going to ask it to do.
  • FitCoachJen
    FitCoachJen Posts: 139 Member
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    What are your goals? Create your goals first, your plan second.

    I do weights first, cardio second (if I feel like doing cardio). Or I'll add cardio to my workout in bursts in between sets (things like burpees, mountain climbers, or other full-body movements).

    My current goal is to lose 50 lbs, so cardio is really important to me right now, along with the weights.

    You can lose weight while doing weight training, you just have to make sure you're doing it at the appropriate intensity.

    Personally, I'd do light cardio for 5-10 minutes to warm up your muscles.
    Do you want to become stronger, lift heavier, and "tone up"? Proceed to weight training
    Do you want to drop those 50 lbs & it doesn't really matter where they come from? Proceed to cardio

    It's like a choose your own adventure novel :-) If you're planning on lifting moderate-to-heavy weights (ie: 1-12 reps per set) your performance will suffer if you do cardio first.
  • Nomomush
    Nomomush Posts: 582 Member
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    Well I have to give you the opposite advice, weights first then cardio.
    I agree. This way, you're not already tired when you do your strength training and can get the most benefit out of your strength training workout.

    I do weights then cardio because I want my strength training to be great and don't want to be worn out doing lifting weights. Lifting weights while fatigued usually leads to bad form and not getting the reps that you want.
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    Strength, then cardio. Research it.
  • lclarkjr
    lclarkjr Posts: 359 Member
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    Well I have to give you the opposite advice, weights first then cardio.
    I agree. This way, you're not already tired when you do your strength training and can get the most benefit out of your strength training workout.

    I do weights then cardio because I want my strength training to be great and don't want to be worn out doing lifting weights. Lifting weights while fatigued usually leads to bad form and not getting the reps that you want.

    THIS!
  • PinUpMommy
    PinUpMommy Posts: 94
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    What are your goals? Create your goals first, your plan second.

    I do weights first, cardio second (if I feel like doing cardio). Or I'll add cardio to my workout in bursts in between sets (things like burpees, mountain climbers, or other full-body movements).

    My current goal is to lose 50 lbs, so cardio is really important to me right now, along with the weights.

    You can lose weight while doing weight training, you just have to make sure you're doing it at the appropriate intensity.

    Personally, I'd do light cardio for 5-10 minutes to warm up your muscles.
    Do you want to become stronger, lift heavier, and "tone up"? Proceed to weight training
    Do you want to drop those 50 lbs & it doesn't really matter where they come from? Proceed to cardio

    It's like a choose your own adventure novel :-) If you're planning on lifting moderate-to-heavy weights (ie: 1-12 reps per set) your performance will suffer if you do cardio first.

    Thanks for the advice! I do lift heavy (for me, anyway) so that I can do up to 12 reps. If I can do more than that, I up the weight. Since I'm going to the gym this morning, I will definately try the warm up, weights, then cardio. :-)
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    Do whatever works for you.

    I like classes at the gym, so I'll go with whatever is available in my time scale. Tonight it's the launch of the new relases (Les Mills) so I'll be doing combat followed by pump, so that's cardio followed by weights. But I usually try to do them on different days!
  • mattiexox
    mattiexox Posts: 42
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    I've been going to the gym for about a week now, and I want to get the most out of my gym time. Should I do cardio first then weights? Or weights first? Or some combo of cardio/weights/cardio or weights/cardio/weights?

    Weights THEN cardio. Starting with weights is better because you have more energy to put into heavy lifting thus a better workout and less injury :) Also, you're supposed to burn fat more efficiently that way.
  • mattiexox
    mattiexox Posts: 42
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    Well I have to give you the opposite advice, weights first then cardio.
    I agree. This way, you're not already tired when you do your strength training and can get the most benefit out of your strength training workout.

    I do weights then cardio because I want my strength training to be great and don't want to be worn out doing lifting weights. Lifting weights while fatigued usually leads to bad form and not getting the reps that you want.

    ^ I agree with them :)
  • Hayaa79
    Hayaa79 Posts: 458 Member
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    Yea I prefer Weights first then Cardio But any advice how do I workout Alone, am stuck at home these days :angry:

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