Cardio or weights first?

ksilletti246
ksilletti246 Posts: 34 Member
edited December 2 in Fitness and Exercise
Today is my first day back at the gym in months. I've always done 15 minutes of cardio then weights but I heard it's better to do weights then cardio. What do you guys think?

Replies

  • daniii756
    daniii756 Posts: 51 Member
    You can do a 5-10 minute warm up on a cardio machine first then weights and then do 20-30 minutes of higher intensity cardio after
  • DreesPerformanceTraining
    DreesPerformanceTraining Posts: 187 Member
    I think most on here would recommend doing it after. I prefer doing it before and I think the research is leaning that way (if your goal is to maintain muscle/lose fat).

    It not a big difference, do it when it works best for you.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Depends on your goals. My goals are lifting related. No cardio goals whatsoever...so I lift first. If you're only doing 15 minutes it doesn't really matter.
  • Gemmi73
    Gemmi73 Posts: 23 Member
    I would suggest weights first, depending on what you do. If you do a cardio session, you may be tired which could lead to bad form if you were to do a deadlift vs if you were fresh (after a 5 min warm-up of course).
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,009 Member
    DreesPerformanceTraining wrote: »
    I think most on here would recommend doing it after. I prefer doing it before and I think the research is leaning that way (if your goal is to maintain muscle/lose fat).

    It not a big difference, do it when it works best for you.

    ^^^This...
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    I do cardio first as a method of dynamic stretching / warm-up. Some of the more recent research has shown static stretching should be done after lifting weights and dynamic stretching (cardio to get blood flowing) should be done before strength training.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,009 Member
    midwesterner85 wrote: »
    I do cardio first as a method of dynamic stretching / warm-up. Some of the more recent research has shown static stretching should be done after lifting weights and dynamic stretching (cardio to get blood flowing) should be done before strength training.

    Same for me. Usually it's 10 - 15 minutes of walking, stationary bike or jump rope to warm up. Heat up a bit then train. If I want to do more cardio then that I do it on days I do not lift...
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
    I've always done a few minutes of cardio first, just to warm up...that way I don't use up all my strength and energy running, just to die when it's time to lift.
  • kwtilbury
    kwtilbury Posts: 1,234 Member
    DreesPerformanceTraining wrote: »
    I think most on here would recommend doing it after. I prefer doing it before and I think the research is leaning that way (if your goal is to maintain muscle/lose fat).

    It not a big difference, do it when it works best for you.

    That's always been my thinking (weights, then cardio), but I was presented with a situation this week where I got to the gym an hour before it opened, so I ran for 50 minutes, then lifted. It was a great workout. Might have to give this a try more often.
  • bulgermatthew
    bulgermatthew Posts: 1 Member
    In the interest of interval training, Ill sometimes superset cardio sprints with lifts... the rower, stair climber, jumprope, spin bike, treadmill, lateral trainer are good options, as well as a lap or two around the parking lot. This is good for the wintertime and nasty weather.

    I also tend to do cardio on lift-recovery days and have dedicated quality cardio.

    No joke - I started cutting grass as a side job just for forced cardio. (I push-mow of course!) The pounds have been falling off!

    I have found, especially while cutting weight, its much easier to maintain my diet when I do cardio and weights separate days. I seem inclined to eat less on cardio days by default. Lift days = big meals. Control your weight by changing how many days a week you do things.

    If I lift and do cardio I feel like I hit glycogen depletion early-on and I have to quit 9ne workout or the other early, and I'm more inclined to hold back.

    Yoga/pilates on weight days is a better bet for me, personally. More gentle and its good for sore muscles.

  • donhalox2
    donhalox2 Posts: 4 Member
    Weights then cardio. You want your energy in weights first for optimal performance, then cardio to burn what's left. If you do cardio first, most people are usually tired and cant lift as much.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    i dont even do cardio on the same day, but if i did, i would do it after weights.
  • tiggerlove
    tiggerlove Posts: 225 Member
    i think it depends on the person, some people say if the do cardio first they are too tired to do weights. I do it both ways and I'm ok. trying doing it both ways and see what works for you. Good Luck.
  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
    Weights first, so you can have your strength to lift.

    But personally, I do it after because I get so sweaty, I don't want to get my mess all over the weight room.
  • bellabonbons
    bellabonbons Posts: 705 Member
    The certified personal fitness trainer that I have worked out with recommends cardio first, weights second.
  • Namdier
    Namdier Posts: 19 Member
    I've done it both ways and I prefer cardio 2nd as it seems I tire myself out if I start with it. Some will say it gets the blood flowing to help with weightlifting if you start off with cardio. I believe it's a matter of preference and probably has no real bearing on weight loss...
  • Mr_Stabbems
    Mr_Stabbems Posts: 4,771 Member
    research is def leaning towards doing it first.

    The old/other theory was depleted glycogen stores meant that fat was being tapped into quicker during post lifting cardio
  • aspire2lift
    aspire2lift Posts: 249 Member
    I was told by a CPT weights first then cardio. You could do a mild cardio warm up before weight though.
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
    When I hit the weight room I usually hop on the Keiser spin bike for 15 minutes to warm up.
    That is in the evenings. Mornings I reserve for a nice 4 mile swim to wake me up.
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