Cardio at beginning or end of your workout?

Cyndi10612
Cyndi10612 Posts: 30 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I was told you always want to end with cardio. Is this true and if so why? I'm new to the gym. Just joined 3 weeks ago and have been doing an hour of cardio and then strength training machines. Does it really matter what order??

Replies

  • Josh_lol
    Josh_lol Posts: 317 Member
    I guess it depends more on what you want to prioritise. If you do an hour of cardio before lifting weights, you'll have less energy for lifting heavier weights. And if you do strength training before cardio, you might feel more fatigued before you even start the cardio so you might not perform at as high of a rate.
  • feisty_bucket
    feisty_bucket Posts: 1,047 Member
    Yeah, you have to consider the opportunity costs for your overall energy and time. If you do both categories in one session, you're likely gonna half-*kitten* the second one.

    I'd definitely suggest having a dedicated day for each: weights day, cardio day. Alternate them.
  • IronSheff
    IronSheff Posts: 52 Member
    Do you have a set plan that you're doing? What's your weekly routine look like right now?
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,989 Member
    Depends on your goals. One thing that runs amok in the fitness industry is the saying that cardio is for burning fat.
    Cardio burns calories and helps to create a calorie deficit. One can do all the cardio they want, but if you're not in deficit, you won't lose any fat.
    So pick what you want to focus on. Weight loss will happen with either or both combined IF you're in a calorie deficit.
    Personally, I start with weights first because I don't like cardio much and don't want to use my energy stores on it first.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • Just_Maddy
    Just_Maddy Posts: 94 Member
    Yep I couldn't agree more with the posters above, it really depends on your goals. What's the plan?
  • idabest777
    idabest777 Posts: 97 Member
    On days where I'm lifting weights I do a lot less cardio, but I always do the cardio first. Usually just 20 min of something at medium intensity to warm up my muscles and get some endorphins going. I'm not a big fan of lifting weights and I find it much more tolerable if I've enjoyed some heart pumping cardio first. Although I have heard that if you want to be really focused on gaining muscle you should do the lifting first because you won't have as much energy for it if you save it for after cardio. I'm currently not very focused on gaining muscle just with keeping what I currently have so I'm not too concerned about that.
    If I still want to burn a few more cals at the end of a work out I'll do 10-15 more min of cardio, but at that point it's a lot more of a struggle than it was at the beginning.
  • RoneilSembrano
    RoneilSembrano Posts: 8 Member
    I would warm up by doing some light cardio. For instance, walking at an incline on the treadmill for about ten minutes. Set the incline to 3.5 and the speed to 2.2. I gradually increase the speed to about 3 by the end of the ten minutes. After the warm up, I then lift weights. The reason why I choose to lift weights before performing cardio is because I want to make sure I have enough energy to properly execute my resistance training (lifting weights). Resistance training is important because it aides in the process of losing body fat. With that being said, lifting weights is an essential component to working out particularly if you are trying to drop a significant amount of weight. So by not doing cardio before lifting weights allows you to have enough energy to lift weights properly, which will give you better results. Cardio can be done after lifting weights. Just zone out to some good music and have a HIIT session.
  • MedeaKay
    MedeaKay Posts: 17 Member
    100% what Roneil says. I do a 7 to 10 minute cardio warmup to get pumped, then do my strength training. After that, I will do around 30 more minutes of cardio. Since I don't have the energy to go all out on the cardio at that point, I always make sure to have 1 day per week for cardio only.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    Do people really consider their 5-10 minute " warm up " as cardio?
  • CincyNeid
    CincyNeid Posts: 1,249 Member
    I do both. I get on the treadmill and run for 10-15 mins to get my HR up, then cool down on the elliptical or tread mill at a much slower pace. But I don't know that I would consider that Cardio.

    Doing Cardio, in my opinion, is running or cycling for in excess of 20 mins constantly.
  • cgvet37
    cgvet37 Posts: 1,189 Member
    I do weights first. If I did cardio first, I would not have the energy to push to get through my weight session.
  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,508 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Depends on your goals. One thing that runs amok in the fitness industry is the saying that cardio is for burning fat.
    Cardio burns calories and helps to create a calorie deficit. One can do all the cardio they want, but if you're not in deficit, you won't lose any fat.
    So pick what you want to focus on. Weight loss will happen with either or both combined IF you're in a calorie deficit.
    Personally, I start with weights first because I don't like cardio much and don't want to use my energy stores on it first.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    This ^

    100% this.
  • Bocch
    Bocch Posts: 191 Member
    This is what I read. Typically lifting comes first as this will start up your metabolism generating a "slow burn". You can lift light weight fast but it is still considered a slow burn. Then you end with cardio. Typically 30 minutes of cardio. The cardio in that order should speed up your metabolism and then making your metabolism burn at a higher rate when you are done. Optionally, you could try a 10 minute easy cardio workout before weight lifting to "warm up" then lift then do higher cardio rate at end of workout.
  • G085H173
    G085H173 Posts: 516 Member
    Cardio THROUGHOUT your work out. Otherwise you are just wandering from one bit of the gym to another, wasting your time
    In fact, leave the gym, save money and get outside and do strength and cardio training for free!!

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