HIIT before or after weights

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kaybabii08
kaybabii08 Posts: 31 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Should I do HIIT circuit before or after weights? Or does it even matter?
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  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,389 MFP Moderator
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    It doesn't matter, but personally, I do HIIT on off days. I don't want anything hurting my ability to lifting.
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,339 Member
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    I think it does matter, if only for your energy levels. If you do HIIT before weights, you may not have the strength to give your all with lifting, you might burnout too soon. I'd suggest doing your weights first, and HIIT after, or better yet, you could do your HIIT separately altogether.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I would do it after.

    I don't do true HIIT but when I do more intense cardio such as sprints, I do them right after lifting. Then on my non-lifting day I do easier stuff (mostly walking.) This helps me with recovery.
  • Lizarking
    Lizarking Posts: 507 Member
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    Do whichever you care about getting better at first.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
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    Unless you already have a solid aerobic base, you should do HIIT a couple years after your weight session, once you develop a good aerobic base.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    edited September 2016
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    i hiit (when i'm doing it) on my between-lifting days. with that said though, i often leave the weight room feeling like i could push down a tree, so i throw them in on the ride home as well.

    because why not use it while it's already online. but really, i sprint when i feel up to it. for me it's never been something i can produce when the whatever-it-takes isn't there.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
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    I might be able to do them as separate workouts on the same day, like hiit in the morning, lift in the evening (or vice versa). I wouldn't do them one after the other. Doing them on separate days would be fine, too.
  • sweets1973
    sweets1973 Posts: 66 Member
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    After
  • kota4bye
    kota4bye Posts: 809 Member
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    Mix it up, don't let your body get used to a routine.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    edited September 2016
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    Actual HIIT? True HIIT would have a day or two unto itself...true HIIT pretty much feels like you're going to die and you're going to pretty much be a worthless pile the rest of the day...HIIT is just a really trendy term right now...most people doing HIIT really aren't doing HIIT and really don't have the capacity or aerobic base to do HIIT...it's pretty much a trendy fitness term at the moment...kinda like 30 minute tabata...if you're doing 30 minutes of tabata, you aren't friggin' doing tabata.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,404 Member
    edited September 2016
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    I will do some lighter weight circuits after lifting heavy (strength training).

    I may warm up with some intervals on the elliptical. But it's nothing close to HIT because I am not conditioned enough to get my heart rate up and down quick enough like trained athletes.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    A true HIIT workout should likely be done separately or after as a short "finisher". Definitely NOT before.
  • musclegood_fatbad
    musclegood_fatbad Posts: 9,809 Member
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    I only do HIIT after heavy lifting or days off from lifting. I feel like it impacts my intensity during lifting if I do it before.
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
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    I'm wasted after a HIIT workout, and my normal workout, so I guess if you're doing it properly...do it on its own day.
  • grob49
    grob49 Posts: 125 Member
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    After but only on days that have a shorter workout. When I'm on a heavy workout then it's on off days or not at all. When I am going hard and heavy I will do 15 min cardio before and 15 after
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
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    HIIT before heavy lifting is never a good idea. Muscles will get fatigued, so it is an injury waiting to happen.

    On days off or hours apart from lifting is a good idea.
  • kaybabii08
    kaybabii08 Posts: 31 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Actual HIIT? True HIIT would have a day or two unto itself...true HIIT pretty much feels like you're going to die and you're going to pretty much be a worthless pile the rest of the day...HIIT is just a really trendy term right now...most people doing HIIT really aren't doing HIIT and really don't have the capacity or aerobic base to do HIIT...it's pretty much a trendy fitness term at the moment...kinda like 30 minute tabata...if you're doing 30 minutes of tabata, you aren't friggin' doing tabata.

    Well I do actually HIIT and yeah I feel like a pile of crap after I'm done but no pain no gain. So I take a breather and hit my weights. My pain tolerance is pretty much "if I can push out three babies wit no meds, AND get stitches in my bag with no meds, no workout will kill me" even though I'm over weight I don't consider myself out of shape because with 3 kids and a husband in the military my everyday life is basically a HIIT workout
  • kaybabii08
    kaybabii08 Posts: 31 Member
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    To all the people who said after, I completely understand why because I did my HIIT before and I was so sloppy with my form while lifting and I didn't even give it my all. I did maybe one set of 8 for each muscle in my arms and then I fell over on my couch and died for a quick second and came back to life lol so I will either do it after or in between leg and arm day
  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,492 Member
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    JustMissTracy wrote: »
    I think it does matter, if only for your energy levels. If you do HIIT before weights, you may not have the strength to give your all with lifting, you might burnout too soon. I'd suggest doing your weights first, and HIIT after, or better yet, you could do your HIIT separately altogether.

    ThIs

    Word for word.

    If you're gassed from HIIT, your lifting form might suffer setting you up for injuries.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,389 MFP Moderator
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    If time is available do opposing days so you can hiit both with full intensity ;).

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