Weights or cardio first.?

shyanne1999 · July 2017

Are you suspost to do cardio than weights?
Im so confused and want the best results.

What is your routine? My main focus is sliming down and toning:)

jwhoblit · July 2017

If your focus is slimming down and toning, then go with cardio first. Work on slimming down with the cardio, then implement your weights. It will be easier to tone at that point. Some things to keep in mind though, it's based on what you want out of it. I saw your introduction post a bit ago but don't recall what it all intailed. Cardio is good to burn calories and thin down but you only use the calories as your running. Once you stop running at that instance you stop burning the calories. Now with the weights, you continue to burn after your have stopped working out.
I used to only run, that is once I got back into it all. I ended up hitting a plato so reintroduced weights again to help push past it. So now I run 3-4 times a week varying from 2 to 7 miles and work out 5 days a week.

skymningen · July 2017

It all depends on how you feel. I only do a little cardio to warm up (15-20 minutes usually, more if I really feel like it), then go for the rest of my training. Which has so far been a beginners strength training.
Now that I am transitioning to do more lifting, I will see if the cardio does make me too tired to progress my weights reasonably. If that is the case, I will either try doing it afterward or even on a separate day.

iamunicoon · July 2017

My routine is 10 mins of cardio for warm up - full body strength training routine - 20-30 mins of "proper" cardio.

I only started this routine a bit over a month ago, so it's for beginners, really. I'll probably adjust it (especially switching full body to upper and lower body days) later.

My main focus is weight loss (a lot), and toning, too.

nyponbell · July 2017

I try to do a 2 km walk in the woods before walking to the gym on the days I go (if I don't go too late, then I just walk to the gym). It takes about an hour in total and means I am warmed up and ready to go when I get there. I love walking but find it boring to do so on a machine (it's a mental block though) so doing it on the way has a lot of benefits. I don't know if it is better or not to do it before I lift, but so far I like it and that is all that matters to me (so long as it doesn't harm me in the long run, which I doubt).

firef1y72 · July 2017

I run the mile down to the gym (if that counts as cardio) then lift (with a class halfway through, high intensity 1x week, low intensity 1x), if I have anything left after lifting (very rare) then I might jump on the rower but if I try and do any high amount of cardio before my squats or deadlifts they suffer so I always get them in first.

cs2thecox · July 2017

I heard it was best to do weights first, then cardio. (Assuming that's within the same session.)
Apparently you lift better before your muscles have been glycogen-depleted by the cardio.

However, I was always too tired after weights to then go and do cardio, and always preferred to do it the other way round when I did mixed workouts!

Now I just lift

stanmann571 · July 2017

JerSchmare wrote: »

Do the thing you like most, first.

Here's the thing, most of the above info is incorrect.

Lifting, IMO, is superior to cardio in almost every way. Cardio is important though for heart health. But, lifting has more benefits.

You don't need to warm up. That's a very old myth. You don't need to stretch. Also a very old myth. Just do what you like. I favor lifting, so I lift and will do cardio after lifting. My wife favors running, so she runs first, then lifts. It's just whatever your preference is.

If all you want to do is lose weight, cardio is really good for that. But, what people miss out on is the benefits of the way you look when you lose. And, you get that benefit from lifting.

If you consistently fail to warm up, you will injure yourself.

Jumping in to heavy working sets without priming the muscles through either light cardio(5-15 minutes) or warmup sets will eventually and inevitably lead to injury.

To answer your question, if you're doing a full/proper cardio training session, it should follow your full/proper/heavy lifting session so as to not compromise strength.

mmapags · July 2017

Why do you need to do them in the same session? Focus on cardio one day, strength the next. That way each gets full focus and energy for effectiveness. If you need to do them on the same day then strength first, cardio 2nd. It's easier and less dangerous to do cardio a little spent than weight a little spent.

sijomial · July 2017

Depends on your priority and your capability.

Personally I very rarely do both on the same day let alone in the same session as I like to make each session (cardio or weights) a quality training session not one compromised by doing something else first. That's how I get my "best results".

"Slimming" comes from a calorie deficit over time not because you exercised in a particular order.
"Toning" - depends what you mean by that.

If you are just exercising (rather than training for a specific purpose) then do it in whatever order you like but please don't leave the benches all sweaty!

sijomial · July 2017

cs2thecox wrote: »

I heard it was best to do weights first, then cardio. (Assuming that's within the same session.)
Apparently you lift better before your muscles have been glycogen-depleted by the cardio.

However, I was always too tired after weights to then go and do cardio, and always preferred to do it the other way round when I did mixed workouts!

Now I just lift

@cs2thecox
Horrible old myth I'm afraid.

You have enough glycogen for a couple of hours of intense exercise.
Depleting an energy source would only make lifting worse, not better.

GottaBurnEmAll · July 2017

It depends on your focus, which form of exercise you find most enjoyable.

For example, I really like running and the resistance work I do, I only do to support my running.

You might find you really enjoy lifting and just do cardio for cardio vascular health and for a little warm up/cool down from lifting.

Or you might find you like both equally.

How you split out/time your sessions will vary depending on your priorities.

I run fasted in the morning and lift in the afternoons after I've eaten on my shorter run days, for example.

There's really no one set answer. You'll have to find what works best for you once you figure out what you'd like to focus on.

King_Spicy · July 2017

I prefer both. I'm enjoying fasted cardio earlier in the day, and then a session of weights in the evening before my final meal.

SezxyStef · July 2017

as mentioned it depends on what your priority is for that day/workout.

For me if it's an upper day I will run/walk before if I feel like it but chances are I am doing my cardio after lifting regardless.

however I can say if it's an upper day I am probably running a couple miles afterwards...lower/leg day I will probably walk.

fpmferreira · July 2017

Slimming and toning, cardio first. Muscle growing, cardio last.

CSARdiver · July 2017

As others have stated it depends on the priority that day and you overall focus. What matters most is that you find a program and stick to it. Your goals will change over time and your program should change accordingly.

My goal is to increase endurance/strength for multi-sport/OCR.

I lift on MWF, so those days I do a light cardio session followed by lifting and end with a cool down of light cardio.

T, Th, Sat - These are run/bike/swim days with calisthenics mixed in.

If your overall goal is more aesthetic, then I encourage you to check out any of the female bodybuilders on social media and see what progressive lifting has done for them.

richardgavel · July 2017

JerSchmare wrote: »

Do the thing you like most, first.

Here's the thing, most of the above info is incorrect.

Lifting, IMO, is superior to cardio in almost every way. Cardio is important though for heart health. But, lifting has more benefits.

You don't need to warm up. That's a very old myth. You don't need to stretch. Also a very old myth. Just do what you like. I favor lifting, so I lift and will do cardio after lifting. My wife favors running, so she runs first, then lifts. It's just whatever your preference is.

If all you want to do is lose weight, cardio is really good for that. But, what people miss out on is the benefits of the way you look when you lose. And, you get that benefit from lifting.

I agree that cardio based warm up isn't necessary to lift. But what is recommended and actually more appropriate, is warm up of the lifts you will be doing, very light weights.

rhtexasgal · July 2017

I do cardio 5 days a week and weight train for 3 of those 5 days ... I discovered, for me personally, that I HAVE to do a cardio session before my weight training. I have been in remission from ulcerative colitis for several years but when you have had one autoimmune disorder, others tend to try and take hold so for me, inflammation is a big problem ... thus the need to do a cardio session before weight training. This is what works for ME ...

For my weight training days, I do 30 minutes of cardio followed by about 45 minutes of weight training. For my cardio only days, I typically do 45 minutes to an hour, mostly on the elliptical as it is easiest on my knee that I shattered a few years back. Those two cardio only days I will do HIIT to get my blood pumping!

I do the above and have been doing it for over 3 years now and I have yet to injure myself in any way, which in and of itself, is a miracle! I also make sure, on my 2 off days to walk and get my 12,000 to 15,000 steps in to stay "in tune." The hardest part of it all is waking up at 5 am on work days BUT the workout keeps me wide-eyed and bushy tailed for most of the day!

PokernuttAR · July 2017

JerSchmare wrote: »

Here's the thing, most of the above info is incorrect.

You don't need to warm up. That's a very old myth. You don't need to stretch. Also a very old myth. Just do what you like.

Somebody should tell this to every athlete in the world cause they must have been doing it wrong all this time.

fbchick51 · July 2017

I'm about 2 weeks into a lift first/cardio second routine, which I'm finding works much better for me. My primary focus is fat loss, so having a decent length and intensity to my cardio routine is critical to burn enough calories to get the CICO equation right. But when I tried cardio first, I found my lifting was so sub par it almost wasn't even worth it and I never could lift enough to even feel it the next day (nearly a 25% loss in the amount I could lift).

Switching it up, I now get a solid weight workout in and can still do the same amount of cardio I was before and my cardio performance doesn't drop anywhere near as much as my lifting performance did (I've roughly added about a 30 sec increase in the time it takes me to do my usual 500 meter swim set (Less then a 5% decrease in performance). Admittedly, it is a bit tough to get started. My muscles feel like jello for the first half of my first set, but by the second, I feel pretty good and have no issues finishing out my third and forth set.

Weights or cardio first.?

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