Cardio first and then weights or Weights first and then cardio?

tarekhamouda7445
tarekhamouda7445 Posts: 465 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Do splits everyday then cardio for 30min 8 km per hour, yesterday I switched and actually could feel that it actually worked me more.

whats your take on this?

Replies

  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
    Depends on your goal. If strength/bodybuilding is your goal then weights first.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I do a full body split 3x per week and typically do my cardio (cycling) on the other days. If I do them on the same day, it's usually an early morning cardio session and lifting in the PM.

    This really depends on what you're doing though and how intense your cardio and/or lifting is. I'm personally not going to perform very well in the weight room after a 20-30 + mile ride and I'm not going to perform very well on that ride after a lifting session either. If I'm just hitting the stationary bike for 20-30 minutes of light cardio then it doesn't really matter...I will do that on occasion on a Saturday or something for some extra work, but usually do it after as my primary reason to be in the gym is my lifting session.
  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
    Whichever one you do first is going to get your A level energy. So the one that is more important for your fitness goals should go first. If both are equally important, you can rotate them.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    For me - and most people - the one that comes first is done better. Because I have some fatigue after. If I go ride a bike up hills, my squats will suffer. If I do squats, you might see me crying as I ride up the hill.

    So, do whichever is most important to you first.

    If possible, don't do them back to back. Morning lifts, evening run gives you some time to recover.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    What does "worked me more" actually mean?

    If that just means it felt harder then that's an odd training goal and probably counter-productive.
    If you mean you performed better (faster or stronger or both) then you might have found what personally works for you.

    My personal preference is to do strength and cardio in completely separate sessions so I don't have to compromise or compensate, I also don't particularly want to spend 2hrs+ in the gym, 30 minutes of either strength or cardio wouldn't work for my training plan.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Yes.
  • mikeofeconomy
    mikeofeconomy Posts: 29 Member
    Question: How do you warmup if you do cardio after weight lifting?
  • raven56706
    raven56706 Posts: 918 Member
    i have recently began my workout program.

    I do weights first as i want to make sure i get my reps done correctly. Then i use my Peloton bike for 20 minutes tops nothing more.

    When i dont do weights, i go on the cycle bike for 30-45 minutes.
  • DeborahKilpatrick
    DeborahKilpatrick Posts: 80 Member
    As other folk have said, do whichever your main goal is first, eg if it's training for a running event run first. If your goal is strength and size/muscles do your strength first. But you should still be doing 10 mins or so light cardio first and dynamic stretches to warm up.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    mikeofeconomy wrote: »
    Question: How do you warmup if you do cardio after weight lifting?

    I would guess there's a difference between some light movement to get warmed up and a "cardio workout".
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    mikeofeconomy wrote: »
    Question: How do you warmup if you do cardio after weight lifting?

    I do 3-5 minutes on a stationary bike just easy spinning just to get the blood moving...wouldn't really consider it a cardio workout. I also do warmup lifts.
  • whatalazyidiot
    whatalazyidiot Posts: 343 Member
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    For me - and most people - the one that comes first is done better. Because I have some fatigue after. If I go ride a bike up hills, my squats will suffer. If I do squats, you might see me crying as I ride up the hill.

    So, do whichever is most important to you first.

    If possible, don't do them back to back. Morning lifts, evening run gives you some time to recover.

    This. If it's a weights day for me, I do weights first. If I do cardio first, I'm super tired and barely have the energy for weights.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    edited December 2018
    My weights day is as follows: Warm up, lifting routine (Strong Lifts 5x5) , 15 minutes rowing, cool down and stretches.
    Cardio day is: 5 minutes brisk walk, 60 minutes running, 5 minute walking cool down, stretching.
    Works for me, you, or course, do what works for you. I alternate days ;-)
  • DeborahKilpatrick
    DeborahKilpatrick Posts: 80 Member
    Yes there's a difference between a cardio warm up and a main cardio workout. 10 minutes of rowing is a good all over body warmup
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    mikeofeconomy wrote: »
    Question: How do you warmup if you do cardio after weight lifting?

    Do a few lighter sets of the lifts you plan to do.
    There's no need to be breathing heavily or sweating prior to lifting. :+1:
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    mikeofeconomy wrote: »
    Question: How do you warmup if you do cardio after weight lifting?

    When I warm up before weight lifting or physical therapy (which involves a lot of resistance exercises) it'll be with with what for me is very light cardio. For PT it's 5 min on the elliptical (I get there before my appointment and am expressly allowed to go back to warm up). For gym stuff it's a very light 2k on the rowing machine.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    A lot of broscience here. But there have been some actual scientific studies on the subject. Depends on your goals. The people in the study who did cardio on the same day as lifting gained strength at the same rate as those who didn't, but not muscle size. Doing it before or after didn't matter except insofar as doing it before makes you more tired and less able to get a good strength workout. So if your goal is strength, do it after. If your goal is gains in size, do it on a completely different day.
  • Mr_Healthy_Habits
    Mr_Healthy_Habits Posts: 12,588 Member
    I personally like to lift first...

    Otherwise I'm already too fatigued to lift as heavy as I could have...

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