order of work-out?

missikay1970
missikay1970 Posts: 588 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
do you perform weight-lifting stregth-training first, or cardio? for the past 7 weeks, i've been working-out at a gym (first time in my life!!) i started with weights every time, then went upstairs to do cardio. today, i decided to switch it up and started with cardio. i felt MUCH better doing my weight-lifting after that; as if i were alot more warmed-up. just wondering what each of you do.

(4/5 days a week = weights
6 days a week = cardio)
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Replies

  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
    I ALWAYS do weights before cardio. Always! xD

    5 days of strength training? Make sure that you arent over training :flowerforyou:
  • missikay1970
    missikay1970 Posts: 588 Member
    I ALWAYS do weights before cardio. Always! xD

    5 days of strength training? Make sure that you arent over training :flowerforyou:

    my husband is trying to cut me back to 3 days. :smile:
  • runnermel
    runnermel Posts: 278
    typically it is better to do the weight lifting first, and then cardio. but......I always do my cardio first because I am afraid I will not want to do it later. but, have always been told that you should do weight training first.
  • Kolohe71
    Kolohe71 Posts: 613 Member
    I usually start with 10 minutes of cardio, then move to strength training and finish with 20-30 more minutes of cardio.
  • Jess22542
    Jess22542 Posts: 66
    I've always heard you should do your weight lifting first. You'll burn more calories during cardio if you do. But I think you should do whatever works for you. If you feel better doing cardio first and that means you work out harder/longer, than go for it! The most important thing is to figure out what works for you and what you can stick with long term.
  • missikay1970
    missikay1970 Posts: 588 Member
    typically it is better to do the weight lifting first, and then cardio. but......I always do my cardio first because I am afraid I will not want to do it later. but, have always been told that you should do weight training first.

    i wonder why? i am just curious about this. thanks for sharing.
  • Shanahan09
    Shanahan09 Posts: 97
    I do cardio before weights. Warms up the muscles, gets the blood flowing. Many just do a short cardio warm-up first (10-15 mins) then hit the weights...then follow it up again with cardio. Just make sure you stretch before and after with strength training. :)
  • Kolohe71
    Kolohe71 Posts: 613 Member
    I ALWAYS do weights before cardio. Always! xD

    5 days of strength training? Make sure that you arent over training :flowerforyou:

    my husband is trying to cut me back to 3 days. :smile:
    3-4 days a week is preferred with a days rest between each workout. Lift as heavy as you can for 8-12 reps and complete 3 sets of each exercise.
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
    I ALWAYS do weights before cardio. Always! xD

    5 days of strength training? Make sure that you arent over training :flowerforyou:

    my husband is trying to cut me back to 3 days. :smile:

    See the reason why is because If you keep training those muscles while you they are training to repair then you will be doing more harm then good :O More is not always better with this :]
  • RiverRat99
    RiverRat99 Posts: 10 Member
    I did a month of Forza training. My trainer led me through weightlifting Tuesday and Thursday each week. Each day I hit each muscle group at least once (thighs, arms, chest I hit more), striving max weight I can handle without injury (strain), doing 8-12 reps per set, working to do 3 sets each. I then followed that with 1 hour cardio (brisk walking). I eventually worked into upper body 1 day, lower body 2nd day, repeating that cycle twice more, which means I do weights and cardio 6 days a week. I found that I can gain muscle mass faster in split workouts.
  • PBJunkie
    PBJunkie Posts: 652
    Simply put...you want to save the energy to lift the maximum amount of weights for the best result and not waste it on cardio. Cardio afterwards is simply to exhaust your body from the remaining energy left.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,909 Member


    i wonder why? i am just curious about this. thanks for sharing.
    Here's why: Glycogen is NEEDED for energy on strength training. Without it ATP/ADP conversion will need another source of energy. If you glycogen is depleted then the liver breaks down muscle tissue into amino acids since it's an easier conversion instead of taking fat and converting it. So you can be catabolizing muscle. Losing muscle means lower metabolic rate and that would mean less calories burned at rest. You don't need as much glycogen for steady state cardio.
    A 10 minute warm up for cardio is fine, then lift, then finish with cardio.
  • alyssamehus
    alyssamehus Posts: 49 Member
    I usually start with 10 minutes of cardio, then move to strength training and finish with 20-30 more minutes of cardio.

    We are exercise TWINS! Ha! I do the same exact thing :) I like to get the muscles a little warmed up before jumping into weights and then hit a little more cardio after the weights.
  • dragonflydi
    dragonflydi Posts: 665 Member


    i wonder why? i am just curious about this. thanks for sharing.
    Here's why: Glycogen is NEEDED for energy on strength training. Without it ATP/ADP conversion will need another source of energy. If you glycogen is depleted then the liver breaks down muscle tissue into amino acids since it's an easier conversion instead of taking fat and converting it. So you can be catabolizing muscle. Losing muscle means lower metabolic rate and that would mean less calories burned at rest. You don't need as much glycogen for steady state cardio.
    A 10 minute warm up for cardio is fine, then lift, then finish with cardio.

    Not to mention that doing weight lifting with already fatigued muscles from having done cardio often leads to poor form which does not produce results and puts you at greater risk for injuring yourself while lifting.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    I prefer cardio first, then weights. I've talked to my trainer about it and he said it doesn't really matter what order you do it in, but you see a higher calorie burn if you cardio first, but you can't lift as much when you hit the weight room because you've already fatigued your muscles some.
  • kevin3344
    kevin3344 Posts: 702 Member
    The answer is, do what works for you.

    It's like if you're a morning person, work out in the morning. If you're an evening person, work out after work or after dinner.

    It's not going to make that much difference if you do weights first if you don't like it....do your cardio first if that's what keeps you motivated.
  • missikay1970
    missikay1970 Posts: 588 Member
    I ALWAYS do weights before cardio. Always! xD

    5 days of strength training? Make sure that you arent over training :flowerforyou:

    my husband is trying to cut me back to 3 days. :smile:
    3-4 days a week is preferred with a days rest between each workout. Lift as heavy as you can for 8-12 reps and complete 3 sets of each exercise.

    Well I do arms on monday wednesday Friday
    Legs/abs on tuesday thursday so I do have rest in between.
  • missikay1970
    missikay1970 Posts: 588 Member


    i wonder why? i am just curious about this. thanks for sharing.
    Here's why: Glycogen is NEEDED for energy on strength training. Without it ATP/ADP conversion will need another source of energy. If you glycogen is depleted then the liver breaks down muscle tissue into amino acids since it's an easier conversion instead of taking fat and converting it. So you can be catabolizing muscle. Losing muscle means lower metabolic rate and that would mean less calories burned at rest. You don't need as much glycogen for steady state cardio.
    A 10 minute warm up for cardio is fine, then lift, then finish with cardio.
    Thanks :smile:
  • hmb74
    hmb74 Posts: 6
    When I was about 100 lighter I had a personal trainer (he walked the London Marathon with me - took 10 hrs but we did it!). Whenever we trained, we always started with cardio, moved onto weights/resistance then finished with cardio. That's what I'm working my way back to. At the moment I'm doing 100 % cardio.
  • Egger29
    Egger29 Posts: 14,741 Member
    Unless you're an Elite performance athlete training for Competition, whether you do cardio or weights first doesn't make any difference in 99.9% of the general population.

    It's whatever works best for you. No Right way or wrong way.

    Cheers!

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