Cardio after weights to burn fat.
emmab0902
Posts: 2,338 Member
Have read that cardio after weights is the recommended way to go. I can understand the logic in that cardio first would decrease lifting ability. But to say weights first means you then burn fat in the cardio, wouldn't you have to have fully depleted glycogen in the weights for that to happen? Or what is the science behind it ie how much strength training is needed first to then burn fat as an energy source when you hit cardio. And how much cardio is needed after weights to achieve this?
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bump to read the answers. Also know to do weights first but would like to know the science as well.0
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bump to read the answers. Also know to do weights first but would like to know the science as well.0
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Great question! This is something that's been on my mind as well, or at least something similar. I've just been wondering if I'm depleting my glycogen stores when I'm working out...
I hope there's a knowledgable answer coming...0 -
The quick and dirty explanation as I understand it: after weightlifting your body's primary fuel source - glycogen - is depleted. So you are exclusively in fat burning mode when you undertake cardio. Probably works in either order, but more effective if cardio is secondary since you burn more fat with a higher sustained heart rate.0
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My personal trainer gets me to do dead lifts then cardio at end to burn pure fat!! How long for each will depend on your own metabolism etc. Killer workout though, my shoulders were on fire next day
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15 mind cardio to warm up.
Strenght Training.
Cardio - whatever amount you want to do.
I wouldnt do more than 60 min cardio, and 30 mins strenght training. Isnt it too much for the body. Its not about overdoing it one day, its about the concistency of doing it every day.
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I triple set all my lifts and incorporate an intense plyo. so I'm essentially doing cardio during my lifts for 30 min.then do 30-40 min of jumprope after.
Why draw lines inbetween the two. 99% of the people here don't lift to buik nor would they if they tried.0 -
interested to see more answers....I typically am too exhausted after strength training to go all out on cardio0
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The quick and dirty explanation as I understand it: after weightlifting your body's primary fuel source - glycogen - is depleted. So you are exclusively in fat burning mode when you undertake cardio. Probably works in either order, but more effective if cardio is secondary since you burn more fat with a higher sustained heart rate.
This and also its optimal to organize a routine based on energy source usage. Since weightlifting will use the phosphagen system (force production at it's greatest) and cardio generally uses aerobic metabolism (prolonged work), you'd want to structure your workout so that you use your phosphagen system first then all the way down to aerobic metabolism.0 -
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I'm not exactly sure but the guy who helps with my training says on days I don't lift weights before cardio I need to do an extra 30 cardio to burn all the sugar in my body before I'll burn the fat... But if I lift weights for 15-20minutes then 30 of cardio is plenty... Lifting weights can increase your heart rate similiarly to cardio.0
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Bump0
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This is where I get confused. Doesn't the body store several hundred grams of glycogen? And isn't one gram of glycogen 4 calories? So wouldn't it take a heck of a big effort to truly deplete glycogen?0
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I've noticed that you have 0 lbs lost. So you are newish here.
IMHO here. It's 10x more important that do actually do lift and cardio in whatever order at this stage.
You won't be advanced enough in either area at this point to notice any significant difference.
Just do it and worry about the order later. I've done it both ways.0 -
I have been on here 2 months and only weigh every 4 to 6 weeks so please don't assume by my ticker that I'm new to exercise. And my focus is not on the scales hence it is important to me to get things right so I can achieve my goals.I've noticed that you have 0 lbs lost. So you are newish here.
IMHO here. It's 10x more important that do actually do lift and cardio in whatever order at this stage.
You won't be advanced enough in either area at this point to notice any significant difference.
Just do it and worry about the order later. I've done it both ways.0 -
I have been on here 2 months and only weigh every 4 to 6 weeks so please don't assume by my ticker that I'm new to exercise. And my focus is not on the scales hence it is important to me to get things right so I can achieve my goals.I've noticed that you have 0 lbs lost. So you are newish here.
IMHO here. It's 10x more important that do actually do lift and cardio in whatever order at this stage.
You won't be advanced enough in either area at this point to notice any significant difference.
Just do it and worry about the order later. I've done it both ways.
Even two months is still a beginner IMHO. I sort of have to assume since you logs aren't public.
So how are you exercising right now? List up your routine.
Considering you're only 2 months into this, I'll stand by the logic that doing it in either order is more important at this stage0 -
The times that I have done my strength before my runs I feel like I'm running on empty before I even get into the run. I feel weak and like my stomach is empty (haven't in a day sorta empty) and those runs almost always bonk. The training program I've been usin said to do cardio first, but I'd heard this same thing and had been trying it strength then cardio, but I think I'm gonna listen to the program advice the next few times to see if there's a change in my performance.0
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bump. PLEASE dont let a bunch of people answer who have no idea what they're talking about...0
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This and also its optimal to organize a routine based on energy source usage. Since weightlifting will use the phosphagen system (force production at it's greatest) and cardio generally uses aerobic metabolism (prolonged work), you'd want to structure your workout so that you use your phosphagen system first then all the way down to aerobic metabolism.
^^Best answer^^
FYI: full depletion is not necessary. Weight trianing will help mobilize FFA's and steady-state cardio will help oxidize them.0 -
I have been on here 2 months and only weigh every 4 to 6 weeks so please don't assume by my ticker that I'm new to exercise. And my focus is not on the scales hence it is important to me to get things right so I can achieve my goals.I've noticed that you have 0 lbs lost. So you are newish here.
IMHO here. It's 10x more important that do actually do lift and cardio in whatever order at this stage.
You won't be advanced enough in either area at this point to notice any significant difference.
Just do it and worry about the order later. I've done it both ways.
Even two months is still a beginner IMHO. I sort of have to assume since you logs aren't public.
So how are you exercising right now? List up your routine.
Considering you're only 2 months into this, I'll stand by the logic that doing it in either order is more important at this stage
So, 4 pounds lost makes you some kind of expert??? What the heck kind of answer is this? If the question is over your head and you don't know the answer, simply don't answer. Don't attack someone else for asking a very reasonable question just because you have no clue what they're talking about.0 -
This is a great article explaining just how to maximize your results: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/james4.htm
TL;DR?
Don't do cardo the same day you lift. A three day split with the rest of the week filled in with Cardio is likely the /best/ option. I however, do 20 minutes of Cardio every day after I lift. *shrug*0 -
This and also its optimal to organize a routine based on energy source usage. Since weightlifting will use the phosphagen system (force production at it's greatest) and cardio generally uses aerobic metabolism (prolonged work), you'd want to structure your workout so that you use your phosphagen system first then all the way down to aerobic metabolism.
^^Best answer^^
FYI: full depletion is not necessary. Weight trianing will help mobilize FFA's and steady-state cardio will help oxidize them.
Really??? What are FFA's (fatty acids?)? I had this understanding (like the OP I think) that you needed to deplete your glycogen stores to get into super-fat-burn mode, but you're saying mobilizing the FFA's is all you need to do? So in turn, a HIIT session lasting 10 or so minutes would also serve to mobalize the FFA's (though not deplete the glycogen stores), and kick the body into fat burning mode. So, cardio after HITT would work the same as cardio after strength training?0 -
I'm not exactly sure but the guy who helps with my training says on days I don't lift weights before cardio I need to do an extra 30 cardio to burn all the sugar in my body before I'll burn the fat... But if I lift weights for 15-20minutes then 30 of cardio is plenty... Lifting weights can increase your heart rate similiarly to cardio.
Wow this one has really helped me out a lot. I'm definitely gonna change the way I do cardio now, good to know thanks!0 -
I have been on here 2 months and only weigh every 4 to 6 weeks so please don't assume by my ticker that I'm new to exercise. And my focus is not on the scales hence it is important to me to get things right so I can achieve my goals.I've noticed that you have 0 lbs lost. So you are newish here.
IMHO here. It's 10x more important that do actually do lift and cardio in whatever order at this stage.
You won't be advanced enough in either area at this point to notice any significant difference.
Just do it and worry about the order later. I've done it both ways.
Even two months is still a beginner IMHO. I sort of have to assume since you logs aren't public.
So how are you exercising right now? List up your routine.
Considering you're only 2 months into this, I'll stand by the logic that doing it in either order is more important at this stage
So, 4 pounds lost makes you some kind of expert??? What the heck kind of answer is this? If the question is over your head and you don't know the answer, simply don't answer. Don't attack someone else for asking a very reasonable question just because you have no clue what they're talking about.
I've been here for about 3 weeks. Lost 4lbs. Yes, I'm new here also. I never said I was an expert and it wasn't an attack. The post might be short and to the point but look at the advice and let me know if it's right or wrong. Then state why.
I've been working out for years. And lost 10lbs PRIOR to joining the site. I joined here because my progress has stopped and I needed a way to track calories. I've learned alot here from the posts.
So again, let me know if someone at her stage should really be worrying about the order vs actually just doing it and see how it works out. I've done it both ways. I value the lifting so I do it first. If I valued the cardio more, I'd do that first. Being so estoteric at this stage (or even where I'm at) seems a LITTLE like nitpicking to me. That is to me, as in my opinion.
So if the question is "over my head", let me know how my answer is an indication of that. Thanks0 -
IF you want to do both in the same session, yes, weight train before doing cardio.
BUT.
Be aware that weight training and cardio elicit different hormonal responses, and those responses compete for resources.
Odds are you won't completely deplete your glycogen resources unless you're doing some pretty heavy weight training to failure, it takes time for the liver to resupply the ready glycogen at the muscles sites, all the while it will be furiously trying to rebuild those liver glycogen stores from existing carbohydrate and protein stores in the body. FFA's while being a source of energy for many voluntary muscle types, are not utilized as fast as glycogen, and they don't produce as much energy per gram as does glycogen (even though their potential energy is higher, the process to break them down is energetically more expensive, thus the total usable energy is actually lower). Add to that the fact that weight training (anaerobic exercise in general) usually elicits an IGF-2, HGH, and Testosterone response which sucks energy away from muscles that would otherwise use it for the cardio you will do after, and that cardio (moderate stress actually) produces cortisol which is an insulin (and thus blood sugar) inhibitor. This all means that these 2 primary hormones are competing with each other. In other words, the best idea is to do one or the other, give your body time to recover (a minimum of a few hours) and drop their hormone levels back to normal, and then do the other activity, or better yet, do one per day, so you can be sure you have given your body the rest it needs.
don't forget about the other intangibles that doing 2 types of exercise in a day can produce, I.E. fatigue, high stress, and a far higher possibility of injury because of muscle weakness. The body will try to overcompensate when a muscle becomes fatigued, using stabilizer muscles to compensate for a weak protagonist muscle, this is always a bad idea as stabilizers are not nearly as strong.0 -
Bump ... interesting topic.0
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So if the question is "over my head", let me know how my answer is an indication of that. Thanks
It seemed clear to me that OP wanted to better understand the science behind glycogen depletion and how it relates to the body's determination of energy source. Your answer basically sidestepped it.
That being said, I agree with you in that it's not going to matter a ton, but that doesn't help the OP or answer her question. I am also interested in the answer and I'm currently reading about it over on Lyle's site (trying to find conculsive literature).0 -
So if the question is "over my head", let me know how my answer is an indication of that. Thanks
It seemed clear to me that OP wanted to better understand the science behind glycogen depletion and how it relates to the body's determination of energy source. Your answer basically sidestepped it.
That being said, I agree with you in that it's not going to matter a ton, but that doesn't help the OP or answer her question. I am also interested in the answer and I'm currently reading about it over on Lyle's site (trying to find conculsive literature).
Fair enough.0 -
I have been on here 2 months and only weigh every 4 to 6 weeks so please don't assume by my ticker that I'm new to exercise. And my focus is not on the scales hence it is important to me to get things right so I can achieve my goals.I've noticed that you have 0 lbs lost. So you are newish here.
IMHO here. It's 10x more important that do actually do lift and cardio in whatever order at this stage.
You won't be advanced enough in either area at this point to notice any significant difference.
Just do it and worry about the order later. I've done it both ways.
Even two months is still a beginner IMHO. I sort of have to assume since you logs aren't public.
So how are you exercising right now? List up your routine.
Considering you're only 2 months into this, I'll stand by the logic that doing it in either order is more important at this stage
So, 4 pounds lost makes you some kind of expert??? What the heck kind of answer is this? If the question is over your head and you don't know the answer, simply don't answer. Don't attack someone else for asking a very reasonable question just because you have no clue what they're talking about.
I've been here for about 3 weeks. Lost 4lbs. Yes, I'm new here also. I never said I was an expert and it wasn't an attack. The post might be short and to the point but look at the advice and let me know if it's right or wrong. Then state why.
I've been working out for years. And lost 10lbs PRIOR to joining the site. I joined here because my progress has stopped and I needed a way to track calories. I've learned alot here from the posts.
So again, let me know if someone at her stage should really be worrying about the order vs actually just doing it and see how it works out. I've done it both ways. I value the lifting so I do it first. If I valued the cardio more, I'd do that first. Being so estoteric at this stage (or even where I'm at) seems a LITTLE like nitpicking to me. That is to me, as in my opinion.
So if the question is "over my head", let me know how my answer is an indication of that. Thanks
How can you judge what "stage" I am at merely by either how much weight I have lost or how long I have been on MFP?? Being on here 60 odd days doesn't mean I only started working out that many days ago.
I am happy to list my workout programme but it isn't relevant to the original question.0 -
bump 0
This discussion has been closed.
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