What comes first, weights or cardio

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mstaser
mstaser Posts: 657 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have heard both sides of this dilemma. What are everyone's thoughts here.

Weights then Cardio OR Cardio then Weights

Replies

  • amymt10
    amymt10 Posts: 271 Member
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    bump
  • jamfan
    jamfan Posts: 124 Member
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    I've always heard weights then cardio because you wont have the energy to put up as much weight if you've done the cardio first. Additionally, I'm not a sweaty mess on the equipment if I follow w/ cardio do it's my preference.
  • KemaVA
    KemaVA Posts: 81 Member
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    I've always heard weights then cardio because you wont have the energy to put up as much weight if you've done the cardio first. Additionally, I'm not a sweaty mess on the equipment if I follow w/ cardio do it's my preference.

    I'm the opposite... If I lift weights first I will not have the energy to complete my cardio. So I think you should do whatever you find hardest first.
  • thepetiterunner
    thepetiterunner Posts: 1,238 Member
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    I always do weights first. Something about it just seems right to me. And I'm a sweaty mess after my runs, so for me weights are definitely my go-to first.
  • 714rah714
    714rah714 Posts: 759 Member
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    I usually don't mix, one day cardio, the next day weights until the weekend that is, and I then do cardio after weights just because I sweat like a pig during cardio.
  • angelovearth
    angelovearth Posts: 25
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    If you do your cardio first, you will spend b/w 15 to 20 minutes burning your glucose reserves (and even more if you’re not fit). Your body is now ready to burn fat for energy but, by the time you get to the weight lifting you might feel too tired because of lack of glucose and end up burning less fat. Therefore, starting with weight lifting enables your body to use the reserve glucose first, you will feel much stronger and lift more and by the time you get to the cardio part of your workout your body will be ready to burn fat for energy.
  • BrandyontheRun
    BrandyontheRun Posts: 204 Member
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    My running coach has said weights always AFTER cardio. I always do cardio before weights.. After we lift aren't we supposed to be resting our muscles anyways?
  • perdie7
    perdie7 Posts: 278 Member
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    I've heard both...so I do 30 min on Arc machine, thin weights for an hour, then back to 30 min on elliptical. It's been working for me.
  • Quickster34
    Quickster34 Posts: 209 Member
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    I split it , Lift in the mornings and run in the afternoons this way i can get the intensity during both workouts
  • Luthorcrow
    Luthorcrow Posts: 193
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    If you do your cardio first, you will spend b/w 15 to 20 minutes burning your glucose reserves (and even more if you’re not fit). Your body is now ready to burn fat for energy but, by the time you get to the weight lifting you might feel too tired because of lack of glucose and end up burning less fat. Therefore, starting with weight lifting enables your body to use the reserve glucose first, you will feel much stronger and lift more and by the time you get to the cardio part of your workout your body will be ready to burn fat for energy.

    Bingo! That is also, in theory, the better recipe for weight loss as well. It's the same theory as doing HIT followed by steady state cardio.
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
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    Weights then cardio, no question.

    But, you must do a general warm-up before lifting to raise your body temperature. The warm-up could be anything that moves your body enough to raise your core temperature.
  • the_texreb
    the_texreb Posts: 138 Member
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    I've always heard cardio then lifting = sliming down
    lifting then cardio = building mass

    I haven't done enough of each to compare kind to compare. I just always do cardio first because I workout at lunch, and if I have to skip one thing, I can afford to skip lifting. I need all the cardio I can get.
  • renu74
    renu74 Posts: 90 Member
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    Few of the trainers I talked at my gym say that you need to get your heart rate up and blood circulating better before you do weights. And so Cardio before weights is recommended. That is what I am doing now.
  • Luthorcrow
    Luthorcrow Posts: 193
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    Few of the trainers I talked at my gym say that you need to get your heart rate up and blood circulating better before you do weights. And so Cardio before weights is recommended. That is what I am doing now.

    Your trainer is partially correct. Generally you do want to get your body temperature up and joints lubricated. Five minutes of general callisthenics or dynamic stretches is more than enough. Running on the treadmill or elliptic is waste of time because it only works your legs. Keep in mind that your warm doesn't stop there because you should be doing warm up sets of whatever lift you are doing. As a result many lifters do no extra drills other than their warm up sets.

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