Cardio or Strength First?

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Kristy0728
Kristy0728 Posts: 63
in Fitness and Exercise
When you work out - strength or cardio first, why? I have heard strength first burns more fat???

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  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    I don't do cardio and strength on the same days at all.

    Here's the reasoning:

    Cardio will burn your glycogen stores, reducing your weight lifting potential

    Weight lifting, if done nice and heavy, will wear you the hell out and your body needs to recuperate now.

    If you are just hitting some machines with moderate effort and not really going heavy/compound, then it wouldn't really hurt you much to do 15-20 minutes of moderate cardio first. You'll be nice and warmed up at least.
  • Sl1ghtly
    Sl1ghtly Posts: 855 Member
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    Strength first, so I can focus my energy on lifting.
  • badgerbadger1
    badgerbadger1 Posts: 954 Member
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    Strength first, so I can focus my energy on lifting.

    This.

    Or preferrably alternate days.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Most days I do only cardio, but when I do both I do cardio first (if at all).
  • eayal002
    eayal002 Posts: 186
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    I do strength first once I'm done I take my post workout protein, BCAA and Glutamine then I go do cardio for 20 min or so. Cardio is at a moderate pace, fat burning zone. Before I do 5 to 10 min depending what muscle group I'm doing. Legs I do 10 min get legs warmed up before I abuse them.

    I do this now, cutting but while I'm trying to add weight I seldom do much cardio (maybe twice a week). I do a intense type interval training (sprint 30 sec job 45, do that for 10 to 15 min) attempt to keep stamina up.
  • Mickie814
    Mickie814 Posts: 4
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    I have done cardio first. But if there is a better way then I am all ears for it.
  • Zichu
    Zichu Posts: 542 Member
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    I've just started strength training and I feel it would be easier for me to do cardio first, eat something high in protein and then do strength training.

    I can do my cardio around 7:30am and when I get back my siblings will be at school, I can eat something light, but high in protein like eggs or something and then do strength training while they are out, would be easier for me as I won't get disturbed and won't have people getting in my way lol.

    Other people do it differently I suppose. I tend to go cycling, I can go for longer and it's great having the wind hitting my face. I can't seem to go jogging for long without my knees giving me problems. So I think if I am going to be working my legs through strength training, I won't cycle on that day to get my legs a rest. So for me, that is going to be a Wednesday.

    This is how I will be doing it:

    Monday: Cardio, Chest and Back
    Tuesday: Cardio, Abs
    Wednesday: Legs
    Thursday: Cardio, maybe Abs or rest
    Friday: Cardio, Arms and Shoulders

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