Strength Training

dojomama
dojomama Posts: 12
in Fitness and Exercise
Is it more effective (for weight loss) to strength train before or after cardio?

Replies

  • JeffJohnson26
    JeffJohnson26 Posts: 77 Member
    Strength training first, then cardio. Or better yet, use a circuit training program that includes full body weighted exercises.
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
    If you are doing it right with strength training you should be in no condition to do much of a cardio workout afterwards. If you can you need to up the intensity of the strength training workout.
  • dojomama
    dojomama Posts: 12
    Thanks!
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Most effective is to do them on different days.
  • _the_feniks_
    _the_feniks_ Posts: 3,412 Member
    Cardio after strength training. If you are going for fat loss, throw in some speed intervals the last 20min or so of your cardio.
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
    Based on the metabolic systems used, you'll burn more fat from your cardio if you do it immediately after strength training.
  • abbysnail614
    abbysnail614 Posts: 5
    Based on the metabolic systems used, you'll burn more fat from your cardio if you do it immediately after strength training.

    I have been doing cardio prior to strength training, as sortof a warmup. Is doing it after really better? I may change my workout routine..
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Based on the metabolic systems used, you'll burn more fat from your cardio if you do it immediately after strength training.

    I have been doing cardio prior to strength training, as sortof a warmup. Is doing it after really better? I may change my workout routine..

    It doesn't make any practical difference. The fuel you burn during the exercise session itself has no impact on overall fat loss. If you feel that doing your cardio first helps you warm up and you can still put out quality effort with strength training, then there is no need to change. If your top priority is strength training, then it would be best to do it first or on a separate day/separate workout.
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
    Based on the metabolic systems used, you'll burn more fat from your cardio if you do it immediately after strength training.

    I have been doing cardio prior to strength training, as sortof a warmup. Is doing it after really better? I may change my workout routine..

    It depends on the certifying agency you believe. I'm certified with both the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. NSCA promotes following your metabolic pathways and ACSM says it doesn't matter. I follow the NSCA's model because it makes more sense to me. When I look at my clients over the past 16 years as a trainer, following the metabolic pathways has proven to be most effective for my clients for better strength and muscle mass gains and fat loss.
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
    If you are doing it right with strength training you should be in no condition to do much of a cardio workout afterwards. If you can you need to up the intensity of the strength training workout.

    How do you figure this? I lift pretty heavy, have a great workout with results and yet I can still do 30 mins of HIIT afterwards. I've seen many do this as well; male and female; and people who've been more extreme than me. I've also trained with figure competitors who've had no trouble jumping on a treadmill after a hardcore workout.
  • jg627
    jg627 Posts: 1,221 Member
    I don't know how intensely you weight lift, but, when I get done, heavy cardio is out of the question. The best I can hope to manage is maybe some walking and stretching to cool down afterwards. Sometimes I'll do some moderately intense cardio on non weight days, but usually just keeping my grass shorter than Jimmy Struthers down the street works for me. Hope that helps.
  • bradphil87
    bradphil87 Posts: 617 Member
    I don't know how intensely you weight lift, but, when I get done, heavy cardio is out of the question. The best I can hope to manage is maybe some walking and stretching to cool down afterwards. Sometimes I'll do some moderately intense cardio on non weight days, but usually just keeping my grass shorter than Jimmy Struthers down the street works for me. Hope that helps.

    I'm with you man, after lifting hard I can barly make it to the truck lol
  • vfnmoody
    vfnmoody Posts: 271 Member
    Cardio after strength training. If you are going for fat loss, throw in some speed intervals the last 20min or so of your cardio.


    Is this an attempt to burn fat after glycogen has been used up?
  • sharonwitten
    sharonwitten Posts: 35
    Based on the metabolic systems used, you'll burn more fat from your cardio if you do it immediately after strength training.

    I have been doing cardio prior to strength training, as sortof a warmup. Is doing it after really better? I may change my workout routine..

    It depends on the certifying agency you believe. I'm certified with both the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. NSCA promotes following your metabolic pathways and ACSM says it doesn't matter. I follow the NSCA's model because it makes more sense to me. When I look at my clients over the past 16 years as a trainer, following the metabolic pathways has proven to be most effective for my clients for better strength and muscle mass gains and fat loss.
  • sharonwitten
    sharonwitten Posts: 35
    Okay what is all this trainer talk. Like metabolic pathways?
  • victoria4321
    victoria4321 Posts: 1,719 Member
    I do cardio after as more of a safety precaution. Its not a good idea to be lifting heavy weights when you're tired. If your strength training is more high reps/low weights then it probably doesn't even matter as they're both just cardio work outs anyway.
  • sharonwitten
    sharonwitten Posts: 35
    Also I try to log in my strength training and there is nothing that some up in the database. I don't do a lot but I do some 8 lb curls before my run of 4 miles. Can anyone help me. Also I try to reply on a post and my reply just stands out there on its own. I do the quote thing and then how do you reply on that post?
  • sharonwitten
    sharonwitten Posts: 35
    I agree I feel stronger and more warmed up if I do my strength training before my cardio.

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