Cardio before or after weight training?

As a certified fitness trainer, I would get the question from clients and gym members, when is it better to do cardio? Before or after weight training? It's very simple, cardio after weight training. Why?

In order to get the maximum benefits out of your fitness plan for both muscle retention and fat loss, cardio training must be done after weight training.

It's really not an opinion but purely physiology in the how and when our body pulls energy from three sources within our body. The glycogen stores within the muscle tissue, muscle tissue itself, and the fat cell.

If you execute cardio before your weight training, two things happen:

1. You utilize the glycogen (energy) stored in the muscle tissue which you actually need to help get you through your weight training program (muscle contractions);

2. You possibly eliminate your bodies opportunity to utilize (burn) the energy in the fat cell which is mostly what we strive to achieve.

If you change to this combo:

1. Warm up on cardio for 5 minutes;

2. Execute your weight training program (glycogen is used to perform the muscle contractions);

3. Execute your cardio training program (glyocen stores are at their lower points from the weight training allowing the body to go to the fat cell for energy, thus shrinking the fat cell on top of the muscle;

4. Stretch

You are also giving your body the opportunity to allow the enzymes in the muscle tissue to increase which helps to increase your metabolism which in turn helps you burn fat more efficiently even while your body is at rest; you are giving your body the opportunity to shrink the fat cells down ultimately helping the muscle tone to shine through.

Also, remember that if you have been executing cardio before weight training and you are over training by going beyond th 65-75% on your maximum heart rate called the anaerobic training zone, your body could start using your muscle tissue for energy which can reduce your metabolism and increase your bodies ability to store fat.

So, cardio after weight training. Do that one change, and you will see results.

i am glad to hear that this is true. my gym gave me information and a program taht has me doing exactly this. and at first i did my cardio at first (i didnt do my program in order at first) and i got "scolded" by one of the ladies who work there about what i was doing needing to be in order (10 minutes warm up cardio, strength training, ab exercises, and then 20-25 minutes or more of cardio at the end, (stretch afterward) i started doing it right a few weeks ago. i do it only 2 time a week because zumba is my other 3 days at the gym. (i have limited gym time because of my children)

Thanks for the post as Im glad to know now, 6 weeks in,rather than later. So this what could be holding back progress? How soon after correcting should I be able go see a difference? First week? Month?