Weights, Cardio or Both?

Options
Dayna5K
Dayna5K Posts: 136 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi All,

Need some advice on which is the best way to tone my body while promoting weight loss during my workouts. I try to work out for 1.5 hour, 4x a week. I start by doing cardio for 1 hour and then lift light weights (10-15lbs) or use machines for the remainng 30min ( legs, stomach, chest, biceps, triceps).

As of late, I've been too tired to complete my workout after the 1 hour cardio. I'm basically exhausted and can do no more. So my thoughts are that I should do one of two things:

- split the days that I do cardio and the days that I lift (although I worry that this will decrease the amount of calories that I burn)

-cut out the weights all together and once I have gotten to my goal weight start back to build bac the muscle.

Any suggestions?

~D

Replies

  • apamapandapa
    apamapandapa Posts: 31 Member
    Options
    I usually set my goal to burn around 400-500 cal per workout. So I start with 200-250 cal which takes me aprox. half an hour of different cardio ( I mostly take different cardio, each for 100cal), then I do 30-45 min of strenght training, and afterwards I finish again with cardio (again the same - doing two different ones like rowing and elliptical). In case if I am too tired I just do half of the last cardio. Maybe you should try splitting your exercise somehow similar?? (of course I don't know if this is right what I do. I hope it is :D )

    Good luck :)
  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
    Options
    Read, enlightenment, etc.

    http://4chanfit.wikia.com/wiki/Harsh's_Worksheet_(WIP)
  • Dayna5K
    Dayna5K Posts: 136 Member
    Options
    I usually set my goal to burn around 400-500 cal per workout. So I start with 200-250 cal which takes me aprox. half an hour of different cardio ( I mostly take different cardio, each for 100cal), then I do 30-45 min of strenght training, and afterwards I finish again with cardio (again the same - doing two different ones like rowing and elliptical). In case if I am too tired I just do half of the last cardio. Maybe you should try splitting your exercise somehow similar?? (of course I don't know if this is right what I do. I hope it is :D )

    Good luck :)
    [/quote]

    Thanks! I appreciate the advice and support.
  • Dayna5K
    Dayna5K Posts: 136 Member
    Options
    Read, enlightenment, etc.

    http://4chanfit.wikia.com/wiki/Harsh's_Worksheet_(WIP)


    Okay, I'll check that out. Thanks
  • cara4art
    cara4art Posts: 48 Member
    Options
    Do your weights FIRST - of course you're too tired after a whole hour of cardio(depending on how hard you're cranking it of course with that) to put enough steam into your weight workouts. Try a good basic lifting program that can be done in 45 minutes or less, and no, you don't have to do a whole hour of cardio if you're working hard enough. In fact, an excellent steady-state cardio session can be done in 40-45 minutes. It's far better to have a somewhat shorter, but more intense cardio workout than an hour's worth that doesn't do much. One can take that further 2-3x a week and do intervals on the machine of your choice. Generally a few rounds of 1 minute fast, 2 minutes at an easier pace, for half a dozen or 8 rounds, with a warm-up period of 3-5 minutes, and cool-down for 5. As one gets more stamina(which happens pretty quickly with this kind of training, as well as speed)one can do shorter intervals, like 30 seconds fast, and 60 seconds slower, Another intense interval pattern is 1 minute fast, 1 minute slow for as many times as you can manage(which won't be all that many because it's THAT intense). On the fast parts one has to be going as fast as one possibly can for that minute, or 30 seconds. All this gets one's heart rate up in a hurry, and the metabolic effects are pretty well-known out there, as in a pretty good after-burn of calories. A longer, steady-state session is good for endurance and the heart, and some people do respond very well in the fat-burning department with this type too. What counts is what works for your body, along with one's diet of course.
  • stefanieceleste0530
    stefanieceleste0530 Posts: 177 Member
    Options
    I always do my weights first. I sweat like a beast when I'm doing cardio and I don't want to get that much sweat on the weight machines (I do only machines, no free weights....yet). My weight circuit that is set up takes me about an hour to get through if I do the whole thing - some days I do and then do a minimum of 30 minutes cardio. If I just don't have time to do ALL of that, I'll cut the weights in half and then do the cardio. My ideal day in the gym is having 2 hours so I can do all the weights AND an hour of cardio, but sadly, with two jobs, that just doesn't happen very often.

    My trainer had actually told me that you should do the thing that you want to focus on the most first - so you can put a full effort into that. So, if you want to tone - lift your weights first so you have the best form. If you want to burn - do your cardio first so you're not too tired to give it your all after weights.

    I'm tired, so I hope that this makes at least a little sense!!

    Good luck!
  • kbd388
    kbd388 Posts: 125 Member
    Options
    I just joined a gym yesterday and here is how my trainer set me up:

    Warm up - treadmill - 5 minutes
    Weight machines - 10 machines - 30 minutes
    Cardio - treadmill - 45 minutes, 4.0mph (this is my own choice, it's what I've been doing for a few months)
    Cool down - treadmill - 5 minutes

    I plan to walk every day (again, what I've been doing for a few months now) but only lift the weights 3-4 times per week.

    Good luck!
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    Options
    If you do them on the same day, then do weights first and cardio second.

    Personally, I split my days up... cardio one day, the weights the other. Reason being I do all my weight lifting to failure(IE I couldn't do another rep even if I tried really hard) and by the time I'm finished, there is no way I getting on some piece of cardio equipment.
  • run2jeepn
    run2jeepn Posts: 183 Member
    Options
    This is Simple... BOTH...

    After a good weight-training session your blood sugar is down and your body is really breaking into the fat reserves to replenish energy. THIS is the time to take advantage of situation by then following-up with some cardio...you're body is prime for fat-burning! So yeah; weights first!!!
  • manderson27
    manderson27 Posts: 3,510 Member
    Options
    I used to do cardio before lifting but have reversed it now or do it on another day and am finding I can lift much more and for longer.
  • Prahasaurus
    Prahasaurus Posts: 1,381 Member
    Options
    LIfting before cardio, definitely. I made the same mistake when I started.

    Also, try to use free weights (if you're not already) for your lifting. Avoid the machines. I think you'll see much better results, with less time spent in the gym.

    Start here for some general tips: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/12/01/11-things/

    The entire website is a fantastic resource.

    In the end, you have to devise a plan that works for you. No two people are alike. Good luck!

    --P
  • Dayna5K
    Dayna5K Posts: 136 Member
    Options
    Thanks to all for the suggestions! I've got some research to do. One thing is for sure, gotta start with the weights!
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Options
    Do both, but you don't need to do weights 4x a week unless you're doing a complicated split. Do full body strength training 2-3x per week. You can get a great strength workout in half hour, 2-3x per week. The rest of the time, you can do cardio to your heart's (and desired calories burned) desire. Just make sure you eat enough protein that you're not sacrificing that muscle you're working so hard for by doing too much cardio.

    Look into stronglifts or starting strength or NROLFW for a good full body strenth routine.
  • sthrnchick
    sthrnchick Posts: 771
    Options
    I say do both...I personally HATE cardio days and LOVE my lifting days...but I know that both are needed! I lift 3-4 times a week...and do cardio ever other day. Both days are usually an hour.
  • slowly_changing12
    slowly_changing12 Posts: 192 Member
    Options
    i think that it would be best if you have your cardio days and your weight lifting days.....i think it would be better to split the two, but if you have more energy to incorporate more cardio or weight lifting on either one of your days then do so....i dont think it would hurt....this is the plan that i follow and i have done perfectly fine..... i have always mixed weights with cardio on cardio days and cardio with weights on weight days.....it all depends on how you feel.:wink:

Categories