Which Exercise To Do First Cardio or Strength?

The most popular question I hear around the gym is what should I do first... cardio or strength training? Heck I had this same question so I went around asking.

I asked several personal trainers this and the answer has been split on the issue. Most say to do the cardio training after the weight training, because if you do cardio first, it uses up much of the energy for your anaerobic work, or strength training, and fatigues the muscles before their most strenuous activity.

This same view holds that strength training first will deplete the muscles stored carbohydrates, glycogen or sugar, and therefore will enhance fat burning during the cardio workout due to the lack of available sugar for fuel.

However from what I've read, there is no credible, concrete research that proves this, and what it should really come down to are your goals.

For instance, if your primary goal is to increase your aerobic endurance or lose body fat, then you should perform cardio first.

If your primary goal is to increase muscular strength, then do strength training first.

To get the most out of your workout, perform the exercise that is most important to your goals first, when you are not fatigued.

If your fitness goals include overall improvements, a factor for you to consider is which one of the types of exercises you enjoy most. You should do that exercise last.

I see a lot of guys who have set a goal of losing fat around their belly and they spend 30 minutes in the gym on the bench press or the preacher curl. Why? Because they are good at those and they see the results. The problem is that when they are done with those, they are too fatigued or don't have time to have a quality cardio workout.

The same concept applies to the ladies who want to firm up their arms but refuse to lift weights because they don't want to get big. Ladies, lifting weights will not make you big, and you won't firm your arms on the treadmill.

Spend 10 minutes at the beginning of your workout on your biceps and triceps and then go for your stair-stepping marathon. You will be shocked at how much more shapely your arms become.

It is better for you to have consistency in your exercise than to worry about the two extra calories you might burn from doing weights or cardio first. Analyze your goals, then plan your workouts to reach your goals.

Got to keep Blogging...

I've been bad about the blogging. Just to let you all know that I've still been working out and my goals have not changed. I did get a chance to run this weekend. Our family was at a Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society and I just incorporated my workout into the relay. I ran 13.25 miles in just under 2 hours. My energy level was still good at that time, but my calves and knee were starting to get sore from not running this distance for some time.

The bad thing was that as I was doing a cool down lap I met a guy I hadn't seen for years. We talked for what seemed like a half hour at which point the air temperature ~50 degrees and my cold sweat where causing my calves to cramp up even more.

I ran again yesterday 5k 27:30 to see how the legs would hold up after the long run. They hurt a little at first but once they loosed up a little they felt better. Today they feel good.

I got to get back to blogging...