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.
posted by Fe Man @ 7:20 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
I discovered the notrious FE Man of the Ed blog. . . love your info. . . great advice that I hadn't heard. . . have been thinking about doing some weight training cuz I love the fast results. . .
I guess I'll start doing some weights before my walk.
Thanks for the insight.
Ciao
Sicilian,
Thanks for stopping by. I love your blog. It reminds of the places I grew up in as a little boy.
Ciao
Now, there is much discussion about this cardio versus strength workout. My take on it is that you do a cardio first to raise the heart rate, then do strength with a high heart rate, then back to cardio to get the heart rate back up again and then strength etc. What do you think?
Mid Life - I take a group fitness class that does exactly what you said to do. The class is real popular with people, but I am not a big fan of it. My take is that if I want to do cardio I'll do cardio and if I want to do weight, I'll do weights. Doing both I feel that I do neither real hard.
Umm, I know what you mean. I used to use free weights but didn't really enjoy it much. I do a Body Pump class on Saturday mornings and find it a much better workout. I used to do it 3 times a week but boredom set in and I now only do it on a Saturday. I guess once is better than none but I am of the opinion that most things should be done in three's to get the most benefit!
I can see how bordom would creap into a class like that. I only do the Basic Training class on Thursday (if at all)
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