[Alex]

I do 3 times per week exercises with weights and I want to do some cardio training also (treadmill, bicycle...)
What do you recommend to do it before or after the weight training?

Regards,
Alex.

[pumpkin]

always do the weight training first, and cardio after or do every other day of each. You need a good amount of strength to get you through the weight lifting and if you do cardio first your body gets tired and you don't have enough strenth to do the weights. I got this info from a trainer at the gym. Good luck.

[jen]

i had thought that you need to get your heart rate up and muscles warm before lifting weights can be effective. so cardio before weights. i don't know what is right
jen

[LuckySmile]

You should always do a warmup before weights (you can just do a set with light weight to warmup those muscles). That said because of the metabolisms used for weights and cardio you should do weights before cardio. When you lift weights you burn carbs for fuel, when you do cardio you use carbs to start until you start burning fat (about 20 mins in). So the reason they recomend doing weights first is because if you do cardio first you use up all your carbs (energy) so you wont do as well with your wieghts. But if you do weights first you should have lots of enery for your weights, and switch over to fat burning mode more quickly when you do your cardio.

[kzplano]

Hi!

I think it depends on what your goal is.
If you're wanting to build some serious muscle or your focus is lifting then I would recommend to do the cardio first bc yes like someone said it will allow you to focus more on the lifting etc.
If your goal is overall fitness and weightloss etc. I would do the cardio first then the weights.
You can also alternate, one day do weights with a warm up and the next day just focus on cardio.
good luck!

[LuckySmile]

Why is it when someone makes a post describing why something is better, someone always has to come post thier opinion that has nothing to support it? I don't mind if someone has read different facts and questions what I say, but when they contradict my advice that is based in medical fact with thier opinion that has no medical support it frustrates me.

Yes you can do either first based on your preferance, it will do your body good either way. The same way running burns more calories than walking, but if you prefer to walk it will work better for you because you are more likely to stick with it.

[Lauren]

[fms]

Do a full warmup, but don't do your cardio before weights.

You should save your energy to perform the weights correctly and avoidinjury. Cario after weights will also mean your body will have used its energy stores and will burn fat sooner instead

[ailsa1208]

[jondoe0069]

Cardio is OK to do before weights as a warm up or even as your main cardio workout as long as it's not too intense.

If you're going to be running hard, for a super long period of time, doing sprints, or using a cardio machine (bike, etc.) with a lot of resistance, you should do this after your weight work out, or on a different day.

By doing intense cardio, you will break down certain muscles quite a bit and won't be able to maximize your weight workout.

If you're just looking to get in your 15 minutes of cardio (jog, bike, eliptical, etc.), you should do it whenever it's easiest for you.


MM
HowILost80lbs.com

[healthy real life]

For weight resistance, exercise warm ups are very critical. Improper warm up can cause muscle tears, tendon pulls, or even ligament damage, not to mention major muscle soreness the next day eliminating your fitness motivation or at least diminishing your fitness motivation a great deal.

Second, fitness motivation for weight resistance exercises is a little different than it is with cardio. Imagine your muscles are like semi frozen steaks just taken out of the fridge.

If you have tried to stretch a steak like that, you can easily rip or tear it with hardly any effort. But once it fully defrosts and becomes room temperature, it stretches much easier.

Your muscles are the same; they must get warm before you try to stretch them. To prevent injuries and to keep your fitness motivation high, for each weight resistance exercise you do per body part you should do three light warm up sets, prior to the first real set, incrementally increasing the weight every set.

For each new exercise you do for the same body part, do only one warm up. Let me explain how to warm up and how to select the proper weight by going through an example.

Let's say you are starting your workout for your chest muscles and you want to do a bench press for the first exercise. Do three light warm up sets. The weight you use for your first warm up set should be half of your normal workout weight. If you normally can do 100lbs. for 8-10 reps, then it will be 50lbs. for 8 reps. The next warm up set should be 60lbs., which is 40% less in weight. The final set should be 70lbs. for 5 reps, which is 30% less in weight.

After that, you re ready to continue your chest workout with 100% intensity.

Your muscles should be warm, but judge for yourself. The next new chest exercise you do after the bench press exercise you need only one warm up set not three because your chest is already warm.

The point of a warm up to improve your fitness motivation is to always remember to warm up your body and your muscles before you get into the actual work of your workout.

You can find more useful information at: healthyreallife.com
See you at the gym!

[dfandsf]

I can give you my opinion which is based on over 10 years of experience.

It is better to do cardio after weight training. The reason I say this is because if you do cardio first it will take engergy from the weight training. Since weight training does much more for you than cardio does (fat burning, overall appearance etc.) it makes sense to devote the majority of your engery to this.

However........ if you are just begining. Do not have a great deal of energy. and feel that if you don't get it out of the way in the begining you will never do it than by all means start off with cardio. (kind of like eating your spinach first before the other yummy stuff on your plate)

Its also best to work abs last but I do mine first because if I dont I will just skip them.