weights before cardio?

D

desertbriez

Banned
hi cathe!

i'm coming here to ask a professional.. cuz i've read lots of posts from us "users" at other forums!

i always do cardio then weights.. cuz that is the way you and other fitness video/dvd experts do (i.e. body max: cardio, interval circuits then weights)

however i keep reading at other places that you are supposed to do weights first then cardio... well i'm not one to mess with perfection (the way you set up your workouts!) so i just do my cardio (that warms me up) then my weights if i'm doing both on the same day...

however one place did link to this article.. that is very good:

http://www.femalemuscle.com/medicine/larrypepefm7.htm

and i'd just like to get some clarification....

i'm not changing how i work out based on a bunch of "users" posts or even this article... cuz you are the pro after all! but i would really, really like to get your take on it!

thanx!!!!
 
Hi,
I'm not Cathe but I am an exercise phys. student and I think that I might know the short answer to your question. The basis for doing weights before cardio is that if you do an intense cardio workout (like KPC) then do a heavy or endurance weight workout, you'll be too fatigued from the cardio to use proper form and give it 100%. The purpose of interval training is to increase your endurance more than your strength.

Cathe has said herself to do weights before cardio if it's going to be an intense combo like 1hr of weights + 30mins of cardio. She often does it with her rotations.

Sorry for butting in ;)
 
I would say to do weights before cardio...why? Because you will use up all your carbohydrate stores from the weight training and then when you come to do the cardio (assuming you really did a good, hard session on the weights) you'll more likey to use fat as your fuel source. Which is, after all, what we want.
 
I think it depends on your priority. If fat burning is your priority, then you should do cardio first. If strength building is your priority, do the weights first. Reasons as explained above--whichever you do first will tire you & make the other less effective.

I always do cardio first--personally I think doing getting my heart rate up with an intense cardio workout and then keeping it up with weight training really helps burn fat efficiently & effectively. I love the weight training, but staying slim is definitely my priority.
 
"Cathe has said herself to do weights before cardio if it's going to be an intense combo like 1hr of weights + 30mins of cardio. She often does it with her rotations."

but, why then, are ALL her combo workouts (and other fitness dvd's) set up as cardio first THEN weights (i.e. body max?)
 
Here are some of her rotation recommendations:

Fri.....S&H Bicep, Tricep, Abs followed by an immediate 40 minute Run and/or fast walk.

Fri....Leaner Legs plus 1st 5 Intervals of Imax 1
Sat....CTX Upper Body plus 2nd 5 intervals of Imax

Wed.....Pyramid Upper Body plus 30 min. run
Thurs...Pyramid Lower Body plus kick/punch combinations and abs from KPC


She does do some in the opposite direction but the cardio or weights are light:

Tues: Warm up and Step portion ONLY of Step, Jump, Pump....PLUS Legs and Glutes in entirety

Thurs…CTX Cardio of choice plus Pyramid lower body stability ball segment only
Fri……CTX cardio of choice plus 10 minutes of abs


HTH. Perhaps Cathe can shed some light on this when she finds time.
 
i don't do rotations.. i do dvds... her DVDS/VIDEOS/WORKOUT are CARDIO then WEIGHTS... THAT is my QUESTION! why?

and yes.. that is why i posted here.. cuz the other places had plenty of user opinions.. i am hoping cathe can/will shed some light on this...

i'm not one to take a dvd and play around with putting this part ahead of that part.. i want to put it in.. press play.. and go!

i also don't take bits and pieces of workouts then go off running somewhere.. i do the WHOLE workout (or premix) as is.... and they (the dvds) are all CARDIO then WEIGHTS!
 
I didn't intend to make you angry. I understood your question fine. MY point is that Cathe's workouts that are cardio then weights are LIGHT. I can't think of a single workout/premix (other than body max which is an older workout so the "weights then cardio" theory may not have existed at the time) that is intense cardio then heavy weights.

Sorry for butting in.
 
I suggest you e mail cathe directly. I've done it severaltimes and gotten rather quick responses. Hope this helps

:)
 
I would love to email Cathe directly about this topic and another, seeing that I emailed Customer service a week ago with a question about their DVD's and never got a response!

What is her direct email address?

Thanks,
Cass
 
Seems to me that this is another "listen to your body" question. I always preface my workouts w/ abworkouts. Many fitness experts will tell you that you should not ... others will say that they always do. Personally I like to get in a 30-45 minute run prior to my weight workouts.
 
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