work out physiology

[Faithnveggies]

Hi Cathe,
Is there a (significant?) advantage, metabolic or caloric, to doing weight training right after cardio? In other words, am I much better off if do my tri and bi w/o right after I finish bootcamp or can I take the dogs for a walk, regroup and hit the weights, or even do weights later in the day? Thanks

[maddiesmum]

It might even be more advantageous leaving that time gap in between the cardio and the weights sections of your workout, especially if you refuel in between, making proteins (amino acids) available in your blood stream before the weights in order to start the work of repairing those muscles as soon as the weights workout is done.

Metabolically, it might also help because if you have had a degree of rest in between, you can give more energy to your weights workout and then the after-burn will be the max for several hours after the workout, possibly more than it might have been if you had done the weights right after the cardio and were somewhat tired.

If you have to do the two together, one right after the other, due to time restrictions, that's just fine too. I think that's what most of us do. I think hat being able to put tome between your workouts must be a luxury!

Clare

[Faithnveggies]

Thanks for the feed, Clare, tho I must say, my time in between w/o doesn't feel luxurious. I'm sweaty and usually doing house work or running kids.

There are so many factors including intensity, duration, resistance, cardio, aerobic anaerobic, intervals, impact. What is good for my bones? My metabolism? Physique? Functional fitness? I guess that is why we go for the Cathe variety and variety in intensity.

So I just keep moving, something will work.

[JodelleFitzh20]

Not Cathe here, but just some food for thought. So as long as you are getting it in even after taking the break of walking the dogs, that's great and you'll just increase you calorie expenditure. The main thing is, is your goal fat loss, or to up your metabolism? If your goal is fat loss, then starting with cardio is wise, as cardio burns the fat around the muscles. If your goal is to increase metabolism then starting with weights is wise, so that you are devoting the most energy to the task you would most likely like to get results from, makes sense? If you put all your energy into cardio, you may not be able to lift as heavy (but the break in between will definately help), but if you do weights before cardio, you may not be able to push yourself to go long and hard in the cardio department. So decide what's most important and keep up the good work, because it sounds like you are really on top of your game, juggling workouts, dogs and kids and life!

[Faithnveggies]

Cathe Friedrich - Are Several Short Exercise Sessions Better Than One Long One?

Thanks for both responses. Here is a Cathe link that also supports the intense/shorter OK version of working out.

[Stacy]

........thanks Faith!