gillianorr
Cathlete
Happy to address the following!
1. The cardio warms up the body so that when I lift, I am not risking pulling a muscle and doing damage.
A warm up is indeed essential and should be considered a given...but that is not what was questioned by original poster. A warm up is not a cardio session.
2. If I am doing both, I do not choose an all-out, balls to the wall workout like Drill Max or Intensity. Instead, I would do as the original poster did and choose the cardio from either the shorter CTX or 4 day split offerings or from a workout that has already taken into account the need to reduce the cardio because it is part of a circuit workout, like LIC, Cardio & Weights, etc.
Awesome.
3. When I lift weights, I go all out and I will never start a cardio session after weights, never. For two reasons: by then I am exhausted and I will have no interest in doing the cardio. You couldn't pay me to do cardio after weights.
Continuing to exercise while exhausted is never a good idea. The original poster asked what order if the two were to be done together. If that doesn't interest you then no worries! For those who choose to skin the cat this way I'm sure they want to get the most out of their time spent training...weights offer benefits of both cardiovascular and muscular improvements...you don't get this from straight up cardio. My money is on the win/win benefits over the "win".
4. I am not mentally able to do weights first, then cardio: I am mentally able to do cardio and then weights and do it every week. It works for me. I am able to do 40-60 mins cardio (powerwalk on high inline or 6 mile run) and then follow this with a full lower body resistance training session, plus core work. If upper body weights get into the equation, they are either a shorter upper body section that follows a shorter cardio or they are a part of a a total body all out weights effort at home.
Changing exercise patterns can indeed be a challenge...but well worth the effort.
5. A poster here suggests cardio tires the body out and then we can't put all effort into the weights that follow. True. And equally true is the reverse: when I do weights first, I do not have any energy to spare for cardio afterwards.
Based on the win/win for strength over the win for cardio I'm going with the getting the most value for my training time.
6.A poster here suggests cardio and then weights is the pathway to injury. Really? I suggest that the reverse is equally true, yet again. I cannot imagine doing the exhausting lower body workouts I do and then doing a 6 mile run. Pulled hamstring, twisted ankle, knee pain brought on by altered gait due to massive tiredness, all those would be possible. For me: run, then weights, is the safest option.
The pathway to injury statement is an exaggeration of what was stated. Let's break this down. When you lift weights you are calling upon the skeletal, cardiovascular, and musclar systems to a much higher degree of difficulty over cardio alone. The more tasks you ask the body to do at once the higher the risk of injury...it is that simple. The risk/reward factor. Everyone taining needs to exercise common sense and not continue if they are exhausted...pacing comes with experience and knowing how much energy you have in the tank to either continue or call it a day with pride!
7. Let's not forget the enjoyment factor. If you hate your workouts and allow dread to get in there, you won't do them. Just the thought of starting cardio after weights disinterests me so much, I know I would not derive much enjoyment at all from my cardio. Cardio, for me, is the time to cut loose and work the kinks out. I can't do that after weights. What does your enjoyment level dictate?
Wouldn't it be great if everyone loved training!! Unfortunately that is not the case with us human beings but the benefits outweigh the downside and we somehow get through. I find people procrastinate on what they are least familar with and then stick to the same things over and over and all your efforts are put towards what you are already good at. This can cause imbalance in the body and mind.
In addition to being a Personal Trainer I am also a Spinning and Running Instructor...so I love my cardio....but crosstraining is essential to both of these cardiovascular activities so we don't get into a whole lot of trouble with pattern overload issues (doing the same repetitive motion again and again)...and that is where weight training trumps all. Same thing if weight loss is your goal...you need to build that lean muscle mass to rev the metabolism 24/7. Unless you have unlimited time on your hands and never have to make a judgement call on what to do first, I would always go with the win/win over the win!!
1. The cardio warms up the body so that when I lift, I am not risking pulling a muscle and doing damage.
A warm up is indeed essential and should be considered a given...but that is not what was questioned by original poster. A warm up is not a cardio session.
2. If I am doing both, I do not choose an all-out, balls to the wall workout like Drill Max or Intensity. Instead, I would do as the original poster did and choose the cardio from either the shorter CTX or 4 day split offerings or from a workout that has already taken into account the need to reduce the cardio because it is part of a circuit workout, like LIC, Cardio & Weights, etc.
Awesome.
3. When I lift weights, I go all out and I will never start a cardio session after weights, never. For two reasons: by then I am exhausted and I will have no interest in doing the cardio. You couldn't pay me to do cardio after weights.
Continuing to exercise while exhausted is never a good idea. The original poster asked what order if the two were to be done together. If that doesn't interest you then no worries! For those who choose to skin the cat this way I'm sure they want to get the most out of their time spent training...weights offer benefits of both cardiovascular and muscular improvements...you don't get this from straight up cardio. My money is on the win/win benefits over the "win".
4. I am not mentally able to do weights first, then cardio: I am mentally able to do cardio and then weights and do it every week. It works for me. I am able to do 40-60 mins cardio (powerwalk on high inline or 6 mile run) and then follow this with a full lower body resistance training session, plus core work. If upper body weights get into the equation, they are either a shorter upper body section that follows a shorter cardio or they are a part of a a total body all out weights effort at home.
Changing exercise patterns can indeed be a challenge...but well worth the effort.
5. A poster here suggests cardio tires the body out and then we can't put all effort into the weights that follow. True. And equally true is the reverse: when I do weights first, I do not have any energy to spare for cardio afterwards.
Based on the win/win for strength over the win for cardio I'm going with the getting the most value for my training time.
6.A poster here suggests cardio and then weights is the pathway to injury. Really? I suggest that the reverse is equally true, yet again. I cannot imagine doing the exhausting lower body workouts I do and then doing a 6 mile run. Pulled hamstring, twisted ankle, knee pain brought on by altered gait due to massive tiredness, all those would be possible. For me: run, then weights, is the safest option.
The pathway to injury statement is an exaggeration of what was stated. Let's break this down. When you lift weights you are calling upon the skeletal, cardiovascular, and musclar systems to a much higher degree of difficulty over cardio alone. The more tasks you ask the body to do at once the higher the risk of injury...it is that simple. The risk/reward factor. Everyone taining needs to exercise common sense and not continue if they are exhausted...pacing comes with experience and knowing how much energy you have in the tank to either continue or call it a day with pride!
7. Let's not forget the enjoyment factor. If you hate your workouts and allow dread to get in there, you won't do them. Just the thought of starting cardio after weights disinterests me so much, I know I would not derive much enjoyment at all from my cardio. Cardio, for me, is the time to cut loose and work the kinks out. I can't do that after weights. What does your enjoyment level dictate?
Wouldn't it be great if everyone loved training!! Unfortunately that is not the case with us human beings but the benefits outweigh the downside and we somehow get through. I find people procrastinate on what they are least familar with and then stick to the same things over and over and all your efforts are put towards what you are already good at. This can cause imbalance in the body and mind.
In addition to being a Personal Trainer I am also a Spinning and Running Instructor...so I love my cardio....but crosstraining is essential to both of these cardiovascular activities so we don't get into a whole lot of trouble with pattern overload issues (doing the same repetitive motion again and again)...and that is where weight training trumps all. Same thing if weight loss is your goal...you need to build that lean muscle mass to rev the metabolism 24/7. Unless you have unlimited time on your hands and never have to make a judgement call on what to do first, I would always go with the win/win over the win!!
