Educated Crowd.... Weight before Cardio?

[CathydsRNA]

Hi,
I know that I have seen this question here before but I don't remember the answers. I was just at another site and it was emphatically stated that one should always do weight work before cardio because you won't have the energy to lift as much weight or lift correctly. Is this true? Are there other ponits of view? How many of you modify Cathe's workouts to do weight first and then cardio in workouts such as SJP etc. Do you see a difference by changing the order of things. Do you typically go lighter in these workouts as compared to the strength only workouts and perhaps this is not then an issue?
Thanks for any advice!!!

 

[Runcrazy]

This is a heavily debated question! For me, I always do cardio first. I find I lift better and am more warmed up and energized then if I strength train first.

The other school of thought is to do whatever you are more focused on first. So if you are trying to focus on weight training then do that first, if you are trying to focus on cardio then do that first.

But for me, even if my cardio is only 15 minutes that day, I do that first. Usually if I'm doing something more intense like IMAX or IMAX2 then I only do the first 5 intervals before I do weights. I think it really boils down to your preference, how your body responds, and what you are trying to achieve.

One more note. If I'm doing something like Circuit Max or HSTA, then I do the workout as is. If I'm doing S&H or PS then I do something like SJP step prior to the weight work. I love the way CTX is setup with cardio before weights.

Jo

:7 :7 :7

 

[stayfit]

I usually do cardio (for example IMAX 2) on day and weight the next(for example ME).In the days I use S&H or PS doing for example legs and shoulders I like to do first one ctx cardio(30 minutes)or a premix(step of cardio and weight,5 intervals or IMAX 2 , the hi/low or the step of MIC etc.

 

[stayfit]

Another wrong face.Excuse me.

 

[kathryn]

It depends on what your goals are. If you want to focus primarily on strength training and muscle building, then doing weights first is usually recommended, because you are "fresher" and can lift heavier. Ideally, if this is your situation, you would also keep the cardio short and not too intense, to avoid burning up the muscle.

If you just want a good, well-rounded exercise program, then either cardio or weights first would work.

There are also theories about which to do first because of what type of fuel is used for each type of workout, and there is supposedly an ideal order to help kick in the fat burning (is it weights first?), but I forget the specifics.

I actually prefer something like doing 10 minutes of warm-up/cardio, then weights after I'm nice an warmed up, then more cardio. I've done this with Cardio Kicks sometimes: doing the warm-up, which gradually increases in intensity over about 11 minutes, then some upper body weight work, then finishing CK.

 

[trevor]

Jo and Kathryn are correct. They say do whatever you want to be strongest at first. Although you may want to consider that the muscles are usually tight after lifting. The chance for pulls may be greater if you do weights then cardio. You could use the cardio to get them warm and loose, then do weights. Make sure you stretch if you decide to do weights last....
T.

 

[Maximus]

I'm with Jo on this one. I always do cardio first b/c 1) I love lifting & am not so crazy about cardio, so I try to get it over with first; 2) my muscles are definitely more warmed up & ready to lift after a good cardio workout. Also a third reason: to burn maximum fat. If you get your heartrate up during cardio you can keep it up to some extent as you lift. If you do the reverse, you don't get your heartrate up as high. To me there is nothing better than doing 40 minutes of cardio & then jumping into a really tough leg workout--I always feel like I'm getting maximum results.

Some years ago I heard something interesting & a little disturbing from a health club manager when I was applying for a job. He said his trainers always told their clients to do cardio last b/c--get this--that way they don't sweat as much on everything else, so their staff didn't have to clean as much. Maybe this is how the myth got started?