Cardio 101: Before or After Weight Training?

Plus an insight on the many benefits of cardiovascular exercise!

A common question asked by many newbies and frequent gym goers: Should I be doing cardio before or after my weight training? Since cardio and weight training have a ray of different benefits, it's easy to get confused on where to place cardio within your workout. We know that cardio is great for burning more calories and weight training helps increase strength and build muscle, but how do we incorporate both during our workout?

Good news! Today's blog post shares information on not only where to place cardio during your workout, but also gives insight to the many benefits of cardiovascular exercise!

One of the most common questions and debates that is brought up in the exercise world is if cardio should be done before or after weight training. Most people prefer one over the other, but for those wanting to incorporate both resistance training and aerobic exercise, this blog post is for you!

So, what's better—cardio before or after the weights? The simplified answer to this question is that it all depends on your goals! As mentioned before, cardio is beneficial for goals aimed toward burning more calories as well as improving heart and lung health. Resistance training, on the other hand, is useful for increasing strength and building muscle.

So where do you fall within these fitness goals? In this blog post, we first explain the importance of cardio and the many forms it has, followed by the answer you've been waiting for! Keep scrolling to learn if you should place cardio before or after the weights!

Aerobic Exercise: What is it?

Cardiovascular Exercise:

Also known as "aerobic" exercise, cardio is a form of exercise that stimulates and strengthens the heart and lungs (Dictionary.com, 2012). Cardio is commonly known for any vigorous activity that elevates heart rate.

Types of Cardio Exercise:

From an incline walk on the treadmill to running outside, the list of different forms of cardio is endless! Below are a few examples of different cardio exercises:

Running
Brisk walking
Swimming
Rowing
Elliptical
Jump rope
Dancing
Mountain climbing
Kickboxing
Circuit training

Benefits of Cardio:

For all of us weightlifters and bodybuilders who may or may not be skipping cardio, there actually are many benefits to aerobic exercise!

Cardio exercise not only helps burn calories at a faster rate, but also challenges your most vital internal organs. Exercise physiologist Erik Van Iterson, PhD, MS., states that cardio exercise can benefit your brain and joint health.

Additionally, Dr. Van Iterson explains a list of benefits that cardio has:

Improves memory & thinking ability
Helps manage arthritis discomfort and maintains joint range of motion.
Improves blood circulation
Maintenance of a healthy weight
Improves blood sugar & good cholesterol levels
Reduces shortness of breath in the lungs
Improves sexual function and promotes positive body image
Combats depression and boosts self esteem
Helps quality & quantity of sleep

Given just a handful of benefits that cardio exercise has, it is safe to say that that dreaded elliptical might just become your new favorite machine!

Before or After Weight-Training?

So, the question of where cardio should be placed in your workout comes to mind. Before or after the weights?

The answer to this question all comes down to your specific goals. Now I know that might not be the direct answer you wanted to hear, but let's dive into a better understanding on the effects cardio has when placed before the weights and/or after.

Cardio before the weights:

Cardio before the weights is a great way to warmup tight muscles and get the blood flowing. However, whipping out an intense cardio session prior to weight training may increase chances of early fatigue and feeling tired during your workout.

If you're looking to increase your cardiovascular endurance, cardio before the weights may be best for you. We see this specific goal from long-distance runners, those training for a marathon, and simply those who prefer cardio over weight training.

The scientific reason behind increasing cardiovascular endurance by performing cardio before resistance training is because this will improve fatigue resistance and develops slow-twitch muscle fibers needed for endurance-based sports (TodayShow, 2022).

Cardio after the weights:

After a long, intense weight training session, the last thing you may want to do is climb on the stair-master for another 15-20 minutes. However, if you're looking to burn fat and lose weight, cardio after your weight training is going to be most beneficial for you!

Additionally, cardio after your weight training session will ultimately increase strength and improve fat loss. Why is that? According to a study done by the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, doing cardio after weight training burned more fat during the first 15 minutes of that cardio exercise opposed to starting with cardio (Sciences, 1D, n.d.).

So, if you're looking to increase strength while combining both weight training and cardio, it is advised to complete your cardio session after the weights. Weight training is hard and takes a lot of mental and physical effort; going into a weight training session already exhausted may lead to potential injury and fatigue in your workout.

Final thoughts:

Whether you decide on cardio before or after your weight training session, it's safe to say that there is nothing wrong with whichever you choose!

As mentioned before, the answer to where cardio should be placed in your workout is solely based off your specific goals. Looking to increase cardiovascular endurance while burning some extra calories? Then cardio before the weight is the way to go! If you're looking to burn fat and build strength, cardio after your weight lifting session is the answer for you!

It's important to understand that cardio, otherwise known as aerobic exercise, is beneficial to your overall health no matter if it's before or after the weight. The best thing to do is to choose the type of cardio you enjoy, and get to crushing your workouts!

RESOURCES

Dictionary.com. (n.d.). Cardio Definition & meaning. Dictionary.com. Retrieved February 21, 2023, from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/cardio

What is cardiovascular exercise? What Is a Cardiovascular Exercise? (n.d.). Retrieved February 21, 2023, from https://www.fyzical.com/lakewoodranch/blog/What-Is-a-Cardiovascular-Exercise

Team, H. and V. (2021, November 16). From head to toe: The benefits of a cardio workout. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved February 21, 2023, from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-many-benefits-of-a-cardio-workout/

TodayShow. (2022, October 18). Ask A trainer: Is it better to lift weights before or after cardio? TODAY.com. Retrieved February 21, 2023, from https://www.today.com/health/diet-fitness/cardio-before-or-after-weights-rcna52534

Sciences, 1D. of L. (n.d.). Effects of resistance exercise on lipolysis during... : Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. LWW. Retrieved February 21, 2023, from https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2007/02000/Effects_of_Resistance_Exercise_on_Lipolysis_during.13.aspx

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