{"id":40523,"date":"2018-03-03T09:15:56","date_gmt":"2018-03-03T14:15:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=40523"},"modified":"2021-09-16T13:58:42","modified_gmt":"2021-09-16T17:58:42","slug":"cardio-after-lifting-strength-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/cardio-after-lifting-strength-training\/","title":{"rendered":"Should You Do Cardio Before or After Strength Training?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Is<\/a>
Photo: Twenty20<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By now you know if you want to build a lean, fit body, you can\u2019t stick to the treadmill or elliptical alone. It takes some heavy lifting<\/a> to get that strong and chiseled physique<\/a>. In fact, even if you want to be a better runner, you still need to incorporate strength training<\/a> into your routine. But when you\u2019re strapped for time, and need to squeeze cardio and weights\u00a0into a single sweat session, which should you tackle first? Strength training, according to the research and fitness pros. Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>How to Get Toned Armed with 6 Easy Exercises<\/a><\/p>\n

Why Weights Shouldn\u2019t Wait<\/h2>\n

In one\u00a0study<\/a> published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research<\/em>, researchers pinned three workout tactics against each other: Strength training alone, running<\/a> then strength, and cycling followed by strength. They found that exercisers did\u00a0fewer weight lifting reps if they had just ran or cycled. Yet, doing\u00a0strength training with no cardio beforehand resulted in more reps.<\/p>\n

Another recent\u00a0study<\/a> found similar\u00a0results. After research subjects performed different bouts of treadmill running, the number of reps they performed during resistance training decreased, as did muscle power. Their heart rate and rate of perceived exertion\u00a0also increased\u00a0during the strength training sessions that\u00a0followed aerobic exercise, especially after a HIIT running workout<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my experience, I\u2019ve found that most exercisers feel \u2018stronger\u2019 when they engage in resistance training first,\u201d says Robert Confessore, PhD, clinical exercise physiologist at Summit Medical Fitness Center<\/a> in Kalispell, MT. Many scientific studies also demonstrate that aerobic training can negatively affect strength development when performed prior to lifting<\/a> (whereas research is lacking on the reverse effect), he says. This is due to physiological changes in the muscles that help you move. When you use those fibers to fatigue before you do resistance exercises, your form and drive will likely suffer.<\/p>\n

And that can have a noticeable impact. According to Lacey Stone<\/a>, an LA-based celebrity trainer, if you want the muscle-building benefits<\/a> of strength training, it\u2019s best to start with those exercises. \u201cIt\u2019s vital that you lift before your cardio workouts, because you will have the most power and the most strength to lift heavier loads, which in turn will make you stronger,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

RELATED:\u00a0<\/strong>9 Ways to Torch Your Core in Every Workout<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Is
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When Cardio Matters Most
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In terms of fighting off fat, both resistance exercises<\/a> and anaerobic workouts are crucial. \u201cWhen you gain muscle, it raises your metabolic rate, which helps you burn fat faster,\u201d Stone explains. And according to research<\/a>, doing both strength and cardio decreases body fat<\/a> significantly more than each method alone. So you can probably stick to the same formula mentioned above, but keep in mind this caveat: That same study showed that while fat mass and waist circumference decrease when you do a combo of the two techniques or just<\/em> aerobic activity. In other words, lifting alone didn’t lead to weight loss.<\/p>\n

So if you want to slim down, you need to kick up your cardio<\/a> \u2014 even if that means skipping some weights when you\u2019re short on time. \u201cRemember: Strength training changes your shape and cardio changes your size,\u201d says Stone.<\/p>\n

If it\u2019s better cardio capacity you\u2019re after, Stone says there are mixed reviews on what to tackle first. It\u2019s still smart to strength train<\/a> even if you want to be a better runner or biker. In fact, one study<\/a> found that resistance exercises improved endurance athletes\u2019 performance, muscle power and economy. You may just need longer and more frequent cardio moves (some of those being stand-alone aerobic sessions), with cross-training days sprinkled throughout your weekly schedule.<\/p>\n

Research<\/a>\u00a0suggests taking ample recovery time between strength sessions, too, so you don’t mess with your endurance benefits. As shown in the study, the physiological stress from resistance training can fatigue muscles and potentially slow down the benefits of running or cycling sessions. Similarly, ACE-sponsored research<\/a> shows that strength training before cardio increased heart rate by 12 beats per minute, which can increase your rate of perceived exertion. This makes your workout feel more vigorous and causes you to feel tired, faster. An important note to keep in mind if you’re aiming to go for a longer run or ride.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>8 Exercises Trainers Never Do (And What To Do Instead)<\/a><\/p>\n

Finding Your Formula for Success<\/h3>\n

Of course every individual has different ideas for what they want to get out of their gym time<\/a>. So tailor yours to your goals. \u201cTo the recreational exerciser, I recommend experimenting with the order of the two types of training within the same workout. Then gauge which works best for you,\u201d says Confessore. If you\u2019re still unsure of what to do, Confessore suggests scheduling these two types of workouts on different days. That way, you don\u2019t have to worry about one affecting the other.<\/p>\n

The bottom line\u2026 Do what works for your body, but if you need a place to start: Tackle strength, then cardio.<\/p>\n

Originally published June 2015. Updated February 2018.<\/em><\/p>\n

Read More
\n<\/strong>Got 10 Minutes? 3 Fat-Blasting Bodyweight Workouts<\/a>
\n6 Plyometric Exercises for a Better Workout in Less Time<\/a>
\n5 Exercises for the Perfect Beginner Bodyweight Workout<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Not sure if you should hit the treadmill or jump into strength training first? Here\u2019s how to set up your workout for optimal results.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":66032,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,24,6,14],"tags":[288,83,108,281,341,343],"class_list":["post-40523","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cardio","category-exercise","category-fitness","category-strength-training","tag-cardio","tag-resistance-training","tag-running","tag-strength-training","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2exercise"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40523","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40523"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40523\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/66032"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40523"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40523"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40523"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}