It’s a question many gym-goers ask: should I do cardio before or after weights? According to the American College of Sports Medicine (opens in a new tab) it is important to combine cardio and strength exercises so as not to overload small muscle groups and allow time for recovery. But what order should you do them in? And what results will be seen?
Cardio exercise and resistance training are two very different things. On the one hand, cardiovascular activity, such as walking or running on one of the best treadmills (opens in a new tab) It is known to increase your cardiorespiratory fitness, promote energy expenditure and fat utilization.
Resistance training, on the other hand, like lifting bodyweight or lifting weights in the gym, is known to increase strength, muscle mass, endurance, and power. They both have different attributes and both can be very beneficial to your overall health.
To help determine the pros and cons of combining these types of exercises and whether you should do cardio before or after weights, we asked you Keith Baar, (opens in a new tab) Professor of Molecular Physiology of Exercise at the University of California Davis and member of the American Physiological Society (opens in a new tab) for his thoughts on the subject.
Keith Baar, Ph.D., is a professor at the University of California Davis and a member of the American Physiological Society. His research explores the molecular determinants of musculoskeletal development and the role of exercise in improving health and performance.
Is it a good idea to combine cardio and weights?
According to Barr, combining cardio and weights can be a good idea. But it depends on your fitness levels, age, the intensity of your training, and the result you’re trying to achieve.
“For the average person who exercises less than 6 times per week, with limited high-intensity training, [combining cardio and weights] it’s wonderful for health outcomes, like improved heart function,” says Baar.
“For athletes who train more than nine times a week, the answer is more complex,” Baar tells us. “Normally we would break these training sessions apart to squeeze a few extra percentage points in performance out of our bodies.”
According to a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology (opens in a new tab), the combination of cardio and weight training provides a powerful combination for weight loss success. The researchers found that for overweight adults, resistance training can help increase lean mass. Aerobic training is the “optimal mode” of exercise to reduce fat mass and body mass.
A systematic review published in Sports medicine (opens in a new tab) also confirmed that combining aerobic training and strength training “does not compromise muscle hypertrophy and maximal strength development” for those seeking gains.
But the researchers found that explosive strength gains (which is the maximum amount of force you can produce in a minimum amount of time) can be “attenuated,” especially when both forms of fitness are performed in the same session.
The researchers concluded: “Practitioners [such as athletes] Those who prioritize explosive strength may benefit from separating aerobic and strength training to achieve optimal adaptations.”
Should you do cardio before or after weights?
There is no one size fits all. But if you’re looking to improve your overall fitness levels, it’s best to do cardio before weights.
“If the goal is to maximize both endurance and strength, then we would separate the workouts and do endurance in the morning and strength in the afternoon, usually just before dinner, when we add amino acids to the dinner equation. “. Baar explains. “Eating dinner soon after strength training can help muscle growth.”
If your goal is to increase your strength without gaining muscle mass, then you should do weights before cardio. Baar says, “This might limit muscle growth, but it will increase resistance signals.”
What is the best type of cardio to combine with weights?
Any type of cardio will have benefits. But when it comes to finding the best type to pair with weights, it will depend on your fitness goals, intensity, and duration.
Baar says, “If your goal is to increase leg muscle mass, you should combine what we call a motor endurance exercise (cycling) with your strength exercise. If the goal is to maximize cardiac function, then we would use full-body resistance exercise (for example, swimming or cross-country skiing) and high-intensity intervals to recruit as much muscle as possible into our resistance, and then lift all the body afterwards. ”
A study published in Sports medicine (opens in a new tab) in 2017 investigated the effect of high-intensity interval training and found that cardio exercises like HIIT reduced every type of fat mass, including abdominal and visceral fat.
The researchers concluded: “High-intensity training (above 90% of maximum heart rate) was more successful in reducing whole-body adiposity, whereas lower intensities had a greater effect on changes in abdominal and visceral fat mass.
The same study also found that running was more effective than cycling in reducing total and visceral fat mass. But, as with any form of fitness, it’s best to find a form of cardio that you enjoy because there’s a better chance you’ll stick with it.
How often should you train?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (opens in a new tab)all adults should aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardiovascular activity or 75 minutes of vigorous cardiovascular activity each week.
This may sound like a lot, but if you break it down into 30-minute chunks, it means you should be exercising five to six times a week. The CDC also recommends that adults do strength training two or more days a week to ensure that all major muscle groups in the body are being exercised.
Pub agrees. “It’s best to get a little exercise every day,” she says. “As we age, the stimulus of each exercise session lasts for less time. As a result, to maintain the size and strength of our muscles, we must exercise more as we age.
“The problem is that we are more easily injured by the exercise that we are not used to. So doing an exercise routine that works all of your major muscle groups every other day is really important for strength.
“For endurance, it’s really important to go faster than we want. It’s only okay to exercise at a comfortable pace, but going faster is better for your heart and brain function. So the goal is about six days a week.”