Strength Training Before or After Cardio?

So you're probably wondering which is better, strength training before or after cardio? In general, it's best to do strength training before cardio.

When you perform strength training before cardio, you'll burn more fat because your body will be using more energy.

Additionally, doing strength training before cardio can help improve your performance on the cardio machine. 

One thing to keep in mind is that you should always warm-up before doing any type of exercise, whether it's strength training or cardio.

A good warm-up will help prevent injuries and ensure that you get the most out of your workout.

If you're not sure how to warm up properly, ask a personal trainer at your gym for advice.

They can show you some basic exercises that will help prepare your body for a workout.

Note: Before you start doing any form of strength training, we recommend that you speak to your doctor to ensure that it's safe for you.

So what exactly is strength training?

Over the years it has had quite a few different names, including resistance training, weightlifting, and strength conditioning. However, they all mean the same thing - using resistance to cause your muscles to contract.

The most popular type of strength training is weightlifting, where you use dumbbells and barbells to contract your muscles. For those who don't have access to weights, there are other options as well.

In fact, bodyweight exercises can be a great substitute for weightlifting if you're trying to build strength but don't have weights nearby.

You can do many different types of bodyweight exercises using little more than your own body as resistance.

Some examples include pushups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, and crunches. If any of these look difficult to you then consider starting with assisted versions of the exercise until you feel comfortable enough to take on the full motion version.

As previously mentioned, it's best to perform cardio before strength training because it will help you burn more fat. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule.

If you're doing a high-intensity strength training workout, it's best to do it after your cardio session.

This is because your muscles will be tired from the cardio and won't be able to lift as much weight. Additionally, if you're doing a circuit training workout, it's best to do the strength exercises between the cardio exercises.

Circuit training is a great way to combine strength and cardio into one workout, and it can be really effective for fat loss.

In general, though, it's best to do strength training before cardio. It will help you burn more fat and improve your performance on the cardio machine.

Just make sure to warm up before your workout and speak to a doctor before starting a strength training program.

Common Weight Lifting Questions 

Should I begin my workout with weights or cardio?

The majority of fitness professionals will advise you to follow it with some sort of cardio exercise because doing so drains much of the energy source for your anaerobic work (strength training) and fatigues the muscles before they are required to perform their most challenging task.

Free weights or machines?

Free weights are more effective for building greater power than machines.

Working out using free weights is a more efficient approach to achieve most fitness objectives, such as increasing strength and muscular size, altering body composition, and weight reduction.

How long should I rest between sets?

The optimum rest duration between sets is 2-5 minutes to increase strength and power.

The greatest rest duration for hypertrophy (muscle growth) is 30-90 seconds between sets.

To enhance muscular endurance, the ideal resting time between sets is 30 seconds or fewer.

How often should I increase the load?

When deciding whether it's time to increase the amount of weight you're lifting, use the "2 for 2" rule:

Increase the weight when you can do two more reps with a given pound than you could previously for two workouts in a row.

What's the best time of day to lift weights?

Any time of day, rather than no weightlifting at all, appears to be more beneficial.

Weightlifting in the late afternoon or early evening has been found to have the most advantages, according to research.

If you exercise later in the day, your body will have more energy and your temperature will rise, both of which are linked to improved performance.

Do I need a spotter?

If you're at the point where your 1RM (one rep maximum) is being reached and pushed for top weight, you should use a spotter. If you're feeling anxious because you're nearing the end of your chest workout or have had too much cafine, then use a spotter.

There are many different ways to strength train, but the most common exercises are:

- Push-ups

- Pull-ups

- Lunges

- Squats

Strength training can be a great way to improve your overall fitness level, and it has been shown to help reduce the risk of injuries in athletes. It can also help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, and it can improve your bone density.

What Are The Benefits of Strength Training?

The benefits of strength training include:

Increase your strength and endurance

This is really important if you want to be able to do things like hike or bike for extended periods of time, or if you're trying to improve your performance in a sport.

Maintain a healthy weight

Strength training can help prevent weight gain and obesity, and it can also help promote a healthy body composition.

This is where weight lifting comes in. When you lift weights, you're not just working your muscles, you're also working your bones. And as we get older, our bones tend to thin, which can lead to osteoporosis. Weightlifting can help prevent that from happening.

Prevent injuries

One of the best things about strength training is that it helps keep your bones, joints, and muscles strong and healthy, which reduces your risk of injuries.

Just remember to start slowly and build up gradually to avoid injuries.

Also, it is important to use the right equipment with the right exercise.

Improve your mood

Strength training has been shown to improve moods, and it may even help fight depression.

Lose fat, increase lean muscle mass

Increasing your muscle mass helps you burn more calories, even when you're at rest. This is because muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue. This is particularly effective if you're trying to lose weight.

Just keep in mind that this isn't an end-all-be-all answer for which is better, strength training before or after cardio. But it should give you a good idea of the benefits of each and how much more effective your workout will be if you perform strength training first.

Improved body composition

One of the main benefits of strength training is that it can help improve your body composition by increasing your lean muscle mass and reducing your percentage of body fat.

Better posture

Strength training can help improve your posture, which can lead to less back pain and an overall better appearance. You'll find that with improved posture, you'll also look taller and more confident.

What is Cardio?

Basically, any exercise that raises your heart rate counts as cardio. It's technically a form of exercise that increases your cardiovascular fitness level, but most people use it interchangeably with aerobic activity. The aerobic activity comes from the Greek words aero which means air and bio which means life - together they mean working with air.

There are lots of different cardio equipment to use such as:

-Elliptical machines

-Stair stepper

-Exercise bikes

-Treadmill running/walking/jogging

What Are The Benefits Of Cardio?

Here are some benefits of cardio workouts:  

• Improving your cardiovascular system by burning fat and increasing your endurance.  
• It can strengthen the immune system, improve heart health, lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of stroke or heart attack, and reduce cholesterol levels.  
• It can speed up weight loss and help maintain a healthy BMI, diabetes management and it improves sexual health as well. It also helps increase HDL (good) cholesterol and decreases triglycerides.  
• Lower stress and decrease depression, anxiety, and insomnia as well as boost moods.

What is the best time to strength train for optimal results?

Weightlifting, like all types of activity, is better than nothing at all. However, according to research, weightlifting in the late afternoon/early evening has the most advantages.

If you exercise later in the day, you'll have more energy and your body temperature will rise, both of which are linked to superior performance.

Of course, this will vary from person to person, so it's important to experiment to see what works best for you. Generally speaking, though, strength training before cardio is the way to go.

If you have chosen not to lift weights and to do cardio only, you are not going to achieve the same results. Your body needs resistance training to change its appearance.

You might want to think about adding some form of weightlifting into your routine if you're looking to see real changes in your body composition and overall fitness level. But if you're looking for general health benefits, cardio is a great way to go.

Wrapping Up

In conclusion, it is important to remember that there are many benefits of both strength training before or after cardio.

In addition, weightlifting at any time will be better than nothing. It can also depend on the person as well and what they prefer for their workout schedule going forward.

However, if you have a choice between working out in the morning vs late afternoon/evening - generally speaking you'll see better results from strength training later in the day because your body temperature will be higher which leads to more energy and performance during exercise.

Just remember, what works for one person might not work for another, so always experiment to see what gives you the best results!

What are your thoughts on this article? Do you have any questions for us? Let us know in the comments below!