Cardio before or after?

Tuga · 10-Feb-06, 04:13 PM

I was reading some websites and they said that one should do cardio after weight training...
how true is this?

First, doing cardio before weights will pre-fatigue your muscles, limiting your weight training. Doing cardio after weights will not.
Second, weight training will serve as a sort of pre-exhaust for cardio; lowering your blood sugar and allowing you to burn fat immediately after you start cardio. If you do cardio first, it will take about 20 minutes before you really start to burn fat

Common myth tells me that i should do cardio before. all i have to do is walk in the gym and see everyone get warmed up on the treadmills and then hitting the weights...

Thanks,
Tuga

**maverick** · 10-Feb-06, 04:46 PM

Well no kidding that doing cardio AFTER weight training won't limit your weight training! LOL!!!

Those 2 statements by themselves are basically true, but don't tell the whole story. Check these recent threads for other points of view:

http://www.discussfitness.com/forums...hts-32209.html
http://www.discussfitness.com/forums...ein-32200.html

BTW, you won't find a definitive answer on whether to do cardio before or after weight training. I personally never do cardio after weight training. I have a hard time adding mass and I don't want to potentially lose any.

**MostMuscle** · 10-Feb-06, 06:33 PM

Here is another link on the topic:

http://www.discussfitness.com/forums...lar-30250.html

Psicosis · 11-Feb-06, 07:59 AM

neither. do them on seperate days.

Blaze · 11-Feb-06, 07:52 PM

or at least 8-12 hours after you weight train

**midgetcop** · 12-Feb-06, 05:48 PM

Because of my *whack* work schedule, I have no choice but to lump my weight and cardio days together.

I do weights before my cardio, and although I know it's not ideal, I still find myself making gains in the cardio department. The only downside is that I don't do any cardio on a leg day, because it's just *not* happening.

Tuga · 12-Feb-06, 06:00 PM

Seems like everyone has a different opinion! interesting!

I think ill try to do cardio afterwards, perhaps for a week or two and see how I am, nothing wrong of trial and error correct?

Thanks for the replies,
Tuga

SNPiccolo5 · 12-Feb-06, 06:10 PM

Personally, I think it depends on the type of cardio. If you're doing high intensity stuff for 15 minutes, that's different than running 6 miles. The 6 miles is going to more thoroughly exhaust your system, while doing sprints for several minutes with a warm-up and cool down wouldn't affect your weight training as much. Adaquet pre-workout nutrition would also be extremely important. I solve this problem by waking up earlier on non-weight days and doing my cardio then.

-Tim