Should You Perform Cardio Before or After Lifting Weights? Latest Research Proves Once and for All
Bolstering my own fitness journey, I've long integrated a mix of weight training and cardio exercises, shifting between gym routines and home workouts. It's crucial to keep things exciting and ensure I don't focus too much on one type of exercise over the other.
But recently, I pondered something I hadn't considered before: the sequence in which I tackle my strength training and cardio workouts. A new 12-week study, published in the Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness, sheds some light on how the order of these workouts impacts various factors, such as body composition, physical activity levels, fat loss, and muscular strength.
Participants were separated into three groups: those who did weights before cardio, those who did cardio before weights, and a control group that didn't exercise at all. Interestingly, both exercising groups demonstrated improvements in physical activity levels, body composition, bone density, and muscle strength. But one group outshone the other in a few key areas.
Strength Training First, Then Cardio
According to the study, the group that performed strength training before cardio exhibited the most exceptional progress. These participants experienced reductions in fat mass, increases in markers of fitness like explosive strength, and exercised more frequently overall.
Since this study focused on men between 18 and 30, it's essential to take the findings with a grain of salt. Still, it's a compelling sign that starting your dumbbell or kettlebell workout before hitting the treadmill could lead to stronger muscles with fewer limitations.
The reasoning behind this sequence is straightforward. If you push yourself during cardio exercises, you'll leave less energy for your strength training as your muscles will already be fatigued.
Another study, published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, echoes this conclusion. This research found that anaerobic exercise (short, intense bursts of activity) before strength training "impaired" the weights session by restricting endurance.
Do I Need Cardio and Strength Training?
The NHS recommends that adults engage in strength training at least twice a week, along with 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise. This exercise can be spread across four to five days or exercised daily.
In short, there's no reason to choose between cardio and strength training. Both workouts offer unique benefits, and incorporating both into your routine is ideal for overall health and longevity.
Cardio offers benefits like boosting cardiovascular health, maintaining mental health, improving sleep quality, and lowering blood sugar levels. And even just walking for 30 minutes a day can have substantial positive effects.
Strength training, especially for those approaching menopause, can increase bone density and joint strength, helping to prevent bone fractures and muscle injuries. Both are excellent exercises for longevity and reducing the risk of disease later in life.
Ultimately, your fitness goals will dictate what workout regime works best for you. Any exercise that gets your body moving and releases endorphins is a step in the right direction. Remember, cardio doesn't have to be running or walking. sports like pickleball and Padel, rowing, paddleboarding, cycling, and even rollerblading are all countable forms of cardio.
Is 20 Minutes of Cardio Enough After Lifting Weights?
If you do 20 minutes of intense cardio four days a week, that's adequate to meet the vigorous intensity exercise requirement. This could include running, HIIT workouts, and swimming workouts.
For those aiming for moderate cardio, doing 20 minutes a day will total 140 minutes a week, surpassing the weekly requirement with just 10 additional minutes. And needless to say, any cardio is better than none. Start with 20 minutes if that's all you can manage and work up from there.
A trick to maximize cardio benefits without compromising your weight training is to follow Emily Servante's advice, a personal trainer at Ultimate Performance. She recommends aiming for a daily average of 10,000 steps, as it boosts daily calorie burn without impacting recovery times.
- Based on the new study, I may consider changing the sequence of my workouts to focus on strength training before cardio, as it seems to lead to reductions in fat mass, increases in explosive strength, and more frequent exercise overall.
- While the study focused on men between 18 and 30, it could still indicate that starting with strength training before cardio could lead to stronger muscles with fewer limitations for other age groups as well.
- The study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research also supports the idea that anaerobic exercise before strength training can impair the weights session by restricting endurance.
- To meet the NHS guidelines, I should engage in strength training at least twice a week and 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise, which can be spread across four to five days or exercised daily.
- To get the benefits of cardio without compromising my weight training recovery times, I might follow the advice of personal trainer Emily Servante and aim for a daily average of 10,000 steps, boosting daily calorie burn without impacting recovery times.
