Best time for cardio
 

In another subgroup, someone wrote that it's best to do weight training before cardio, because it takes about 15 minutes for your body to "warm up" and start burning fat through cardio. How true is this? When is the best time to do cardio? Any other tips/suggestions? Thanks!

THe best time to do cardio is whenever you can do it.
It's all calories in and calories out, so time of day for exercise shouldn't truly matter.

I've actually read it both ways--before and after weight training. So I think for sure it's mostly important that you just do it and not so important when.

Here is an interesting article...Barbells Before Bikes: Stop Doing Cardio Before you weight train!... I always do cardio before weights....Any time that is a good time I workout morning, noon or night, I have found no difference in weight loss...

EXACTLY!!

I usually do cardio before weights, but that article up above is making me think...:dizzy:

I do cardio before weights, too, because it helps me to (literally) warm up! It gets really cold in the gym in the winter here in Minnesooota and I prefer to wear a tanktop so I work out, get sweaty and gross, and then I lift. It feels good!

Im exactly the same....get the worst over first ;) thats the cardio for me, then I lift...knowing Im almost done ...then go home :cb:

When I workout, it's always cardio then weights. But when I was on swim team, it was always weights then cardio (probably cause we were wet after the cardio ;) ). I'm a fan of the "whenever you are able to fit it in" group!

My PT told me to do five minutes of cardio, than weights, and then finish on cardio. Its a lot harder to do cardio after weights (and I have to be over a certain ammount on each machine) so your muscles work harder.

I've always done cardio first, then weights.... but based on the article above I think I will change the sequence. Today I did 45 minutes of strenuous (really pushed myself) on the treadmill - and it was much harder getting through my weight routine.

I think my work-out plan needs a makeover....HELP!!!
 

Hmmm...great article...going to have to give my workout strategy an overhaul though.

What I'm doing now is:

Monday 2 hours at Bally's consisting of:

• 20 mins treadmill (3.5 mph 2.5% incline)
• 12 mins recumbent bike (hill level 3 between 90 and 110 rpm)
• 30 mins strength training (between 25 and 40 lbs arms & 30 and 60 for legs - 3 - 8 sets of 8 reps)
• 30 mins of race walking on track (usually clocking between 6500 and 7500 steps on my pedometer)

Tuesday 30 mins at home consisting of:

• 15 mins of elliptical (usually clocking between 2500 and 3000 steps)
• 50 tippy-toe jumping jacks
• 15 mins on stability ball (mosting ab work and stretching)

Wednesday (repeat Tuesday)

Thursday (repeat Monday)

Friday (repeat Tuesday)

Saturday (repeat Monday)

Sunday (rest)

Any suggestions on how I can mix that up?

Gosh Libby that's a LOT of cardio :eek: ... Are you at a standstill or plateau with your weight loss, if you are, you should do less cardio and add some weight lifting to your scheme...

I lift weights for 90 minutes a week.

Do you lift to failure or heavy enough? If you can do more than 12 reps it's time to change your program... You should change very 4-6 weeks, I change about every 2 weeks...