Cardio or weight lifting 1st?
 

Hello... I can see some of you are pros here. And I am glad because I have many questions. Here it is one: I do cardio and lift weight in this order. But I was wondering if I should change it.:?:

I usually strength train first, after a brief cardio warm up just to get my heartrate up. I don't know why I do it first ... it feels more natural for me to start with strength training and then do cardio for some reason.

I always varied. I think the "ideal" is to strength train, then do cardio, since the cardio can fatigue the muscles you will use in lifting, and that might reduce your capacity to lift.

HOWEVER, I never did it that way when I was at the gym. See, I LOVED strength training...loved it so much, in fact, that it was enough motivator to get me to the gym even when I didn't want to go. And cardio? Well, it was less enjoyable to me. So I always did my cardio first...with the weights to look forward to, the cardio got done, and then I rewarded myself with the weights. And I've got plenty of muscle from it and honestly never noticed much of a difference on how much muscle I built, or my ability to lift, either way.

So the "best case" recommendation might not work for you, in which case I say you should just do whatever seems right.

I like to have my protein shake shortly after I lift, so when I do combine them, I often do cardio first. But then, when I do that, I don't generally do a lower body workout (which would fatigue the muscles), but stick to chest/back/core.

I don't usually combine the two in one workout. I don't belong to a gym, so that probably wouldn't work for those that do. I vary when I do my cardio, depending on which cardio I am doing.

I jog three times a week, and do mornings most times right after I get up. On days where I do other types of cardio (biking or dvds) that will usually be evening (or afternoon if I'm playing hooky :) ).

Strength training is done usually in the late morning, depending on my schedule, after I have eaten breakfast and what not. Depending on the day, that will be either after or before my cardio, but will be several hours apart on either side.

I guess there is a science as to the best way to do it, but as long as you are exercising - do it however works for you!

I lift & then cardio.

I've heard lifting should be done before cardio, something about the way your body uses energy in relation to optimum fat burning.

5 mins cardio warm up is what I usually do, followed by weights then cardio.