. Plus, with the rise of 'hybrid training', many want to know how they can maximise muscle as well as cardio gains.
To put the cardio or weights first debate to bed, MH answers all your FAQs regarding weights and cardio so that you can make an informed decision for yourself.
Cardio or Weights First?
and of course, preferences. The order of your programme will ideally be reverse engineered from your training goals. You want to maximise on your high energy levels at the beginning of a session for your higher priority goals.
If your goal is to gain strength, placing weights first before cardio is preferential, especially if you are including heavy lifts.
If your goal is to improve cardiovascular performance, especially cardiovascular endurance, and you are an experienced lifter or plan to lift light to moderate weights, then it's fine to place cardio first in your programme, however weights first usually takes preference.
The reason why we have included the caveat 'experienced lifter' is because if you are pre-fatiguing the muscles before your lifts, the rate of injury can increase. However, should you be a proficient and confident lifter, using loads within your capabilities, there is no issue with placing weights after cardio if you have cardio orientated goals.
, it's fine to complete cardio first, if that's your preference.
to support lifting first before cardio to improve strength, there is also evidence to support that strength before cardio will inhibit cardio performance.
concluded that resistance training sessions performed prior to cardiovascular endurance training may impair the time to exhaustion during high-intensity endurance exercise. It also added that if the purpose of training is to perform high-intensity endurance training for as long as possible, then resistance training should be avoided immediately before endurance exercise.
What Happens If You Do Cardio First Before Weights?
progress. Having said that, if your goal is to improve your cardiovascular performance, and you are an experienced lifter, placing cardio first won't be the end of the world.
The issue comes when we pre-fatigue the muscles and then go into a heavy lift. The rate for injury greatly increases as fatigue increases. Therefore if you are a novice lifter, complete weights first, regardless of cardio vs weights goals.
before a strength session had their strength endurance performance compromised, indicating the presence of an interference effect. However, cycling exercise worsened performance more than after running. Therefore, based on the results, it's recommended to avoid conducting strength training immediately after high-intensity aerobic exercise.
Is 20 Minutes of Cardio Enough after Lifting Weights?
recommends 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week, which you can split up in whichever way suits you best. Assuming you're exercising 6 days a week, this could be 25 minutes.
It's important to define here that aerobic exercise has to be repetitive rhythmic movement that raises the heart rate for a sustained amount of time. So as much as you'd like to pretend that your 5 by 5 deadlifts count as cardio, they don't.
recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination of both for adults.
Is It Ok to Do Cardio and Weights on the Same Day?
Yes. It's actually beneficial to complete cardio and weights on the same day. If you're short on time during the week, by completing them on the same day you will manage to get more done.
Long endurance cardio exercises can be more tiring than strength and deplete glycogen more, therefore making it more difficult to perform well in your lifts. So, to avoid your lifts being effected negatively by your cardio, you can space out your cardio and lifting sessions by completing one in the morning, and one in the afternoon.
If you need to complete both in the same session or day: placing weights first before cardio is preferential, especially if you are including heavy lifts and try to separate sessions by 2-8 hours.
Does Cardio after Weights Affect Muscle Growth?
found that high intensity interval training sessions have minimal or negative effect on muscle loss.
It's important to focus on the following:
- to support your activity. The main cause of muscle wasting is an energy deficit. For muscle growth you will need a small calorie surplus.
- to help your muscles recover, aim for 1.6-2.4 grams upwards of protein per kilogram of body mass a day for muscle growth.
- Consuming enough carbohydrates to support the cardiovascular activity.
- Continuing your weight training to attenuate muscle loss. The old adage to 'use it or lose it' stands correct when it comes to muscle loss. Make sure your programme includes the principle of progressive overload.
Top 5 Weights Workouts
- The Men’s Health Dumbbell Club – Your New Weekly Muscle-Building Bible
- Take on This 7-Move Barbell Workout for Full Body Gains in 30 Minutes
- Use the '6-12-25 Shock Method' for Fast Muscle Growth and a Massive Pump
- Using the ‘EMOM Strong’ Method You Can Add Strength and Muscle Every Week
- Use 'Cluster Sets' to Push Through Plateaus, Maximise Strength & Hypertrophy Gains
Top 5 Cardio Workouts
- 10 Ways to Run Faster, According to Professional Running Coaches
- The Ultimate Running and Max Reps Challenge
- This 10-Minute Box-Jump Challenge Will Set Your Lungs and Legs on Fire
- The Ultimate Running Test Delivers a Leg Pump like Nothing Else
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