Which Comes First: Cardio or Weights?
- Kaitlyn Marie Redmore
- Aug 10, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 25, 2023
Which order is more optimal for your goals? Let's discuss...
A common question I get from clients is “Should I do cardio before or after weights?”
Now there is no simple answer to this question. The more optimal combination is very dependent on your current goals. So let’s dive into this a little deeper…
If your current goals are strength-focused then ideally you want to do cardio after your weights session, or alternatively split your cardio into a completely different session. So, you could do cardio on an alternate day to strength altogether, or a combination could be cardio in the morning, strength in the afternoon/evening, or vice versa.
So, why weights before cardio if you have strength-based goals?
Doing cardio before weights will pre-fatigue the muscles, which will mean they are weaker and likely unable to lift as heavy after a cardio session.
You do not want to fatigue the muscles prior to trying to improve strength as this is counterproductive. You want to aim to be able to push toward heavy, challenging weights with safe technique if your main goal is to improve your lifts in the gym. So, you need all your energy to be able to do this, both mentally and physically. The fresher the muscles are the better for improving strength gains, and the less likely you will be to injure yourself!
I would personally recommend a short 5-10 minute warm-up on a piece of cardio, followed by a dynamic warm-up stretch focusing on the main muscle groups you are about to train. This will get the blood pumping and muscles warm prior to your weights session, which is extra melt important if your main goal is improving strength. Ultimately, helping to prepare your muscles for lifting optimally.
On the other hand, if your current goals are around improving your muscular endurance or improving your cardiovascular fitness… I would recommend trying to do your cardio before training weights.
So, cardio before weights if your goal is muscular endurance or cardio-based?
Cardio before weights will help you focus on improving your cardiovascular fitness and your muscular endurance. This is because you are encouraging the muscles to work through fatigue, ultimately improving their endurance, while also improving your cardiovascular fitness and aerobic capacity at the same time.
Cardio before weights will ensure you have the energy to perform cardio with intent and can do so with proper form, rather than just adding some cardio into the end of your workout to just say you did it.
However, this option needs to be done with caution, as you need to be more mindful when lifting if your muscles are pre-fatigued. If you are not careful, you could cause yourself an injury! So just remember, you may not be able to lift as heavy in a session if you have done cardio before lifting weights.
What about if I just have general fitness goals?
Well then either option will work for you. Trial different combinations and see what suits you best! You may just prefer training one or the other first. There is never really a black-and-white answer in the fitness industry, we are all different and have slightly different needs based on our current abilities and goals.
My main goal is fat-loss, what combination of cardio and weights should I do?
If your main goal is losing body fat, I would still encourage weights before cardio. This way you are prioritising your strength training which will help you build muscle and create shape to the body. Cardio can then be used as a tool to help increase your energy expenditure, helping to lead to increased weight loss while also improving your cardiovascular fitness.
Lastly, what type of cardio should I do if I am doing both in one session?
Ideally, if we are pairing both weights and cardio together in the same session, it is better to opt for low-moderate intensity cardio. High-intensity cardio is better saved for a completely different session to strength. We don’t want to overwork the muscles and cause injury.
To summarise, the order you do your cardio and weights is completely dependent on your main goal. You can alternate both combinations throughout different phases of your training programs. The combination can change as your goals vary and your focus changes. You can also opt to just do cardio and weights on different days if you want to include both in your training program. Try different variations and see what works best for you!
