Believe it or not, the order in which you do your weights and cardio can help or hinder your progress, depending on your goals. For fat loss? The evidence points in one direction.
Why does it matter?
In a world where working out is usually a chore for many people, it’s nice when getting results can be a result of working out smarter, and not more often. There are exceptions, but most of us want to make gym and workout time the most efficient as possible.
First of all, strength training should always be a part of your weight loss routine.
I’ve gone over why strength training is awesome AF before, and also why you should include it in your routine no matter what, especially if you’re looking for weight loss. Training with weights increases muscle mass, which ramps up your metabolism and can make you appear slimmer. But it also has an “afterburn” effect, where it continues to burn fat for hours afterwards.
There are a lot of misconceptions around strength training for women, such as it may make you “bulky” or “man-like,” and nothing could be further from the truth. Bulking up is a lot harder than you think, and it not only takes a serious workout regimen and quality (and ample) calories, but it also might require some hormones that you just don’t have.
And if (big if!) you happened to get bigger than you’d like, guess what? You can tweak your routine! Nothing is permanent and it’s all part of sculpting the body you want to have.
Trust me (and the evidence). Lifting weights is crucial if you want to lose weight.
But… what about cardio then?
“Cardio” is a bit of a misnomer, as you can technically get “cardio” from anything—even weight training.
But generally, when people say “cardio,” they mean an activity that primarily works the cardiovascular system: jogging, biking, elliptical machine, jumping jacks, hiking uphill, etc. Your heart gets pumping, you might sweat, and you get short of breath.
Cardio has long been known to help with weight loss, because, well, it burns calories. Burning more calories than you consume equals weight loss. And generally, cardio can be a low-maintenance way to stay healthy.
But it also has a myriad of other benefits, like heart health, lower blood pressure, better energy and endurance, and a better mood.
For best results, no matter what your goals, include both strength training and cardio in your routine.
For fat loss? Save the cardio for after the weights.
Reason #1: Cardio is more effective (i.e., it burns more fat) when performed shortly after weights.
In a study in Japan in 2007, participants were split into three groups with three different workout protocols: endurance (cardio) only, strength training with 20 minutes of rest and then endurance training, and strength training with two hours of rest and then endurance training.
They found that those who preceded their cardio with strength training and a short rest (20 minutes) burned more fat in the first 15 minutes of their cardio compared with the other two groups.
Reason #2: Cardio before will hinder your strength training (and you need the strength training to burn fat).
It makes sense that running around before lifting weights might make you more tired, right? Well, it does. If you do your cardio workout before your strength training, you’ll have less gas in the tank to properly stress your muscles. You need to stress them in order to build them. And you need to build them in order to get the sculpting, metabolic and afterburn effects to… you guessed it! Burn more fat!
But also, tiring your body out with cardio before weight training can make your form less than perfect and more susceptible to injury.
When cardio before weights is effective.
But just because weights before cardio is better for fat loss doesn’t mean that it’s not a good idea for some. If you’re training for a marathon, you’re training for endurance, and should put that goal first, both chronologically and priority-wise. Therefore, do your running workout first.
A little bit of very light cardio is also good before any workout, but I’m cheating here—what I’m really talking about is a warmup. Warming up your muscles will make your strength training workouts more comfortable, effective and safe.
And you know what? Sometimes you just want to do something first, and that’s okay. I’m a big fan of mixing things up and keeping it interesting, and if you’d rather do cardio before you lift weights, go for it. But keep it short or moderate if you plan to lift heavy weights after. Don’t run 10 miles and then go in for a weightlifting session.
What about combining cardio and strength?
Ah, yes. Remember when I said that almost anything can be cardio, including weightlifting? My workouts are mostly Metabolic Resistance Training, which is just that: combined strength and cardio.
Sometimes the two are combined on one exercise, and sometimes you’re pairing metabolic exercises (like burpees) with strength training ones (like squats) back-to-back.
The benefits are that you get an all-in-one package, burning a hell of a lot of fat, building muscle, and leaving the workout feeling satisfied.
The cons? Well, if you really want to build muscle size or strength, it’s not the most effective. If your ultimate goal is to get the biggest biceps you can, then traditional strength training on that body part will work the best for you.
It’s all about YOU.
That’s the beauty of fitness—it’s tailor-made for you. Figure out what your specific goals are, and you’ll not only be more successful, you’ll probably get a lot more out of your fitness program.