Is It Better to Do Cardio Before or After Weights? Learn About Expert Opinions

Building a balanced fitness routine requires combining both cardio and strength training to support your overall health and wellness. But a common question arises: which should come first? This article explores expert insights and workout tips, composed by fitness expert Jackson Turner, and scientific research to guide you in deciding whether to prioritize cardio or weights, ensuring you make the most of your workouts and achieve your fitness goals efficiently.

Should You Do Cardio Before or After Lifting Weights?

Cardio exercises enhance cardiovascular endurance and support lung health. Improved endurance enables your body to circulate blood more efficiently, delivering oxygen to your cells more effectively [1]. Strength training involves exercises designed to improve muscle strength, endurance, and size by working against a force or resistance.

The question of whether to perform cardio before or after weightlifting has sparked ongoing debate in the fitness world. Both perspectives offer valid reasoning. Some argue that starting with cardio helps warm up the muscles and prepares the body for the intensity of strength training. Others contend that beginning with weights allows you to use your maximum strength and energy, reducing fatigue and enhancing muscle-building potential.

Ultimately, there’s no universal answer—what works best depends on your personalized fitness goals. Experts suggest prioritizing the type of exercise that aligns with your primary objective. 

Why Should Weights Come Before Cardio?

There are several reasons why starting your workout with weights can be beneficial:

• Energy and Mental Focus: Lifting weights requires considerable energy and mental focus to maintain proper form and technique. Starting your workout with weights while you are fresh allows you to lift heavier and push yourself harder without compromising on quality.
• Reduced Risk of Injury: Performing cardio before you strength train can fatigue your muscles, which can lead to a compromised form and an increased risk of injury during weightlifting. Prioritizing weights allows you to lift with better form, minimizing the chance of strains or other injuries. Conversely, doing strength training before cardio does not increase the risk of injury.
• Enhanced Performance: Studies have shown that performing cardio before strength training can hinder weightlifting performance, particularly when it involves high-intensity running or cycling [2]. This suggests that starting with weights allows for optimal performance during the strength training portion of your workout. Research on endurance training has also shown that doing strength training prior to cardio does not have an impact on improved aerobic ability [3].
• Increased Fat Burning: Research indicates that doing cardio after resistance training burns more fat at the beginning of the cardio workout compared to doing cardio first [4]. This suggests that prioritizing weights could lead to more efficient fat-burning during your workout.

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Can Cardio Ever Come Before Weights?

While weight training before cardio is generally recommended, there are some exceptions to this rule where starting with cardio can be beneficial:

• Warm-Up: Engaging in light-to-moderate cardio is an effective way to prepare your muscles for any workout, including strength training. Spending five to seven minutes on activities like rowing, biking, jogging, or walking increases blood circulation, primes your body for more demanding exercises, and reduces the risk of injury.
• Endurance Training: If improving endurance for events like marathons or triathlons is your primary goal, prioritizing cardio can enhance your performance. Strength training before cardio may reduce endurance by taxing muscle strength and depleting glycogen stores, which are critical for sustained activity [5].

Even when cardio comes first, its intensity and duration should be considered. High-intensity cardio before weight training can deplete energy stores, hindering performance and strength gains. In contrast, low-intensity cardio warms up the body, improving circulation, metabolism, nerve sensitivity, and mobility. [6]. 

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Benefits of Cardio and Weight Training

Both cardio and weight training offer unique and valuable benefits, contributing to overall health and well-being. When combined, they create a holistic fitness approach that addresses multiple aspects of physical fitness.

Key Benefits of Cardio:

• Improved Heart Health and Lung Capacity: Cardio strengthens the heart muscle, improves blood circulation, and lowers blood pressure, reducing risk of heart disease. They also enhance lung function, making it easier to breathe and increasing your body’s ability to utilize oxygen efficiently.
• Increased Stamina: Regular cardio workouts build endurance, allowing you to perform physical activities for longer periods without feeling fatigued.
• Improved Mood: Cardio releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting effects and help to reduce stress hormones such as cortisol. 
• Weight Management: Cardio burns calories, contributing to weight loss or weight maintenance, depending on daily calorie intake.

Key Benefits of Weight Training:

• Increased Muscle Mass and Strength: Weight training stimulates muscle protein synthesis, leading to increased muscle mass and strength [7]. It increases muscle strength, power, and endurance, making everyday activities easier to perform.
• Increased Metabolism: Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue, so increased muscle mass can boost your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and help with weight management.
• Improved Bone Density: Weight training puts stress on bones, promoting bone growth and density, and reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures [8].
• Reduced Risk of Injuries: Stronger muscles provide better support for joints and reduce the risk of injuries during physical activities and everyday life.

How Often Should You Do Cardio and Weight Training?

The recommended frequency of cardio and strength training varies based on individual goals, fitness levels, and available time. However, general guidelines advise at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardio each week. For strength training, aim for a minimum of two sessions per week, ensuring you work all major muscle groups.

Ways to Incorporate Workouts Into Your Week:

• Separate Days: Allocating different days for cardio and strength training ensures adequate recovery time between sessions. This method is often favored by those aiming to optimize strength or endurance gains, as it allows for maximum focus and energy on each type of workout.
• Combined Sessions: Performing cardio and strength training within a single workout can be a practical and time-efficient approach, especially for those seeking overall fitness. 2-in-1 training methods like High-Intensity-Interval-Training (HIIT), cross-training and circuit training combine all of the benefits. These may not have the same muscle-building effects as strength training, although incorporating weights to your HIIT exercise could help to bridge that gap.
• Two-a-Day Workouts: Advanced individuals may choose two-a-day workouts, splitting cardio and strength training into separate sessions on the same day. Performing cardio and strength training within the same workout session can be a practical and time-efficient approach, especially for those seeking overall fitness. To reduce fatigue and enhance performance, it’s important to schedule at least six to eight hours of recovery between high-intensity cardio and weightlifting sessions.

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Conclusion

Deciding whether to do cardio before or after weights isn’t straightforward and depends on several factors, including your fitness goals, workout intensity, and personal preferences. Both cardio and strength training play essential roles in a balanced fitness routine, each offering distinct benefits for your overall health and well-being. For more tips and expert opinions for your fitness journey, check out the JustFit app!

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