Sunday, December 22nd, 2024

Should cardio exercises be done before or after weight training?


A common debate among fitness freaks is whether cardiovascular exercises should be done before or after weight lifting. This is a debate that has created confusion in everyone’s mind. This question does not depend on your personal choice, because it can directly impact your muscle growth, workout timing and fitness.

Both cardio and weight training have their own role in fitness. You cannot skip any one thing nor can you do any one thing for a long time. We often see that many people keep running on the treadmill for hours, while others directly enter the weight lifting area in the gym. Both these exercises are considered effective for burning calories in our body and increasing metabolism.

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Cardio before or after weight lifting

Speaking to the Indian Express, Sanjay Goyal, Managing Director of Powermax, says, “It depends on the individual’s goal whether he/she should do cardio first or after weightlifting. Cardio can be used as a warm-up. However, if you do cardio first, you may feel tired and weak. When glycogen in the body is depleted, your ability to do strength training will also end.”

Disadvantages of doing cardio before weightlifting

Disadvantages of doing cardio before weightlifting

The way you perform your cardio and weightlifting has a huge impact on your fitness goals and muscle growth. Doing cardio before weightlifting can cause muscle fatigue. Not only that, it can deplete glycogen stores needed for heavy weightlifting, leading to decreased strength and performance.

What if you do weight training first as soon as you come to the gym?

What if you do weight training first as soon as you come to the gym?

On the other hand, weightlifting requires a lot of energy from our body and this helps in proper muscle growth. Doing cardio after weightlifting can help in muscle recovery and fat utilization. But the fatigue caused by weightlifting can make cardio less effective.

Global Holistic Health Expert, Dr. Mickey Mehta says, after a slow warm-up, it is considered good to do cardio. This prepares you for intense weight training.

Benefits of weight lifting before cardio

Benefits of weight lifting before cardio

If you go for weight lifting before cardio, your energy level will remain high, which will lead to good muscle growth. Doing cardio after weight lifting will increase blood flow in the muscles, which will burn fat.

Which cardio is best with weight lifting

Which cardio is best with weight lifting

It is even better if you combine weightlifting with cycling or light jogging, especially if done beforehand. These exercises help in warming up as they improve blood flow.

Which cardio is best after weight lifting

Which cardio is best after weight lifting

After weightlifting, you should do sprinting or HIIT. By doing these high intensity exercises, you can burn fat quickly and keep your heart healthy.

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