Cardio - Before or after?

[iluvwmn]

I have been given a lot of info on this and I must know.

Should I do my cardio before or after my weights?

[Bisons]

Definately 100% AFTER!!!

[Italianangel]

personal thing but after is my vote too!

[biscuitman357]

Before and After, in theory.

I say before in terms of warming up. Its a good idea to warm up for 5-10 minutes with some cardio before you hit the weights.

In terms of intensive cardio, after is probably better. If you do intensive cardio first, you risk losing form/focus with the weights because you are more tired. If you do weights first, you can focus on form and then cardio , well if your form isn't picture perfect on cardio, its not that big of a deal really.

The exceptions I think are machines and swimming. If you use machines versus free weights, that changes some things because the machines are designed to help you maintain good form. If you swim, it might help to swim first because if you lift before you swim, you'll find yourself tightening up in the pool. Also swimming first warms you up and stretches you out.

[raijin1]

After for me, no question... When I lift I want to give 110% and focus on what I am doing... For my best lifting sessions, I need absolute focus and concentration... So it is best that I go into that fresh (5-10 min light warmup still a good idea just to get the blood flowing)... I can hit the intense cardio afterwards, (with cardio I don't need to concentrate) because I find a point where I am almost on 'autopilot' or 'in my zone'...

Just my personal experience...

[mooshue]

everything that i have read over the years claims that cardio is most effective after a weight lifting program. I have to say that from my personal experience of now doing it after is working for the better. I also try to do it first thing in the morning outta bed when i have time.

[forbodybuilders]

only after.....
and try to do soemtiems moring empty stomack for more fats lost!

[tooncesthecat]

When I do cardio, I do it:
early in the morning (Helps raise BMR)
with little or no carbs prior (let the body use fat as energy)
before weight training (if I can, I'll do weights after work and cardio before)

[CUTANDPUMPED]

i like to warm up with a little cardio to get the blood flowing and warm up the body for optimum fat burning. when i workout i am also doing minor cardio, like running in place and a jumping jacks between sets. after my workout i do my more intensive cardio and finish up with a good stretch and then a nice hot shower and a protien shake....good luck and always stretch before and after.....

[mrfroglegs]

if your goal is to speed up the metabolism... then cardio after. if your metabolism is based upon quantity of lean muscle mass, then you want to spend your energy on building muscle. then follow it with your cardio. ideally you need to hit the strength work-out with all your energy so you can fully tax the muscle.

[tjam5270]

Nearly everything I've read suggests cardio after, and that's what I've been doing for a couple of years. Personally, I wouldn't do it any other way.

[buttafli]

I do cardio after too, but I do warmup on the treadmill or elliptical for about 5 to 15 minutes prior to my weight training

[wildstang]

preferably morning before breakfast is most beneficial.

[cujo-1]

Originally Posted by wildstang

preferably morning before breakfast is most beneficial.

best time to rid yourself of unwanted fat. its worked for me all these years.

[tidalwave]

Thought I'd pop this supporting info into the thread. A fairly recent article on t-nation advocates steady-state cardio in the morning before breakfast, and intervals later.

TESTOSTERONE NATION - Shredded at Last
"Bodybuilders figured this out years ago, and now studies point towards the same thing: you burn more fat doing your steady state or "regular" cardio in the morning before eating (a fasted state) than during other times of the day. The key here is that blood and liver glycogen are low, causing your body to resort to using more fat for fuel. If you're on a very low-carb diet, then the timing is not as important since serum and hepatic glycogen are perpetually rather low. The timing of interval training doesn't seem to be so important, so just focus on doing it."

[Shakedown]

Weights first, cardio last. Strength training will use up the glycogen in your system so when you do cardio your body will burn fat for energy.

If doing only cardio, no carbohydrates before.

[theatrain]

Glycogen (carbohydates stored in the muscles for energy) levels are at their lowest upon waking up and after an intense weight training session. So for a main goal of fat loss, after.

[vaporgirl]

only after...

[Arcoiris74]

Good tips