What's First: Cardio or Weights?

This is debated almost as much as “which came first: the chicken or the egg?”

There are benefits to doing both your cardio and weight-training workout first. Trainers argue that if your goal is to build endurance or speed or to train for a race, then cardio should be done first, before your muscles are fatigued from weight-training.

Similarly, if your goal is to gain strength or power, then it makes sense to do your weight-training first, before your muscles are fatigued from cardio. An intense cardio workout will burn both fat and carbs, and carbs are the key source of energy when weight training, so you may not be able to lift as much if you’ve already finished your cardio workout.

I’ve also previously posted that you burn your fat by increasing your lean mass, which will help you burn calories all day long. So it makes sense that weight training should also be a priority in your workout

A new study has found yet another reason to push weight training to the forefront. The Journal of Applied Physiology reports that participants who weight train before cardio have more heart-related benefits.

Researchers behind the study say lifting weights can increase blood pressure, which stiffens arteries. Doing cardio after weight training releases chemicals that cause the arteries to dilate and lower your blood pressure.

So there you have it, unless endurance performance is your main focus, it is probably a better idea to weight train before doing cardio.

Now if only we could decide if the chicken came before the egg!