One of the most frequently asked questions is, “If I am going to do my cardio and strength training on the same day, which comes first?” Your priority in the gym depends on your personal goals. The good news: No matter how you structure your workout, simply going to the gym is better than nothing!
Should I do strength or cardio first in my workouts?”
The answer: Strength training. “Either order is technically fine, but if you do strength training first, your workout will be much more effective overall.
Experts are definitely split on this issue. The majority of fitness experts will advise you to do the cardio after the weight training, because if you do cardio first, it uses up much of the energy source for your anaerobic work (strength training) and fatigues the muscles before their most strenuous activity. This same view holds that strength training first will deplete the muscles’ stored carbohydrates (glycogen or sugar), and therefore, will enhance fat burning during the cardio workout due to the lack of available sugar for fuel.
If your primary goal is to increase your aerobic endurance or lose body fat, then you should perform cardio first. If your primary goal is to increase muscular strength, then do strength training first. To get the most out of your workout, perform the exercise that is most important to your goals first, when you are not fatigued.
If your fitness goals include overall improvements, finish your workout with the type of exercise you enjoy most.
When Cardio Matters Most
But what happens if you do cardio first? You’ll still be fine. It’s just that since your body will have already used up your quick-energy stores during your cardio time, you won’t be able to recruit it for strength training, so you may feel more sluggish and exhausted—and therefore not as able to push yourself to the max. That means that your weight lifting and your squats may be sloppier than if you did them first. If you want to slim down, you need to kick up your cardio — even if that means skipping some weights when you’re short on time. “Just remember this: Strength training changes your shape and cardio changes your size”.
But what happens if you do cardio first? You’ll still be fine. It’s just that since your body will have already used up your quick-energy stores during your cardio time, you won’t be able to recruit it for strength training, so you may feel more sluggish and exhausted—and therefore not as able to push yourself to the max. That means that your weight lifting and your squats may be sloppier than if you did them first. If you want to slim down, you need to kick up your cardio — even if that means skipping some weights when you’re short on time. “Just remember this: Strength training changes your shape and cardio changes your size”.
Will Cardio Make Me Less Muscular?
Some people are reluctant to perform cardio because of its’ potential to break down muscle stores. Cardio performed at length produces catabolic hormones like cortisol that could interfere with the anabolic muscle building process. However, you can protect muscle from this process by ensuring adequate nutrition before, during and after a cardio session and by keeping aerobic training to less than one hour if you have a goal of building muscle.
So… Strength First Or Cardio?
The best answer is both – but on different days, depending on your training goals and the type of cardio you’re performing. For optimum performance, you should strive for a multi-faceted training program that emphasizes cardio followed by strength on some days, power followed by cardio on others, and active recovery days to include low level cardio, stretching, and muscle release (massage) with no strength training. You also need to factor in the type of cardio you’re doing and the energy system being used (high intensity intervals vs. low-level aerobic base building vs. a workout using multiple training zones).
Some people are reluctant to perform cardio because of its’ potential to break down muscle stores. Cardio performed at length produces catabolic hormones like cortisol that could interfere with the anabolic muscle building process. However, you can protect muscle from this process by ensuring adequate nutrition before, during and after a cardio session and by keeping aerobic training to less than one hour if you have a goal of building muscle.
So… Strength First Or Cardio?
The best answer is both – but on different days, depending on your training goals and the type of cardio you’re performing. For optimum performance, you should strive for a multi-faceted training program that emphasizes cardio followed by strength on some days, power followed by cardio on others, and active recovery days to include low level cardio, stretching, and muscle release (massage) with no strength training. You also need to factor in the type of cardio you’re doing and the energy system being used (high intensity intervals vs. low-level aerobic base building vs. a workout using multiple training zones).
VIA : fitnessfamoushouse.com
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