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When Is the Best Time to Do Cardio: Before or After Your Workout?

Writer's picture: Laura Laura


If you’ve ever wondered whether to do cardio before or after your workout, you’re not alone. The timing of your cardio can significantly impact your performance and results, depending on your fitness goals. Let’s break it down.


The Relationship Between Cardio and Weightlifting

Cardio is an excellent way to burn calories, improve heart health, and boost endurance. However, it can also interfere with your strength training if done at the wrong time. Why? Because cardio uses up energy that your body could otherwise channel into lifting heavier and training harder.


Prioritizing Muscle Growth and Strength

If your goal is to build muscle and increase strength, the best approach is to do your cardio after your weightlifting session. This ensures your energy and focus are prioritized for your resistance training, allowing you to lift heavier and perform better.


The Ideal Setup for Cardio and Weights

To minimize the impact of cardio on your strength training:

  • Separate your sessions: Ideally, allow several hours between your weightlifting and cardio to give your body time to recover.

  • Split them into different days: If possible, dedicate separate days to resistance training and cardio, especially if your cardio sessions are long or intense.

By creating this separation, you’ll give each activity the attention it deserves without compromising results.


What If You’re Short on Time?

Life is busy, and sometimes separating your workouts just isn’t realistic. In that case, the best compromise is to save your cardio for after your weights session. This way, you’ll have the energy to push through your lifts and still get the benefits of cardio without it detracting from your strength training.


The Bottom Line

If you’re serious about building muscle and getting stronger, timing matters. Whenever possible, keep cardio and resistance training apart. But if you need to combine them in one session, prioritize your weights by placing cardio at the end. This simple adjustment can make a big difference in your progress and help you reach your goals faster.

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