Is Cardio Best Before or After Lifting?

[h=2]A new study is finally giving us the answer. Check this out.[/h]by Kyle Arsenault | 10/13/16





The Best Time to Do Conditioning WorkShould you do your conditioning, metcon, or cardio work before or after lifting? Many say to do it before because it acts as a warm-up. Others say it interferes with the "money" part of your training: lifting weights.
Who's right? Turns out, the experienced lifters who said to do it AFTER weight training were correct. Completing aerobic endurance exercise before resistance training will negatively impact your ability to perform at your highest potential during the lifting part of your session.
[h=3]The New Study[/h]A recent study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that when healthy, resistance-trained men performed aerobic endurance exercise before a resistance training session...

• Fewer reps were completed
• Average power and velocity of lifts were significantly reduced
• Ratings of perceived exertion were greater
• Heart rates were higher when compared to the control group

[h=3]HIIT First Drops Lifting Performance[/h]One of four different treadmill running protocols were used as part of the aerobic endurance exercise portion:

1. 60% of the participant's VO2 reserve for 45 minutes
2. 75% of the participant's VO2 reserve for 20 minutes
3. 90-100% of the participant's VO2 reserve for intervals of 3 minutes (a 1:1 work to rest ratio) for 5 sets
4. 75% of the participant's VO2 reserve at a 6-9% uphill incline for 20 minutes

Researchers found that there were differing degrees of the drop in performance measures across the groups, with the high intensity interval group experiencing the greatest reduction.
This is important because stress consolidation, or completing all of your higher intensity efforts in the same time period, is encouraged as it allows for greater recovery from session to session. But don't make the mistake of performing your high intensity conditioning before you lift.
[h=3]Weights First[/h]If you're going to complete aerobic endurance exercise in the same workout as a weight training, do the resistance training first. End of discussion.
[h=3]Reference[/h]

1. Ratamess, Nicholas A. et al. (October 2016). Acute Resistance Exercise Performance Is Negatively Impacted by Prior Aerobic Endurance Exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, Vol. 30 (10).

That's the way I've always done it. On days when I have to do two cardio sessions I make sure to do my first session at least 5-6 hours before my lifting session then right after I lift I do my second cardio session.

good info, when getting ready for a show though , at about 12 weeks out, I would hit cardio first thing in the morning on empty stomach, then hit some weights, and when I would come back for my night session, it would be opposite, I would train free weights first then I would hit cardio, followed by pose practice .

I will be the first to admit however, I lost what I believe to be a good bit of muscle doing this, and only competed in a few shows, so I never really got a chance to perfect it. I was so determined to come in shredded as fuck, that I over did the cardio!

Presser said:

good info, when getting ready for a show though , at about 12 weeks out, I would hit cardio first thing in the morning on empty stomach, then hit some weights, and when I would come back for my night session, it would be opposite, I would train free weights first then I would hit cardio, followed by pose practice .

I will be the first to admit however, I lost what I believe to be a good bit of muscle doing this, and only competed in a few shows, so I never really got a chance to perfect it. I was so determined to come in shredded as fuck, that I over did the cardio!

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Yup on double cardio days my first session is rested and fasted also but I did drink 60 grams of protein before starting that morning session. The way 3J and I worked it out I don't think I lost much muscle. Depending on how heavy I was I just start pulling water earlier in the week instead of the day before. Now you will go flat so the carb up is tricky but manageable. We figured it would be much better to dump water over eating up gains and we just about have it down for me at this point. Cant wait till next season to dial it in even more.

I have always heard that when you do cardio after you train, since you should have burned all of the glycogen out of the muscle, you are burning mainly fat. But to limit your time to about 15 minutes so as not to burn up muscle. What do you guys think?

drtbear1967 said:

I have always heard that when you do cardio after you train, since you should have burned all of the glycogen out of the muscle, you are burning mainly fat. But to limit your time to about 15 minutes so as not to burn up muscle. What do you guys think?

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You can still go longer but keep your heart rate under 135bpm. This keeps you in the fat burning zone with minimal muscle loss.

Never been a fan of any cardio post workout. These days I don't even do cardio on training days. Its one or the other.

drtbear1967 said:

Cardio Sucks!!

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Yes it does but when the diet is on lockdown that sucky ass cardio works wonders peeling that last bit of fat. It's awesome when you pinch yourself and can only pull up a tiny flap of nothing but skin. Gives you that confidence when you step on stage that's necessary also then you bring it and take home the big trophy.

LMAO - my six pack is a 2 liter!!

bump

I always thought with cardio its a bit of a balancing act, yes it has capability to burn fat but an equal capability to do same to muscle. Which is countered by adding protein and limiting cardio time. In my case, my legs seem to bear the brunt of atrophy as I know my thighs reduce, then right behind them is rest of me. My body weight and BF calculations hardly fluctuates at all leaving me wondering what effect the cardio has on me, although extended cardio, ie 30 min plus my skin folds will decrease

I beleive if yr diet is spot on and I mean 99% of the time, yr need for cardio decreases. But my cardio is pre dawn light run outside, as some seem to think that outdoor cardio eats muscle as well

I know several BB;s who never touch cardio and they get shredded. Go figure