When to do cardio

KTRIC

First of all, I'm new to the forum so please be gentle on me. I've recently just started working out and am starting to see some good results but I'm concerned about my cardio. I read that doing cardio before weight training is a bad idea, where I was doing this for a while because thats what they had me doing in the gym.

Is this correct or should i be doing it after my weights. Previously I was doing about 10 mins of cardio on a bike to warm up then weights. But I'd like to do more but not to have an effect on my muscle development, just loose fat.

Oryx

I have read (here, actually) that its best to do your cardio after weights. Someone else will have to get into the theory behind that.

But if youre starting out, dont sweat the small stuff. Just train. Have targets, and push yourself to improve. You can get technical if you hit a plateau. If youre getting results, youre doing something right.

AntiVirus

I always do a 10 minute warm up and 10 minute cool down on my weights days and it hasn't affected my progress. On my cardio days I just do cardio.

I think its best to keep the 2 seperate but if you find you're making progress doing what you're doing and you enjoying doing, why change? That would depend on your goals.

cgpg5

I think the main logic behind not doing too much cardio before weight training is that if you do a flat out cardio session and then move straight on to weights you will be tired and won't be able to achieve your maximum lift (also lifting weights while being exhausted is never good, you could end up dropping the weights in your tired state etc). You'll also tend to do less weights as you'll feel too tired to go on. Therefore it is recommended to do weights first.

mrpink6789

Yep most people would say cardio after weights is better. Or if you have time try doing cardio on the morning on an empty stomach, weights in the evening!

SteelyDanJalapeno

The way i look at it is,

would you rather fall over on a threadmill due to exhaustion, or mid lift and possibly seriously injure yourself?

EdenHazard

People are going to recommend cardio in the morning on an empty stomach.
Its stupid imo, if your doing it it's not meant to be a run more like a solid 45 minute brisk walk, but I think for anyone under 60 this isn't really practical, I mean a 45 minute walk in the morning? Waste of valuable time.

Oryx

EdenHazard wrote: »

People are going to recommend cardio in the morning on an empty stomach.
Its stupid imo, if your doing it it's not meant to be a run more like a solid 45 minute brisk walk, but I think for anyone under 60 this isn't really practical, I mean a 45 minute walk in the morning? Waste of valuable time.

I havent seen that recommended here or in ART?

Hanley

Oryx wrote: »

I havent seen that recommended here or in ART?

I've seen it before, and quite frequently too.

Theory being lower blood glucose levels in the morning leads to higher fat utilisation for energy thus increasing fat burning.

I think it's been fairly heavily disproven at this stage. I'm sure there's an effect, but I'd be skeptical as to its significance from a fat loss perspective.

As for the OPs Q, if I'm understanding corrrectly you're worried about 10 mins of cardio before lifting? Unless you're going absolutely guts out, don't worry about it.

Generally the "rule" is spoken in respect of long duration cardio before lifting because it tires you out, 10 minutes low intensity won't do that.