Debating the Order of Cardio and Weightlifting: New Research Provides Insight
For years, fitness enthusiasts have been divided on the question of whether it’s better to do cardio before or after lifting weights. Some prefer a jog before hitting the weights, while others swear by lifting first for fat burning. However, a recent study may have finally settled this long-standing debate.
The study, published in ScienceDirect, revealed that the order in which you work out significantly impacts fat loss. Participants who engaged in weight training before cardio experienced greater fat loss and increased physical activity throughout the day compared to those who did cardio first.
Researchers recruited 45 obese young men aged 18-30 and divided them into three groups for a 12-week study. Two groups followed exercise programs that included both weight training and cardio, with one group doing weights first and the other doing cardio first. The results showed that the weights-first group saw significant reductions in body fat and visceral fat, as well as increased daily step count and improved muscular endurance and strength.
While both groups saw improvements in cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, and body composition, the weights-first group had the edge in fat loss and overall physical activity. The metabolic shift that occurs when you deplete muscle glycogen stores through weight training before transitioning to cardio is key to understanding this difference.
Resistance training forces the body to rely more on fat reserves for energy, leading to greater fat loss. This aligns with previous research showing that resistance training alone can significantly reduce body fat and visceral fat, which is associated with cardiovascular disease risk.
Conversely, doing cardio before weightlifting can compromise strength training effectiveness and reduce muscle performance. This is supported by studies on concurrent training, which suggest that strength gains may diminish if cardio is performed before weightlifting.
While the study focused on obese young men, the results provide valuable insights for anyone looking to optimize their workout routine for fat loss and muscle performance. The findings suggest that incorporating weight training before cardio can lead to greater fat loss and improved physical activity levels.
Whether your goal is fat loss, muscle gain, or overall health, the order in which you do cardio and weightlifting can make a significant difference. By understanding the metabolic and performance implications of each approach, you can tailor your workout routine to achieve your fitness goals more effectively.
By Jack McNamara, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Exercise Physiology, University of East London
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
