Should you do first cardio or weights?
If your goal is to gain strength, placing weights first before cardio is preferential, especially if you are including heavy lifts.
If your goal is to improve cardiovascular performance, especially cardiovascular endurance, and you are an experienced lifter or plan to lift light to moderate weights, then it's fine to place cardio first in your programme, however weights first usually takes preference.
Studies suggest that adding cardiovascular exercises to a strength training routine can enhance endurance and increase the amount of work you can handle, allowing you to complete more repetitions and exercises per session. Endurance athletes, such as runners, cyclists, and rowers, who include weightlifting in their training, may see gains in speed, efficiency, and power, as well as the ability to sustain effort for longer periods. Additionally, research from the University of Oklahoma indicates that weightlifting may help these athletes improve their VO2 max, a key measure of aerobic fitness.
It’s essential to prioritize heavy lifts and maximal effort exercises at the beginning of your workout program. This ensures that your muscles are fresh and prepared for the more intense lifts. However, if your focus is on cardio and you plan to lift lighter to moderate weights with higher repetitions, it’s perfectly fine to do cardio first if that aligns with your preferences
Is 20 minutes of cardio enough after lifting weights
Whether 20 minutes of cardio after lifting weights is enough depends on your fitness goals. For general cardiovascular health, the NHS advises aiming for 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week, which can be broken down into smaller sessions. If you're working out six days a week, this would mean about 25 minutes per day.
It’s crucial to understand that aerobic exercise involves continuous, rhythmic movements that elevate your heart rate for an extended period. So, while you might feel your 4 sets of 15 deadlifts are intense, they don’t qualify as cardio.
For health benefits, the intensity of your cardio matters. The American College of Sports Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend adults engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, or a mix of both each week.
Main Take-Away
If you need to complete both in the same session or day:
placing weights first before cardio is preferential, especially if you are including heavy lifts and try to separate sessions by 2-8 hours.
