You came to the gym, and now you have a question in your mind: should you do cardio before or after weights​​? A cardio or weight training. This does not happen to you only; it is a question of many people. The answer is that it all depends on your goals. What is your goal to

• Build endurance
• Weight gain
• Strength Training

If you want to build endurance, then you should go for cardio first. You can also go first for it in case you dont like cardio and just want to get it done, then you should go for cardio first.

But if you want to build muscle or do strength training, then you should go for training first. After it, you should do the cardio. Because if you do cardio first, all your energy will be lost in it. Then you haven’t left energy for training. Although you can do light cardio just as a warm-up.

So, in choosing, should you do cardio before or after weights​? It all depends on individual goals. A short cardio of any type is recommended before any type of workout to avoid fatigue and injury.

Should You Do Cardio Before Or After Weights​?

Many people think about what they should do first before starting their workout, cardio, or weight training. THe question that comes to mind, should you do cardio before or after weights​? It depends on person to person. If your goal is to build strength and muscles without wasting any kind of energy, then you should go for training first.

But if you want to stay lean, or you are preparing for any kind of marathon, or you have a race competition. Then you should for cardio first. As your primary goal is to build stamina and make PR in cardio training. In that case, if you go first for weight training, then you will be exhausted and you will have no left with energy left for your cardio. So, should you do cardio before or after weights​? It depends on your primary goal. If your primary goal is strength training, then go for it. But if the primary goal is a marathon run or to stay lean, then go for cardio first.

Does Cardio Burn Muscle?​

The answer might be complicated ‘’Yes’’ or ‘’No’’. There can be two case scenarios of it. First case scenario, if you do cardio at an extreme level and remain in a calorie-deficient state and do not take proper diet and nutrition for a long time, then you will lose your muscle and strength also. It also happens in your daily life when you burn more calories than you eat, then you will lose muscle and strength. That’s why the question of should you do cardio before or after weights becomes important, because doing it incorrectly can lead to muscle and strength loss.

Second case scenario, If you do your cardio, take a proper diet regularly with proper diet and nutrition then you will not lose or burn any kind of muscles. So, the myth in the brains of many people that cardio burns muscle​ or cardio kills gains is not true if they take a proper diet and eat more calories than they burn in their daily routine. You should also know, should you do cardio before or after weights​ beacause a wrong descision can lead to muscle loss. 

Is It OK to Do Cardio Before Weights on the Same Day?

Yes, it is okay to do cardio before weights on the same day if your goal is to stay lean and run a marathon. So, should you do cardio before or after weights​? The answer depends on the person’s goal, whether they want to build strength or stay lean. If you want to stay lean or you find it boring doing the cardio, then you should do the cardio first.

But if the goal is to build strength, then you should go for weight training first. Doing the cardio before your workout session will going to exhaust you will resulting in no energy during the workouts.

Does Cardio after Weights Affect Muscle Growth?

Doing cardio after weight training affects muscle growth. But there are a few conditions for it. If a person does cardio at an extensive level and eats in a calorie-deficient means, they eat fewer calories than they burn. Then, some chances of doing cardio after weights affect muscle growth. So, yes, it affects muscle growth if it is not treated properly, which is why the question of should you do cardio before or after weights​ is important for anybody who is building a muscular physique.

But if your goal is to maximize your energy levels during the workouts, then placing the strength training first would be a good idea. But if your goal is to improve cardiovascular health and if you are doing the training for years, then doing the cardio first would be a good idea. That’s why the debate around should you do cardio before or after weights always comes down to personal goals and fitness priorities.

How Much Cardio After Weights For Fat Loss?

To lose weight, after weights, you need to do 20 to 30 minutes of cardio. But only cardio will not help in weight loss; you will also need to follow a proper diet routine. With that, you will need to consume fewer calories than you burn. But as a beginner, if you dont know how many calories you are eating and how many calories you are burning. Therefore, you should use a calorie calculator. To track every calorie that you are eating.

Study says that if anybody wants to see the visible changes in their body. Then they will need to do at least 160 to 320 minutes of moderate intensity training per week. Although it might be difficult for you. Then you can do 75 to 150 minutes of moderate intensity training per week. Increase it from time to time to see the visible changes, and always consider should you do cardio before or after weights​ based on your goals.

Factors That Affect How Fastly You Burn Calories?

These factors will affect your weight loss journey, which will help you burn calories at a lower or faster pace. It depends on those factors

• If you are an older person, then you should expect fewer calories to burn as compared to an adult.
• People who have more muscle mass will burn more calories as compared to the same person with less muscle mass doing the same activity or workout.
• Men usually burn more calories than women.
• The harder you train during workouts, the more calories you burn.
• Genetics plays a major role in it. If you have a good metabolism, then you can do it at a faster rate.

Which Exercises Burn The Most Calories?

To lose weight at a faster rate then you will need to do exercises of high-strength training. Exercises that are also good for cardiovascular health. The exercises that burn the most calories are given below

• Running burns 480 to 550 calories per hour.
• Walking burns 240 to 3270 calories per hour.
• Swimming burns 400 to 500 calories per hour.
• Biking burns 350 to 450 calories per hour.
• A treadmill burns 400 to 500 calories per hour.

This calorie-burning rate is for persons who have a normal metabolism. It can also vary from person to person metabolism, age, sex, and weight, etc.

Summary

Whether you should you do cardio before or after weights​ depends on your fitness goals. If your goal is building endurance, staying lean, or training for a marathon, do cardio first. But if your goal is muscle gain and strength, prioritize weight training and save cardio for later. Cardio itself doesn’t burn muscle unless paired with extreme calorie deficit and poor nutrition. For fat loss, aim for 20 to 30 minutes of cardio after weights, along with a proper diet. Factors like age, gender, muscle mass, intensity, and genetics affect calorie burn. Exercises like running, swimming, and biking burn the most calories. For more fitness tips, visit our website, Fitness Hubz.