by Taylor B.

According to a study performed by the American Council of Exercise, performing a cardio bout after completing your resistance training increased the participant’s heart rate by 12 beats per minute more than that of the exact workout at the same intensity and duration. This would lead you to believe that you should perform cardio before your weight training, but this isn’t always true.You can find several studies showing the same outcome, as well as several that will show the opposite outcome. The argument can be made that strength training first will deplete your carbohydrate storage, which will lead to the use of more fats as a fuel source. However, with longer rest periods between sets and exercises, it is unlikely that this will happen. Ultimately, the intensity of the workout, not the mode, determines the fuel that your body uses. There is the possibility of overall muscle fatigue from weight training first, leading to decreasing intensity during the cardio portion, which in turn means burning fewer calories over the entirety of the workout.

What is your workout goal?
Ultimately, the decision on which to perform first comes down to each individual. If your goal is to increase aerobic endurance or lose weight, then perform your cardio workout first. If you are more interested in building muscle and increasing overall muscle, then you will want to perform your weight training first.

Can you do both effectively?
Now, you may be asking yourself, “Self, how would I go about losing weight AND increasing muscular strength?” In order to get the absolute most out of your workout you will want to alternate starting with cardio and starting with weight training with the different cycles of workouts you will be performing.

Keep in mind that you will be going through different phases for the duration of your fitness journey, and that there is no “one size fits all” workout plan – including how to start. The best advice is to keep things interesting. This means you should cycle through different styles of workouts and exercises. This approach will help to eliminate boredom, break through plateaus, and give you some mental breaks along the way.