weights or cardio first?!

there are 3 questions we need to ask ourselves when making this decision:

1. what is your goal?
2. how much time do you have at the gym? how frequently (per week) do you go to the gym?
3. which one (weights or cardio) do you prefer?

1.) what is your goal?

If your goals are: body recomposition, to get stronger, hitting "P.R." (or "personal records) in the gym, and gain lean muscle (grow size), your main focus should be on weights and progressive overload. Therefore, it is recommended to complete your weight lifting when you are least fatigued...not after you've run 30 minutes on the treadmill. So: weights then cardio. A

• Another note if these are your goals: heavy weightlifting depletes muscle glycogen stores, which are the primary source of fuel during cardio exercises. By exhausting these glycogen stores through weightlifting first, your body is then forced to rely more on stored fat for fuel during the subsequent cardio session. This can be beneficial for individuals aiming to lose body fat or improve their body composition.

On the flip side...if your goals are to run a marathon, be able to run for more than 10 minutes without getting tired, etc., your main focus should be on endurance expansion. Don't destroy your legs first by doing hip thrusts and squats! So: cardio then weights.

If your goals are just general wellness and "staying healthy", it does not matter! I recommend experimenting with both orders. For the larger muscle groups (legs, back, chest), perhaps save cardio for after. For smaller muscle groups (shoulders, core, triceps/biceps), try cardio before weights.

2.) how much time do you have at the gym?

And how frequently (per week) do you go to the gym?

If your goals are: body recomposition, to get stronger, hitting "P.R." (or "personal records) in the gym, and gain lean muscle (grow size)...

• 3x / week: Let's say you can only go to the gym three days per week though!...it's recommended that you squeeze in 15-20 minutes of cardio after those three strength training sessions.
• 5x / week: Let's say you can go to the gym five days per week! If you are going to the 4-5x/week, you are most likely doing a lower / upper body "split" (aka something like this: Monday = hamstrings + quads, Tuesday = chest + tricepts, Thursday = hamstrings & glutes, Friday = back + biceps, Sunday = full body). Try implementing 20-30 minutes of cardio at the end of your upper body days (aka, in this example, do cardio Tuesday and Friday).

If your goals are just general wellness and "staying healthy", again, it does not matter too much! The recommendations above are still relevant to you, too!

3.) which one (cardio or weights) do you prefer?

If your goals are just general wellness and "staying healthy", again, it does not matter too much!

• Warm up: If you are someone who loves to "get warmed up" and work up a sweat before you hit the weighted area, start with 10-20 minutes of cardio!
• Dislike cardio: If you are someone who hates ellipical, stairmaster, treadmills, etc., perhaps start with 10-20 minutes of cardio to "get it over with".
  

Takeaway: there are so many factors that contribute to. your overall hearlth. Are you drinking your water? Are you digestion food appropriately? Are your blood sugars balanced? Are you standing and getting your muscles moving consistently throughout the day? Are you sleeping 6-8 hours per night? While strength and cardio are the key components to a well-formulated workout plan, the fact that you even get your butt into the gym is epic! Take a moment to pause and thank yourself for that ◡̈