Weights Then Cardio, or Cardio Then Weights? The Right Answer Depends on Your Goals

The worst part about cardio is that if you want to get better at it, you actually have to do it — the agony! But figuring out where it fits in your weight room routine can often leave you feeling confused, weak, or reluctant to even bother. Plus, the little devil on our shoulder often pops up and says, "You don't need to do cardio. It'll wreck havoc on your PRs!" But go ahead and flick that little dude away because with the right tools, scheduling, and recovery, cardio can improve your time in and out of the gym, without derailing your progress.

Why Cardio Matters for Lifters

You may walk into a gym and turn up your nose to the treadmills, air bikes, ellipticals, and stair climbers, but cardio — also known as aerobic exercise since it uses oxygen through the workout — helps strengthen your heart, lungs, and how those two work together to pump blood throughout your body. 

And cardio isn't just for weight loss — although it's a useful tool for that, as studies show it can burn more calories in a shorter amount of time when compared to lifting. Even if your goal is simply to build some serious mass and strength, cardio deserves some of your time and attention if you want to improve your cardiorespiratory fitness, endurance during prolonged efforts, and overall work capacity. You don't need to trade in your lifting shoes for running shoes, but time spent tackling some cardio can help make your efforts in the gym more productive.

Read More: Cardio vs. Strength Training

Why Your Workout Order Matters (To an Extent)

When it comes to combining cardio and strength training, the general rule is to prioritize whatever matters most to you — giving your freshest efforts to the primary areas you want to improve. "If your main goal is hitting PRs with your lifts, hit the weight room before you do cardio," says Ashley Boyer, ACE-CPT and master's candidate in Sports Performance and Conditioning at Southern Utah University. "If you're preparing for a marathon, cardio should get your attention first." 

If Strength Is Your Priority

If your schedule allows, Boyer recommends splitting cardio and weight training into two separate sessions. "Fatigue is real, so ideally you want to give yourself a few hours between taxing lifts and endurance exercise."

This may be especially important for seasoned lifters looking to maximize lower-body strength. Research suggests that combining cardio and strength training in the same session may interfere with lower-body strength development. However, this effect wasn't observed when the two activities were separated by at least a few hours.

Can I do cardio and strength exercises on the same day?

If you have to do both in one session, lifting before cardio may be the right route for you. A 2018 systematic review found that performing resistance training before cardio may offer an advantage for lower-body dynamic strength development.

If Hypertrophy Is Your Priority

If building muscle size is your primary goal, toss your worries aside because the research suggests there's less of a reason to stress about exercise order. A 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis found that the combination of both modalities in a single session seems to have little negative effect on muscle growth, regardless of order. A 2018 systematic review also found no significant difference in muscle growth based on exercise order.

If Power Is Your Priority

When considering explosive strength — generating force quickly like jumping, sprinting, or moving a heavy weight as quickly as possible — separating cardio and lifting may be worthy of your consideration. The same 2021 meta-analysis found that combining cardio and lifting had a small negative effect on explosive strength when both were performed in the same session. 

If you can't separate these efforts, consider tackling your power-focused training first so you can perform explosive movements while you're fresh, rather than fatigued from cardio.

The Best Workout Order for Your Goal

For most athletes and individuals, there's no need to sweat the order of your workout. Prioritize what matters to you, manage fatigue where you can, and don't let the perfect workout order get in the way of consistency. However, if you're still looking for that edge, here's what the research suggests is ideal based on your goals:

• If hypertrophy is the goal: Workout order likely doesn't matter much.
• If strength is the goal: Consider post lifting cardio.
• If power is the goal: Consider separating sessions by at least three hours.
• If endurance is the goal: Get your cardio in first.

How to Add Cardio Without Sabotaging Strength Gains

"If you feel like cardio is affecting your lifts, tackle your lifting workout first, separate your sessions by a few hours, or do cardio on one day and weight training on another," says Boyer. Then, consider why you're doing cardio to figure out what type you should do and how much.

If you want to increase your VO2 Max but are crunched for time, HIIT and sled workouts can be effective options that provide athletes with the ability to tackle cardio and strength work simultaneously. Want something that's a little less demanding that still helps build your aerobic fitness? Zone 2 training, such as easy cycling or running where you can still carry on a conversation, is a great place to start.

And cardio doesn't have to be structured or intense to count. Walking, a quick warm up before your lift, dancing in a Zumba class, or even taking a stroll through every aisle of the grocery store can all contribute to your cardio fitness. Ultimately, the best form of cardio is the one you enjoy — since you'll be more likely to do it and do it consistently.

Takeaway

Don't lose sleep over exercise order. Just be sure to go into your workout knowing what your goals are, and prioritize the exercise that supports those goals. And remember, your progress depends on more than what you do in the gym and the order of it — getting enough rest, allowing time for recovery between hard efforts, and fueling your body properly are just as important.

FAQs

Does lifting weights burn more calories than cardio?

When the same amount of time is spent lifting (with rests) versus doing moderate-to-vigorous cardio, cardio comes out on top for its ability to burn more calories. However, weight lifting can lead to EPOC (Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption) which can continue burning calories even after you've finished your workout.

How often should I do cardio while weight training?

There isn't a set amount of cardio a lifter should add to their routine. It all depends on your goals. However, if you're just starting to add cardio to your routine, start with two sessions a week and adjust from there.

How can I improve my strength and endurance simultaneously?

If strength and endurance are goals that both hold your attention, the key is to balance your training so you're developing both without allowing one to consistently interfere with the other. Prioritize your primary goal, separate demanding sessions when possible, utilize lower-intensity cardio with occasional HIIT work, fuel to perform and recover well, and avoid doing too much too soon.

What are the benefits of combining cardio and strength workouts?

Adding cardio into your strength training routine can help you improve your cardiovascular health, increase your work capacity, and build endurance which can keep you from feeling winded as your training volume increases.

Does cardio after lifting kill gains?

No. Research suggests that combining cardio and resistance training generally doesn't significantly impari muscle growth or maximal strength. However, explosive strength may be more affected, particularly when both forms of exercise are performed in the same session. If max strength or power is your priority, managing fatigue and separating demanding workouts may help.