I know I should incorporate more strength training into my exercise routine. Is it better to do it before or after my cardio activity? -Stacey
You’re right, it is important to include strength training into your regular exercise routine. It will aid in balancing the strength and mobility in your muscles and joints, improve metabolism by increasing active lean muscle tissue and even help improve your cardiovascular performance. That being said, here are three answers to your question.
When you perform strength exercises, the goal is to break down the muscle tissue by repeating the exercise until you’ve reached momentary muscular failure. That sounds scary, but all it really means is that your muscles get activated and then fatigued by the repetitive resistance of the exercise. That breaking down of the muscles is what encourages growth and development through rest.
Performing the strength exercises before the cardio activity will allow you to perform the strengthening exercises on fresh muscles as you won’t be tired from the cardio activity. This is especially important if you’re new to strength training and learning how to perform each exercise. However, it’s important to make sure your muscles are warmed up ahead of time, so you could include a short 5 minute cardio warm up, then strength train and follow with the rest of your cardio routine.
On the other hand, if your cardio is primary – say, if you’re training for a triathlon or running event and you need to get in a solid workout – then getting in the cardio workout first and then following up with the strength training will be a better option.
Finally, to toss in another option, you can weave it into your cardio and create what I call a “circus workout” – where you warm up on cardio, then hit a strength exercise or two, then 5 minute of cardio, then strength again, followed by cardio. You’ll feel the excitement of being in the circus with all the movement! Plus, it’s fun and before you know it, you’ll be cooling down thinking… when can I do this again?
There are benefits to weaving in strength training into your cardio routine, the key is to try each of these to see what works best for you.
Happy Trails.
Coach Jenny Hadfield
Coach Jenny Hadfield is a published author, writer, coach, public speaker and endurance athlete. To find out more, visit our Meet Our Writers page or visit Coach Jenny’s website.