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| health > diet & fitness > story page |         |
Strength before cardiovascular, or is it the other way around?July 19, 1999
By Miriam Nelson
(WebMD) -- Every time you step on that health-club treadmill or adjust the weight machine, you may be wondering what most exercisers do: Should I have done the other first? This is a question asked by the majority of exercisers -- buffs and novices alike -- who are seeking to gain the maximum benefit from the time they devote to the gym. People commonly ask if one mode of activity done before another can assist in more rapid weight loss, greater cardiovascular function, or greater strength gains. This is a good question. As of now, the only answers as to whether strength training should be done before or after cardiovascular exercise are anecdotal. To the best of my knowledge, there has never been a thorough, scientific investigation that has determined with any certainty which order of exercises is most advantageous. Moreover, researchers have not determined whether or not there is actually a difference seen when the order is changed so that cardiovascular training precedes strength training or vice versa. There are varying opinions within the field of exercise physiology about which sequence is best, but those opinions are not based on any concrete research findings of which I am aware. Some exercise specialists may argue that doing the cardiovascular exercise first serves as a warm-up for the strength training. And others may argue that doing cardiovascular exercise first fatigues the muscles, particularly the lower-body muscle groups, too much to allow a person to put in his or her best effort during the strength-training session. In our laboratory and in practice we recommend that people do the aerobic exercise first. The aerobic exercise warms the body up for the strength training. Also, we feel that if we were to do the strength training first, the muscles would be overly tired and would make the aerobic portion of the strength training unenjoyable. It is important to note that there is a distinct difference between people who are exercising for health, fitness and/or weight maintenance compared to elite athletes who are training for sport-specific purposes. Elite athletes and their coaches generally have a preference as to which mode of activity they choose to do first because training affects their competitive performance. But this type of training specificity does not apply to the typical person who is exercising for health and/or appearance. Figuring out what's best for you It is inevitable that you will receive conflicting advice from friends, family and exercise professionals about the order of your program. What is most important for you to remember is that the best program is one that you will do regularly, that feels good and that you will enjoy the most. If you work out in a fitness facility, work with a trainer to individualize your program as much as possible. Pay close attention to your muscle fatigue, motivation to move on to the next component and overall enjoyment of the workout. Until there is any new information available about the sequence of exercises, focus on how great it is that you are making regular cardiovascular and strength-training exercises a lifetime habit. Make sure to do your best to enjoy the time you spend exercising. Take pride in your commitment to your health and don't worry about the nitty-gritty.
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