Fitness or Cardio First

It’s the great debate in gyms everywhere

By Tim Scheet, PhD

Is it better to do cardio or weight-train first? It depends on whom you ask, but most experts agree that if you have to do both in the same session, weights first and cardio second is the best way to go for several reasons.

First, if your primary goal is to gain or maintain muscle mass, then you should lift weights when your body is freshest. This allows you to use higher intensity and, in turn, achieve optimal results.

Second, some experts suggest that because you deplete muscle glycogen levels when you lift weights, doing cardio afterward may burn more fat for fuel than if you perform cardio first.