Weights or Cardio First?

M

Mur

New member
Hi folks, Ive been lurking for a while and I think this is a brilliant site, very informative. :D

Im female, 5'4" , 145lbs.

I only joined my gym about 3 weeks ago. I try to workout about 3 times a week and I attend a circuit training class once a week.

My gym instructor made up a programme for me.

Its 12mins on the bike, 4 mins at 50 rbm (is rbm the correct term? cant remember) and 8 mins at 70 rbm.

Then I stretch and walk/jog on the treadmill for 20 mins.

She then has me do various weights at 15 reps per machine, 15 lunges and 15 squats. Repeat them.

Ive to work on my abs after that. Then stretch.

My question is, are those exercises in the right order?

Ive read somewhere that its more benificial to do the weights before the cardio.

Lately Ive been warming up on the bike, stretching, doing weights , squats, lunges , abs then the treadmill, then stretching. Is that a better order to do things?

I'd really appreciate it if someone would be able to make sense of it all for me and perhaps suggest a way to get the most out of my time spent in the gym.

Thanks a mil!
 
Well it seems the general consensus is that it doesn't matter. The common sense behind lifting first and then doing cardio is that the muscles haven't yet been depleted of glycogen and you have more energy for lifting rather than exhausting yourself from cardio first.

I don't really see the logic behind warming up on the bike and then after stretching jumping on a different cardio machine. Theres no advantage to it that I've seen, it makes more sense to warm up on the bike or treadmill, stretch, and then jump back on the same machine you're using. Of course it's nice to switch machines on different days to stave off the boredom and to work slightly different muscle groups. This may be a point you want to clarify with your trainer.
 
It makes a big difference. Here is the problem with this routine you are doing. It is however very common routine that personal trainers give, doesn't mean it is a good one.

If you are going to combine resistance training with cardio, the resistance training needs to come first period.

Warm up should be a series of either dynamic stretches (kick ups, walking lunges, arm/neck rotations etc.) or specific warm ups (if doing squats with weights then you would do a high rep of weightless squats prior). You want your muscles warmed, not stretched or worn down. You want the movement patterns initiated.

Also there doesn't seem to be in upper body work involved here. With this style of program what happens is the lower body gets burned out, swollen and leaves more ease of injury. Here is what a proper starter routine would look like.

Warm up- (dynamic or specific)
6-8 compound movements that target all the large muscle groups. (Squats, lunges, rows, dips, pull ups/pull down, presses etc.) Done in sets of 2-3 with reps of 10-15. Short rest periods/fast tempos.
10-15 mins of interval training (style and speed depending on your fitness level)
Cool Down-Static stretches or Foam roller work.
EAT!

Trust me that this will do ten times more for you gym time and fat loss. You will be less prone to injury, and in case it was a concern you will not gai muscle in a deficit of calories so use appropriate weights. Also avoid the machines with the except of assist machine or rows/pull down. There are a few other aspects in which they are useful, but at that point you will no longer be in the beginner category.

Good Luck and think about only using that trainer to show you form and nothing else.
 
Thanks very much for the replies, Im off to the gym now to put the good advice in to practice!
 
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