This Cardio Secret Could Double Your Results In Less Time!
Traditional long form cardio is getting bashed all over the place nowadays.
For many people, it’s not their favorite form of exercise either, nor is it the best option for fat loss and overall health and fitness.
But cardio can definitely be effective and have it’s own place as part of a well designed fitness program.
Cardio should be one component of your program, not the only component.
So, the question that gets asked a lot is, “if I’m training for fat loss, when should I do my cardio, before or after my weight training session?”
Great question! You’re on a roll! Oh, wait! That’s just the same question asked again!
So, weights then cardio, or cardio then weights?
Weights then CARDIO!
If you want a complete training routine to maximize your fat burning results, you’ll want to include the following:
1. Strength Training
2. Conditioning or Metabolic Training
3. Metabolic Finisher
4. Strategic Cardio
And this does NOT mean you need all four in the same workout. Just using two of them in a workout can be extremely effective and more than enough.
Very rarely will you use all four components in one workout.
So why resistance training first?
For starters, if you do cardio first, your weight training performance (and results) will suffer.
Here’s a dirty little secret cardio bunnies and makers of “aerobics” dvds don’t want you to know.
Intense, high quality weight training is MORE effective for taking fat off and keeping it off than cardio!
Hit the weights while you’re fresh, then move to your cardio. Yes, of course, you can do a few minutes of a general warm up if you need it.
What is Glycogen Depletion?
By hitting the weights first, you’ll also deplete your glycogen stores, leaving your body primed and pumped to dip into its stores of excess body fat to fuel your the cardio portion of your workout.
The flip side of that is that fat is not an efficient fuel for weight training. Glycogen is the preferred source of fuel for short, intense muscle contractions.
By hitting the weights first, you’ve allowed your body to have the preferred muscle fuel available and primed it to burn fat as soon as you start your cardio. NICE!
If you want to be efficient and MAXIMIZE your results, it’s strength training first, then cardio!
Shameless Plug:
If you want to take all of the guess work out of your workout try a Level 10 Class. 10 Fitness offers them daily. If you don’t have a Level 10 Membership with 10 Fitness simply reference this blog and you can join a class as our guest.
Level 10 combines everything discussed here, and is instructed by one of our Certified Coaches or Nationally Accredited Personal Trainers.