What Cardio to Do After Weight Training: A Guide for Optimal Results

In this article, we will discuss the importance of incorporating cardio exercises after weight training sessions. We will highlight the positive aspects of this practice, list its benefits, and provide recommendations for various conditions. Our aim is to provide a simple and easy-to-understand guide for individuals seeking to maximize their fitness routine.

I. The Importance of Cardio after Weight Training:

Muscle recovery: Engaging in cardio exercises after weight training helps to flush out lactic acid and improve blood circulation, aiding in muscle repair and reducing soreness.
Fat burning: Cardiovascular exercises elevate heart rate and increase calorie expenditure, making it an effective way to burn excess fat and achieve weight loss goals.
Enhanced endurance: Regular cardio sessions improve cardiovascular fitness, increasing stamina and endurance levels, which translates to improved performance during both weight training and everyday activities.

II. Benefits of Incorporating Cardio after Weight Training:

Increased calorie burn: Combining weight training with cardio exercises creates an effective calorie-burning synergy, promoting weight loss and body composition improvements.
Improved cardiovascular health: Regular cardio sessions reduce the risk of heart disease, strengthen the heart muscle, and improve overall cardiovascular health.
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Table of Contents

How much cardio should I do after weightlifting?

One trick trainers often use with their clients is what's known as a “cardio finisher.” Think of it as roughly 10 minutes of high-intensity cardio intervals that you do at the end of your strength training session, explains Ashleigh Kast, trainer at Drive495 in NYC and founder of Sophisticated Strength.

Is 20 minutes of cardio enough after lifting weights?

Cardiovascular exercise can help increase calorie expenditure, contributing to fat loss. Adding 20 minutes of cardio after strength training can help create this deficit, aiding in fat loss while preserving muscle mass.

Is it worth doing cardio after lifting weights?

If you want to get stronger, do cardio after weights. On upper-body strength training days, you can do either first. On lower-body strength training days, do cardio after weights. If your goal is just general fitness, do either first, but maybe start with the one you like less.

Is too much cardio after lifting bad?

Doing aerobic exercise immediately after a strength session will deregulate the mTOR signalling pathway. All the hard work you put into your strength session to stimulate the mTOR pathway to tell your body to grow and adapt is suddenly turned off and the stimulus from the training is reduced.

Is 30 minutes of cardio after lifting good?

That's leaves your body primed to burn fat once you're done lifting weights. A short 30-40 minute aerobic exercise should be enough to burn any fat you have covering those bulging muscles you've been working so hard on.

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Science supported practices that vastly improve health:

1) Daily morning sunlight viewing
2) 150-180min/week Zone2 cardio
3) 5-10 sets resistance training per muscle group 3-4X a week.
4) No caloric intake for 12+ hours per 24 hour cycle

Repeat… forever.
— Andrew D. Huberman, Ph.D. (@hubermanlab) December 17, 2021

Is it OK to do weights and cardio on the same day?

Combining workouts is fine, and the order of your workout should be a matter of personal preference. Keep in mind, though, that doing a long cardio session before lifting weights may slightly delay your recovery time—a good reason to give yourself a few days off afterward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to do cardio if I lift weights?

Finally, even though science is pretty inconclusive about if one if doing cardio or weights first is best, one thing that's very clear is that doing both is beneficial. Studies show that doing a combination of the two is best for overall health, increasing muscle and reducing body fat.

Does doing cardio after weights affect muscle growth?

It could decrease your potential muscle growth. In summary: Perform cardio after lifting weights, or ideally, after a minimum of 6 hours after lifting weights. Stick to mostly low-impact cardio such as cycling, the elliptical or incline walking to save your recovery and energy for lifting.

How much cardio do I need after workout?

That's leaves your body primed to burn fat once you're done lifting weights. A short 30-40 minute aerobic exercise should be enough to burn any fat you have covering those bulging muscles you've been working so hard on.

Should you do cardio immediately after a workout?

The bottom line There is no hard-and-fast rule about whether you should do cardio before or after weights. It's helpful to try both approaches and see which works better for you. The key is to include both cardio and strength training in whatever weekly exercise routine you put together.

FAQ

What happens if you only lift weights and no cardio?: Using weights alone without cardio, you will most likely develop bulk instead of a toned and streamlined body. When deciding between cardio or weights, remember that both types of exercises are needed when trying to achieve a healthy, strong body.
Does cardio ruin strength gains?: It's a fitness myth that cardio causes your muscles to shrivel up or prevents them from growing. What's crucial, however, is that cardio doesn't limit your capacity to perform strength training. Equally, recovery is key for muscle growth, so make sure you aren't overtraining. Read more Working It Out here.
How soon after strength training can I do cardio?: So ideally, if you want to get stronger, you should separate your cardio and strength workouts by more than six hours.
Does doing cardio after lifting make you lose muscle?: No. If you do cardio incorrectly, it can slow your rate of muscle growth by interfering with your strength training workouts and dampening the anabolic effects of weightlifting. But it won't make you lose muscle if you sidestep these blunders, which is easy to do.