Optimal Timing: Cardio Before or After Weightlifting?

Incorporating cardio into a lifting program can boost stamina and training volume, while weightlifting can improve speed, power output, and time to exhaustion for aerobic athletes. When deciding between cardio before or after weight training, it is generally recommended to lift first and then do cardio. Pre-fatiguing muscles with cardio before lifting weights can increase the risk of injury and hinder weightlifting performance. However, there are exceptions, such as warming up with light cardio before any workout and combining strength training and cardio in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or circuit training workouts. It is important to find a balance and not perform high-intensity cardio workouts every day to allow for sufficient recovery.