Cardio and weights, what comes first?

What came first, the chicken or the egg? We could engage in endless debate, and there will always be yet more questions to be asked.

Cardio before weights is actually more of a recommendation than a steadfast rule- Matthew Muscat Inglott

Fortunately for us, exercise science usually provides us with more concise answers than philosophy does, so today we shall tackle the biggest chicken and egg debate in the fitness world: what comes first, cardio or weights?

In the gym we are used to distinguishing between weights (resistance training) and cardio (cardiovascular training). We traditionally use free weights and resistance machines to build, tone and strengthen our muscles, and cardio machines like treadmills, stationary bikes and steppers to increase fitness and blast stored body fat.

The distinction has become a little fuzzy over the last few years with the introduction of new training systems and equipment, but weights and cardio still fill more space on programme cards in gyms all over the world than any other form of training.

Gym users will often combine both styles of training when following a complete exercise programme. However, many of us are still confused about how best to incorporate cardio work if losing weight or improving aerobic endurance are not top priorities. I am often asked, therefore, when and how cardio should best be incorporated into an existing routine and more specifically, the perennial question of what comes first.

Looking back many years, I recall doing my very first fitness instructor qualification exams in a fitness club just minutes away from London Bridge. As nursery rhymes would have it meanwhile, my very own London Bridge was very much in peril of falling down or more precisely, my aspirations of becoming a fitness professional were had I not made some last-minute alterations to my programme plan.

Apparently, placing resistance training before cardio was an automatic failing offence. Since my programme was designed for a young man wishing to build muscle, I had seemingly erroneously placed his free weights segment first.

Of course, everything worked out just fine in the end with my bridge, career and pride intact. Always do cardio first: simple enough. Through the years, however, I came to discover that my original programme structure that fateful day was actually not at all illogical or incorrect.

Indeed, in many cases putting cardio ahead of the hoisting can be just as counterproductive as putting the cart before the horse. Cardio before weights is actually more of a recommendation than a steadfast rule, and only stands true where ones’ goals do not require us to prioritise one over the other.

‘Specificity’ on the other hand is not just a steadfast rule, it is an overriding principle of exercise science.

By specificity we mean that training must reflect what we are trying to achieve. The more specific our training is to our goal, the better our results will be.

If my goal is to build muscle, for example, then we can all agree that a basic free-weights programme consisting of large compound movements is our best bet at a successful outcome.

If my goal is specifically to be able to deadlift 200 kg, then we can all agree that my workout should be heavily based around that exercise.

If your primary goal is to build muscle, then you’re going to have to put a lot of effort into your free weights workout, so why handicap yourself with 30 minutes of cardio before you’ve even started?

The intensity of your workout will suffer, and therefore your specific goal of building more muscle will also suffer. If you want to deadlift 200 kg, why would you handicap yourself with 30 minutes of cardio before a heavy deadlift workout? You will only lift less this way, and delay your progress towards this specific goal. Effective programme design therefore involves prioritising our goals.

The ideal solution for our young man wishing to build muscle, therefore, might be three to four specialised free-weights sessions per week, and if fat loss and basic aerobic conditioning are also desired, an additional one to two cardio sessions per week may also be included.

Alternatively, if time is an issue, each workout could start with resistance training, and finish off with a brief cardio finale of up to 20 minutes. Remember also that resistance training alone is not totally devoid of benefits to our cardiorespiratory system, and wherever heart rates soar, cardio is present.

What about if you are specifically looking to increase cardiovascular fitness? The same principle of specificity holds true. You will want your best and most intensive workout time to consist specifically of cardio.

Since you are freshest and most able to perform effectively at the start of your workout, you would begin with your cardio without unnecessarily handicapping yourself with any other form of training first. Your weight training could be performed on separate days or as a finale to your predominantly cardio-based sessions.

If your goals are more generic, then the order of your workout becomes less important. Indeed, one of the most effective forms of training for someone looking to lose weight and tone up is a total mish-mash of both cardio and weights.

This could even mean five minutes on the treadmill, followed by three sets of lunges, followed by five minutes on the stationary bike, followed by three sets of abdominal curls, and so on.

So what comes first? In short: your goals.