is it better to run and/or do cardio before or after a workout and why?

I prefer to do it after working out for not for any specific reason. I would just say to what works for you man.

yeah i do my running after doing my weights. The reason? i don't like being to sweaty when doing weights. Plus for me theres nothing like a good run to finish of a workout

I tend to leave my cardio and weight sessions to different days. I do a light 3km run before weights to try and burn some fat and get the body warmed up before lifting. I did a full run before weights a while back and found not only that i was very sweaty but i also had little energy to lift properly so thats why i seperated them! If i was doing both in the same day i would def do cardio afterwards...

Better to cardio post weight sessions. I mean think about it, your still exhausting energy running and that means you won't be as strong or get as much from the weight training session.

Hello everyone, this is my first post here.

Personally, I have found the best results with running and doing cardio before AND after my weight workout. I use my post workout exercise as a low intensity workout to keep my heart rate going and cool off a little bit. When I run before my workout it can get pretty intense. I like to do this because it loosens my muscles and increases my heartrate. I give myself a couple of minutes of break time before I begin lifting, but I have found that the run before the lift increases the efficiency of my workout. I am able to push a little harder and keep my heartrate elevated throughout the process, to help burn extra fat. It seems to be different from person to person, but for me, this is what works best.

BTW, I have experimented with running only before or only after and found that dividing it, not necessarily into two equal running sessions, but dividing it works best.

It will all depend on what your goal is. If one is to follow the other no matter what you are to do second will not be as effective as if it were done first. Decide what is most important to you, your needs, and goals and do that first while you are fresh.

Yeah, same reason I do it. I can't imagine just going straight to pumping max weights. I need to, at the very least, stretch for about 15 minutes before doing anything. Then I jog a mile and cool down, dry off the dripping sweat, and then hit the weights.

When I did this a couple of years ago, I was working at a garden doing a lot of labourous tasks throughout the day. I was so tired when I got home but after doing my stretch and job, I felt wide awake. I just got so used to the routine that I woke up after warming up and then after taking a shower I would fall asleep within minutes.

I do 40 mis of bike and then 25 mins of workout, I am not trying to develop too much muscle but just to get fit. Sometime I do 25 mins of bike, 25 workout and 15 of bike again.

Hi, this is my first post in this forum as well

I'm more of a runner than a lifter, I train for marathons and a few 5 and 10ks around the year so I get all my running done before a weight lifting session for a couple of reasons.

Number one, because its simply a more efficient method of getting my running in, and it increases my heart rate, letting me lift more efficiently. Also lifting before a workout creates a heavy limb feeling that kills my run.

And Number two, because if my focus were muscle building the bulk could slow my marathon a good thirty to fourty minutes.

These are just my personal preferences but the truth is the science is so sketchy about the human body that nobody really knows whats better for you. Beyond the point that everybodys designed differently the human body is the most complex and perfect machine that has ever been created, and sometimes you just gotta go with what feels best

Some things to keep in mind however, some research does show that too much cardio can break down muscle building complexes and eat some of your bulk for energy, this can be avoided by keeping running down to a maximum of an hour run a day, and resting well and eating right between workout times. Also running after a workout has shown to beat up lower and mid section muscles which doesn't let them grow properly and can hurt both workouts.

If you wanted my professional opinion, if your not working out on a program like I am (long distance run every day and 45 minutes of weight lifting every other day) Its best to leave your aerobic and anaerobic excercises for seperate days, but thats just me

If your trying to add a little bulk and not merely strengthen your muscles for running purposes then lift before, run/cardio after. Probably one of my biggest mistakes was doing cardio before workouts because you exhaust your muscles so much that you don't have as much energy to push yourself during lifting. For me, i spent one entire summer where i did cardio before, lifting after and i had literally no results. my muscles were never sore the next day.

i have cross country practice, so ill be running an absolute minimum of 3 miles right after school. I want to keep lifting for lacrosse season, but the only time i can lift is right after that run. is it bad to lift after that run? or will i just not get as much out of it as i could.

Whats with the old threads getting dug up lately?

I don't think its bad, but I prefer the other way. If I run first, I really feel like me workout suffers. But if that's the only way you can, I say go for it.

i would do sum cardio after a workout as it can be a good cool down (or warm down) and also helps lose the fat