Warm Up With Cardio, Then Go To Weights. Right? Wrong.

Wednesday, April 20 2011 8:25 AM Written by: Kaitlin Sandeno

Having been an athlete for most of my life, I figured I knew my way around the gym. On a typical day, I'd hit the treadmill or elliptical machine for 30 minutes, then move to the weight machines. And that's what I started to do when I recently joined a gym. Then I got my assessment -- you know, the review of your habits a lot of gyms do. And the review told me I was doing something wrong.

Hit the weights hard, the assessment said. Then go to cardio.

What?

"The body needs to burn through its sugar source first before it taps into the fat," says Iman Nikzad, who runs the fitness program at my LA Fitness near Irvine, Ca. "You burn the sugar while doing the weights then burn the fat while doing the cardio."

I did some more research and, turns out, he's right and I was wrong. The optimal workout is a 10-minute warm-up on a low-impact cardio machine followed by 30 minutes of weights and then 30 minutes of intense cardio.

Yes, really.

"Efficiency is the key when structuring any workout, so long-duration cardio should not be done in the beginning of the session," says certified strength and conditioning specialist Jim Smith. "The most intensive training should be done first in the workout, when you are at your best."

By starting with weights, you alert your muscles to trigger the proteins that churn through calories while you train. So even though you're probably spent after 30 minutes of weights, your body is ready to eat fat faster than it would if you started by "telling" the body to attack sugar.

A lot of people get this wrong, thinking weight training diminishes the effect of the cardio work. It's the opposite. Just remember the phrase: "Muscle eats the fat." If you want to lose the flab -- and who doesn't? -- you want your muscles as active as possible. That means starting with weights.

And if you only have 30 minutes total, go for weights instead of cardio. That sounds counterintuitive, since we feel sweating is "proof" we're losing fat. But you will lose a lot more fat by pushing and pulling weights and then going on a brisk walk in your neighborhood (or even at the mall). The guy or gal who is dripping buckets on the Stairmaster is getting a good workout, but you're likely getting a better one by getting sore and not getting soaked.

THank you for the article sublimate.. I know that when I had my trainer she wanted me to get in some cardio before I saw here and did weights. Or she would have me do some cardio when I was working out with her..


Susan

My trainer has me do a cardio warm up too.. never really asked her about it.  From a nutritional standpoint it does make sense but I don't know much about fitness so I thought it was interesting to me.

Good to know! Thanks.

 I saw this article on Yahoo.  I am so OVER the different suggestions that are on the web every day from what/how to eat and how to work out, etc..LOL.  It's TOO much!  It makes me spin in circles.  So, my philosophy - the work out I do and staying active is enough.  I am not a fitness freak.  As long as I am losing and feeling good and following my Dr's direction - it's good enough for me.  

That being said (haha) - it's always nice to share something you feel will benefit others.

I agree.. I get sick of every week hearing this food is good, this food is bad, this workout is good, this is bad, you know?  I also agree that what ever you do is good enough too.  I haven't been able to do anything in terms of weights for many weeks between some major life shifts and an arm injury, so I just do my treadmill and figure it's better than nothing. :)

Then I have been doing things right :)  Thanks for sharing!

Ugh... I've been avoiding the weights part until I get into the swing of things, but now that i need to drop 17 lbs between now and the 23rd, it looks like I'll have to add them in. 

5am wake up, here I come

 

What happens on the 23rd? That's a lot of weight to drop in such a short time.. I bet you would have an easier time losing it lowering your calories really low and eating almost exclusively lean meats with maybe a little veggies.  That's how I lost 28 pounds in 1 month pre-op. 

 The good news is that this article is saying you can get a really effective workout in an hour.  Some days I have much less time than that so I just fit in what I can some days.  Looking forward to summer and being off school where I can focus on my exercise hard core.

The 23rd is my surgery date.  I think I'll be alright though... staying under 30g of carbs and under 1000 calories each day with tons of water and working out 5-6 days a week should get me there in time based on how my previous attempts at losing have gone.