Combination of strength and cardio training. When is the best time to do cardio?

What is the difference between anaerobic (strength) and aerobic exercise?

Aerobic exercises are different from strength (anaerobic) source of energy used by the body.

Aerobic exercise- oxygen is the only and sufficient source of energy.
Anaerobic (strength) exercise- oxygen does not participate in energy production. Energy is generated from a supply of “ready fuel” contained directly in the muscles. This reserve is enough for 8-12 seconds. And then the body begins to use oxygen... and the exercise becomes aerobic.

Thus, no exercise lasting longer than 12 seconds will be pure strength.

But there are no purely aerobic exercises - at the beginning of any exercise, energy is produced anaerobically (without the participation of oxygen), as during strength exercises.

Therefore, speaking about anaerobic or aerobic training, usually mean which method of energy generation is dominant.
And this depends on the intensity and duration of the load. That is, 15 minutes of continuous running at an average pace is a “more aerobic” exercise than 2 runs of 10 minutes each with a break in between. Another example is that running at a moderate pace over long distances can be considered an aerobic exercise. And sprinting is already strength training.

Some exercises and sports are inherently “more aerobic”, others are “more anaerobic”.

Examples of aerobic exercises:

Long distance running.
Fast walk.
Swimming.
Cycling or exercising on an exercise bike.
Aerobics.

Examples of anaerobic exercises:

Lifting weights (short sets - no more than 10-15 repetitions).
Sprint running (up to 30 seconds).

Examples of complex exercises (combining aerobic and anaerobic exercise):

Kickboxing.
A 20-30 minute workout alternating between easy jogging and sprinting.

When exercising on machines or with free weights (dumbbells, barbells), the general rule is:

Aerobic exercise- perform more repetitions with less weight and reduce the break between sets. Signs indicating aerobic training will be increased heart rate (up to 90% of maximum) and sweating. You can calculate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. For example, if you are 30, then your maximum heart rate will be 190 (220-30). Accordingly, your heart rate during aerobic exercise should not rise above 170. In addition to increasing your heart rate, pay attention to the increase in breathing. If your breathing does not increase, it means you are not training intensely enough. And if you are unable to speak, then you should reduce the intensity of the workout.
Anaerobic exercise- increase the weight, reduce the number of repetitions and remember to rest between sets.

The effects of anaerobic and aerobic exercise on the body.

Although the line between strength and aerobic exercises, as we see, is quite thin, the effect of both will be completely different. And here we return to the popular opinion about strength and aerobic exercises mentioned at the beginning of the article: the former are intended for gaining muscle mass, and the latter for losing weight. Is it so?

The effects of anaerobic (strength) training on the body.

Anaerobic exercise promotes muscle growth, strengthening and strengthening. But this growth is only possible with sufficient nutrition. Otherwise, the muscles you work on will grow at the expense of other muscles that are least used in the exercises. Girls should not be afraid to build up big muscles - this is simply impossible due to low testosterone levels.

Strength (anaerobic) training uses fewer calories than cardio (aerobic) training. But muscles themselves consume more calories. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn throughout the day - when you sit, lie down, watch TV and even sleep. Plus, the increased metabolism that helps burn fat lasts for up to 36 hours post-workout! Thus, Anaerobic training is very effective for weight loss.

Muscle weighs more than fat. That is, body volume decreases even when the weight does not fall. When losing weight, the result is usually measured in kilograms. But, you see, it’s unlikely that anyone will weigh you - what’s much more important is how many centimeters your waist will decrease :)

Only anaerobic exercises can “sculpt” an ideal figure. Neither diet nor aerobics will help here.

Anaerobic exercise is extremely beneficial for your health...

Increase bone density - bones will always remain strong.
Strengthens the cardiovascular system.
Prevents diabetes mellitus and helps in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.
Reduce the risk of cancer.
Extend life.
Improves mood and helps fight depression.
Improves sleep quality and improves well-being if you don't get enough sleep.
Helps cleanse the skin.

The effects of aerobic training on the body.

Aerobic exercise burns fat. True, fat does not begin to burn immediately, but only when glycogen reserves are depleted. During the first 20 minutes of training, fat is almost not burned, and only after 40 minutes of training does fat become the main source of energy!

Aerobic exercise uses a lot of calories. As a result, if you follow a diet, you can lose weight. What's the catch? It would seem that run 40 minutes a week and lose weight. But the fact is that the body very quickly gets used to aerobic exercise. After 2 weeks, you will spend much less calories on a half-hour jog than at the beginning.

Losing weight using only aerobic exercise is extremely difficult. If during the first month, subject to regular training and diet, you can lose 2-3 kg, then the process will slow down.

Impact of low- to moderate-intensity aerobic exercise will differ from more intense loads. Light and moderate aerobic exercise mainly involves the cardiovascular system (that's why they are also called cardio training). High-intensity aerobic training loads not only the heart, but also the muscles, since it is no longer aerobic in its pure form. Rather, they can be called complex.

If we talk about “purely” aerobic training, then they contribute not only to fat burning, but also loss of muscle mass, which is extremely undesirable. "More" does not always mean "better". It’s important not to overdo it with aerobic exercise! Excess aerobic exercise is perceived as a shock by the body, causing a hormonal reaction leading to breakdown of muscle tissue. In more detail, the level of cortisol, which causes muscle breakdown, increases and the level of testosterone, responsible for their growth, decreases.

Research has shown that hormonal changes begin after about an hour of aerobic exercise. Thus, The optimal duration of aerobic training should not exceed 1 hour. Longer aerobic exercise is dangerous by reducing immunity, increasing the amount of free radicals and increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer!

At the same time, it is obvious health benefits of moderate aerobic exercise:

Increases the overall endurance of the body.
Prevents cardiovascular diseases.
Help cleanse the body of toxins.
Helps cleanse the skin.

So, we looked at the main features aerobic and anaerobic (strength) exercises. Now let's talk about how to properly combine these two types of exercises to obtain the maximum effect, depending on the purpose of the training.

A combination of anaerobic and aerobic exercise.

More than one or two articles could be written about how to properly combine anaerobic and aerobic exercises. Here I want to look at the basic principles of combining different types of exercises to achieve the desired result.

Let's look at 4 possible training program options:

Only aerobic (cardio) exercises.

Due to the peculiarities of the impact of aerobic exercise on the body, the optimal duration of one workout should be from 20 minutes to 1 hour.

Training that includes only aerobic exercise serves two purposes:

Maintaining a stable weight, preventing cardiovascular disease and maintaining health.
Quick, one-time weight loss of several kilograms.

To maintain a stable weight, prevent cardiovascular disease and maintain health:

20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise is enough. Such training should be performed regularly. You can do it every day.

To quickly lose weight by a few kilograms at once:

Regular (daily) aerobic training with a constantly increasing duration of exercise (up to 1 hour). We remember that the body quickly gets used to aerobic exercise, so the result should be obtained in 1-2 months. Then aerobic training will be of no use! Therefore, we do not skip training and do not neglect our diet.

Only anaerobic (strength) exercises.

In order for anaerobic training to be effective, you need to perform exercises for each muscle group at least 2 times a week. At the same time, you cannot load the same muscle group every day. It takes time for muscles to recover after anaerobic training. Thus, if you train 2-3 times a week, then each workout should include exercises for all muscle groups. If you train more often, it would be advisable to compose 2 sets of exercises and perform them every other time.

To make it clearer, I will give 2 examples:

A strength training program to be used 2-3 times a week.

Such a program should include exercises for all of the muscle groups listed below. Examples of exercises can be found in the articles given here (I think that after reading this article, it will not be difficult for you to choose strength (anaerobic) exercises from the exercises given in the articles).

Attention! To avoid injury, never perform abdominal exercises before exercises that target the back muscles (not only exercises that specifically target the back muscles, but also some leg exercises, such as weighted squats).

Strength training program to be used 4-7 times per week.

As I already said, such a program should be divided into 2 sets of exercises, each of which involves only certain muscle groups. Below I will give an example of two such complexes, but you can compose them differently. The main thing is that the muscles involved in the first complex (A) should not be involved in the second (B).

Set of strength exercises A:

Legs, hips and buttocks (Exercises for legs, Exercises for hips, Exercises for hips and buttocks, Exercises for buttocks).
Back and chest (Sets of exercises for the back, Exercises to strengthen the back muscles, Basic exercises for the chest, Isolation exercises for the chest, Exercises for the chest for women, Exercises for the arms and chest for women).

Set of strength exercises B:

Abs (Abs exercises, Waist exercises).
Shoulders and arms (How to pump up your arms, How to pump up your shoulders, Arm exercises for women).

Workouts that include only strength (anaerobic) exercises can be used for various purposes:

For general health purposes.
In order to “sculpt” the ideal figure, in accordance with your wishes.
For gaining muscle mass.
To reduce body weight.

Complexes consisting only of anaerobic (strength) exercises can be used for a long time. To achieve a permanent effect, the anaerobic exercise program needs to be changed every 1-2 months.

Weight loss through anaerobic exercise does not occur due to the burning of calories directly during exercise, but due to the acceleration of metabolism after exercise, which lasts for 12-36 hours (depending on the duration and intensity of the workout). And, of course, due to the growth of muscles, which consume much more calories to maintain their existence than fat.

There is one secret that will help extend the effect of accelerating metabolism after strength training for 36 hours or more. Here he is:

If, within 36 hours after an anaerobic (strength) workout that lasted at least 1.5-2 hours, you do a 15-minute strength training (this is 2-3 anaerobic exercises of your choice), then the accelerated metabolism will last for another 12 hours! Moreover, this trick with a 15-minute workout can be repeated again - and extend the effect for another 12 hours.

Complex training with an emphasis on aerobic exercises.

Including anaerobic exercises in aerobic training will enhance both the general health effect and the impact of training on your appearance. Adding strength exercises to an aerobic exercise routine will make the routine suitable for longer use and varied use.

Let's look at various options for incorporating strength (anaerobic) exercises into aerobic training.

Incorporating anaerobic exercise into aerobic training - option 1:

The most common option is when, after 30-40 minutes of aerobic training, a 15-20-minute set of strength exercises is performed. This option is not only the most common - it is also the most unfortunate!

In this situation, strength exercises are performed with tired muscles, which is not only ineffective, but also leads to overtraining. It is especially harmful to add strength exercises without taking into account when such muscle groups were used in anaerobic exercise. For example, strength exercises are performed on the legs after running...

Incorporating anaerobic exercise into aerobic training - option 2:

Another option is to perform a small set of anaerobic exercises before starting aerobic exercises (after warming up).

Disadvantages of this option:

Time limit on strength exercises (15-20 minutes). During this time, you can perform either a lighter version of strength exercises (1 approach per exercise for each muscle group), or exercises for only one muscle group. Neither one nor the other will have almost any effect. In order for anaerobic exercises to be effective, it is necessary to perform 2-3 sets per exercise for each muscle group, 2-3 times a week.
Overtraining. The danger of overtraining with this approach is no less than in the first option.

Conclusion: the second option is not much better than the first.

Incorporating anaerobic exercise into aerobic training - option 3:

The third option is radically different from the first two. This is the separation of strength and aerobic training. Anaerobic (strength) exercises are performed separately from aerobic exercises, i.e. on other days or at other times of the day (for example, aerobic training in the morning, and strength training in the evening).

In this version, strength training is built on the same principle as in a program consisting exclusively of strength exercises. The only difference is that when creating a strength training program, you need to pay more attention to the danger of overtraining. That is, you need to take into account what days you do aerobic training and not load the same muscles with strength exercises for 24 hours before and after aerobic training.

Incorporating anaerobic exercise into aerobic training - option 4:

And finally interval training.

What it is? This is a set of various exercises combined according to the principle of alternating loads. Strength and aerobic exercises alternate with each other. Each cycle lasts 5-7 minutes.

The duration of each lesson should not exceed 40 minutes. Training is conducted no more than 2 times a week.

When adding interval training to your schedule, limit other athletic training (both aerobic and strength training) to 1-2 sessions per week.

Attention! Interval training involves very intense physical activity and is not suitable for beginners (up to 1 year of regular sports training). It is recommended to consult a doctor before starting exercise.

Interval training helps you burn fat more efficiently for two reasons:

Interval training has a greater impact on muscle strengthening and growth than aerobic training (cardio).
Oxygen consumption remains elevated longer than after aerobic exercise.

But the increase in oxygen consumption after interval training (and, accordingly, burning an increased amount of calories) is not at all as great and long-lasting as after anaerobic (strength) training!

Conclusion: the most effective (and safest!) way to include anaerobic (strength) exercises in an aerobic training program is the third (adding a set of strength exercises on separate days).

Complex training with an emphasis on anaerobic exercise.

So, why should you include aerobic exercise in your training program? There are several reasons for this:

Aerobic exercise will increase your endurance.
Aerobic exercise is an excellent prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
Although anaerobic (strength) exercise is more effective for weight loss, adding aerobic exercise correctly will speed up your weight loss process.

Let's look at several options for combining aerobic exercise with anaerobic exercise.

Incorporating aerobic exercise into anaerobic (strength) training - option 1:

Remember at the beginning of the article I promised to tell you the secret of burning fat from the first minute of aerobic exercise? So, To do this, you just need to do aerobic exercises after a full strength training. Glycogen in the muscles is already completely used up and aerobic exercise will force the body to burn fat from the very first minute. No 20 minutes of running “in vain” - we’ll lose weight right away!

As you already understood, the first way to add cardio exercises to strength training is to perform aerobic exercises (cardio) immediately after completing anaerobic training. If you want to lose weight, the effect will be visible almost immediately.

The duration of aerobic exercise will depend on the duration of anaerobic exercise. In some cases, 5-10 minutes will be enough.

The disadvantage of this method of adding cardio exercises is a slight decrease in the effectiveness of strength training for the growth of muscle mass and strength.

Incorporating aerobic exercise into anaerobic (strength) training - option 2:

The second option is to use aerobic exercise as a 5-15 minute warm-up before starting strength training. This is a fairly common option, but its effectiveness is extremely low - after all, the glycogen in the muscles has not yet been used up, which means that such a warm-up cannot even be called an aerobic exercise.

In principle, this is just a warm-up and should be treated as such. The purpose of the warm-up is to warm up the muscles and prevent injuries during the main workout.

Incorporating aerobic exercise into anaerobic (strength) training - option 3:

Conducting aerobic and anaerobic training at different times. The principles of constructing such a training program are described above (Inclusion of anaerobic exercises in aerobic training - option 3). The only difference is in proportion.

Incorporating aerobic exercise into anaerobic (strength) training - option 4:

Well, the last option is interval training (see above - Including anaerobic exercises in aerobic training - option 4).

Conclusion: option 1 and option 3 are the most promising. The first option will help save time, and the second is suitable if you are ready to devote more than 2-3 times a week to training in order to achieve maximum results.

Strength training is necessary to create a beautiful and strong body. This body becomes even better if you add cardio elements to anaerobic exercises. Also, the effectiveness of combining these two directions increases even if the goal is to lose weight. But how to properly combine cardio with strength training? When and in what order is it better to perform aerobic and anaerobic exercises? Let's look at some of the options in this article.

Strength training after cardio

One of the sports opinions points to the effectiveness of including cardio in the training process before strength training. According to this theory, when performing aerobic exercise, glycogen is consumed, so when you move on to lifting weights, adipose tissue begins to deplete, which the body simply uses as an energy source.

But in reality the picture turns out to be a little different. Many people, along with glycogen, lose all their energy in half an hour of work, which is no longer left for strength training. And no fat can save you. After all, a lot depends on sports conditioning, and some people get tired even after a casual warm-up.

To some extent this can be done conclusion, that to use this method the individual must have sufficient physical fitness. Least. Because theory does not always agree with practice. And it's easy to send fat people to the treadmill for intense work. It’s much more difficult for the spine and knee joints of these very fat people. But it is the latter who bear such a burden that this cannot but have a negative impact in the near future. But we deviated a little from the question of how to alternate cardio and strength training.

Perhaps it is precisely the aspect of physical condition that is the reason why very few can be seen in cardio mode, briskly moving after 30 minutes to strength training. It follows from this that the productivity of work with such a scheme depends on the intensity of the cardio training itself and the aforementioned condition of the athlete.

Strength training before cardio

This training program is also recommended as a weight loss tool. Many who set themselves the goal of losing excess weight try to include cardio after strength training. The main idea is that glycogen is consumed when performing anaerobic elements, and cardio exercises are aimed at burning fat.

But here the question arises. Where does a person get the energy for productive cardio after strength training? Maybe this person was filoning during anaerobic work? Then the question is: is it effective in this case?

But what is more likely in this case is the loss of fat tissue along with muscle mass. I think very few people want this. Quite quite. Therefore, this scheme is suitable experienced athletes who clearly understand what task they set for themselves. They can deliberately shift the emphasis to cardio, without focusing on increasing muscle mass in these workouts.

But beginners, during strength training, will constantly be waiting for the onset of the stage for cardio exercises, subconsciously saving strength for this and not completing it at the same time. Thus, training will look like chasing two birds with one stone in the famous proverb.

Other combination options

It is much more effective to combine cardio with strength training while working. With the proper combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercises, you can achieve serious changes in achieving any goal. This is what brings such an ultra-popular trend as CrossFit to the forefront of sports tops.

Against the background of all the advantages of interval training, it should be said about the sports training required for its high-quality implementation. For inexperienced athletes It will be quite difficult, and there is no need to talk about health benefits in such cases.

But allocating separate days for cardio from the strength program is the best solution, which is used, in particular, by many bodybuilders. A kind of interval work, where the rest period lasts right up to the next training day. This provides an opportunity for both productive cardio and strength training.

Conclusion

Each person is individual. His general condition is individual, his resource is individual, and many other factors are individual. Therefore, it is impossible to come up with a program that is universally suitable for everyone. You also need to take into account the specific goals of athletes to understand how to alternate cardio and strength training.

That is why everyone should build on their capabilities and feelings, trying to train in different modes. But the most important rule here is do no harm. And first of all, do not harm your health.

During cardio and strength training, the body works differently, respectively, these two types of sports activities have different effects. The most winning strategy for losing weight will not be choosing one of the two, but a skillful combination of two types of exercise. Success in losing weight depends on the extent to which calorie expenditure exceeds calorie intake. Let's look at which workouts make us spend more.

And after an intense workout, where the main thing was performed by the participants in a circle until failure, daily calorie consumption increased by 23%. Scientists have concluded that strength training helps you burn more calories if it's really hard.

Cardio does not build muscles, unlike strength training, and muscles not only create an attractive silhouette of the figure, but also help to spend more energy. Those who have more muscle burn more calories.

For cardio to be effective, you need to choose a feasible minimum that you can perform regularly without skipping in order to ensure stable energy expenditure for your body. On average, for sustainable weight loss you need 2-4 strength training sessions per week, do 15-30 minutes of cardio immediately after them, and do 2-3 cardio workouts for 45-60 minutes on separate days.

Should you do cardio after strength training?!

There is a lot of debate online about doing cardio after strength training. Fitness fans claim that this is a must, and athletes consider it bad manners. Who is right?

Is it possible to do?

The answer depends on the goal and level of preparation. Experienced athletes do cardio after strength training. But for others such a program doesn't fit. What is the difference?

Scientists from the University of Alberta (Canada) answered this question with the help of an experiment. 40 volunteers alternated between strength, cardio and combined training for 12 weeks. As a result, it was found that people who did only strength training developed greater strength and mass.

When you combine a lot of cardio, your muscle fibers become stronger, not stronger. This is why many powerlifters don't do cardio at all. However, with a reasonable approach, such exercises diversify training. Using non-traditional cardio approaches will improve neuromuscular coordination.

Thus, a moderate amount of such exercises will be beneficial. In this regard, non-traditional approaches are especially effective.

For weight loss.

Energy work stimulates the brain and burns fat deposits. To achieve the desired result, you need to properly “integrate” cardio training into your program. First of all, endomorphs should think about this - that is, those people who are prone to rapid fat gain. They need to focus on high-impact interval training and resistance cycling after training.

Mesomorphs can do low-intensity exercise three times a week. If they are interested in increasing strength, they should avoid high-impact interval cardio training.

Cardio on the next day after the training

Do on the next day after the training. This approach Suitable for those who have a lot of free time. This training program is ideal for beginners, as it involves a separate load, thanks to which you can quickly build mass and increase strength.

But not everyone has enough free time. Therefore, you can combine them and start executing a new program after completing the previous one. It is worth noting that such a program not suitable for beginners, as it involves long and grueling training.

Duration of exercises.

The duration and intensity depends on the goal and body type. Recommended for endomorphs the next day after strength training, highly effective interval exercises. Once the required physical fitness is achieved, they can be combined with training in the gym. At the same time, you should be focused on strength exercises, because cardio will only strengthen muscle fibers, but will not help increase weight.

Also, the duration of the exercises depends on the goal. With the help of running and swimming, endomorphs can quickly get rid of excess weight. Mesomorphs should do push-ups, deadlifts, dumbbell spins and other low-intensity exercises a maximum of 3 times a week.

Let's summarize.

Only trained athletes can do cardio immediately after training. It is important to avoid increasing your maximum heart rate to 70-90% - this will slow down the increase in strength and muscle mass. When choosing the right exercises, consider your body type and goal.

Beginners can do cardio at the next day after the training. This approach will help you achieve your goals without slowing down your growth processes, and will also prevent overwork and injury.

Ruslan Dudnik

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This is not an easy topic - combining cardio and strength training. There are different options and each option has its own reasons.

Even about cardio itself there is a lot of controversy - some are sure that:

cardio should be done daily
some people think that 1-2 times a week is enough
someone is completely against cardio

What can we say about combining strength training and cardio? Do cardio before strength training? After? Another day?

In order to understand this issue, I suggest first defining the difference between strength and cardio training.

Strength Training Goals- increase in strength, volume and muscle density, increase in strength (muscle) endurance.
Cardio Training Goals- increasing endurance and fitness of the cardiovascular system (cardiovascular system).

In terms of calorie consumption, during the actual strength training or cardio workout, you don’t burn as many calories as you would like.

But after strength training increased calorie expenditure persists throughout the day
After cardio training increased calorie consumption stops within 20-60 minutes (according to various studies)
Power training- triggers and accelerates anabolic processes in the body, subject to proper nutrition and rest
Cardio training starts catabolic processes (exception - sprints)

Cardio has a weak effect on weight loss, since, based on the above, calories are spent mainly during training and their consumption immediately decreases after training, unlike strength training.

There are also nuances that there is no point in discussing now, but briefly, for example:

Sprints help build muscle mass, but they are much more difficult to master than strength exercises, the technique of which a beginner can master within a couple of weeks
if you run a lot, you will undoubtedly lose weight, but the downside is that with long runs, catabolism processes also intensify, which reduces muscle tissue in the body
It is most rational to reduce the percentage of body fat first of all with the help of diet, secondly with the help of strength training, and thirdly with the help of careful addition of cardio

Option 1 - cardio before strength training

Much depends on:

intensity of classes
your reaction to stress
your training experience

I talked to people who went to the gym after a 30-40 minute run and did strength exercises for about an hour. These, of course, were a minority, but judging by their experience, strength and cardio indicators, appearance and well-being, this was the optimal regime for them.

Moreover, during the conversation they admitted that they tried other options - immediately after strength training or on a rest day - and the result was not very good.

Clarification - all of these people had at least 2-3 years of experience in strength training and cardio training, and many had trained significantly more (10 years or more).

So now why not use the option that works best for them for these people?

Moreover, I did not communicate with professional athletes, but with people whose main activity was of a different nature and often irregular. This:

military personnel of different troops— I have lived in military camps since childhood, so I was always surrounded by military personnel from different types of troops
law enforcement officers— thanks to my 12-year service in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, I was lucky enough to communicate with many interesting people from different units, including those who repeatedly participated in hostilities
doctors, weather station workers, mountain tourists

All these people are very far from professional sports and glamorous fitness, and at the head of their training they set quite serious functional goals, so to speak. Of course, many people have a desire to look good, but this desire always goes hand in hand with the desire to become stronger, more resilient, more flexible, faster and more dexterous.

Therefore, we can make a reservation that option No. 1 is definitely not suitable for those people who have a zero level of general physical fitness.

Jokes aside, if you are overweight, then there is a very high probability that your knee joints will begin to hurt quite quickly as a result of running. The most rational thing to do in such a situation is to bring your weight back to normal, strengthen your joints with strength training, and only then start running.

But even if you are not overweight, but also have no functional training, then even 10 minutes of running before strength training will lead to spots appearing before your eyes, red and out of breath, after the first strength exercise.

There is an opinion that 30 minutes of cardio before strength training will deplete glycogen reserves and then during strength training only fat will be used as an energy source. Only in life it turns out differently.

You spend all your energy on aerobic training and you simply don’t have the strength left to properly perform anaerobic training (strength).

Therefore, we conclude that you should not discount the method of doing cardio before strength training just because few people do it.

Maybe this will be the best option for you, but only when you have already raised your general physical fitness level, and in general have been doing regular strength training for some time.

Be sure to try this option (cardio before strength training) when you become stronger and more resilient. Try it no earlier than after a year of regular training. It is possible that this option will be the best for you.

Option 2 - cardio after strength training

Cardio after strength training - by most people who are interested in fitness, it is considered the best way to lose weight through a combination of two types of activity (aerobic - cardio and anaerobic - strength).

When people ask me questions about whether such and such a method is good or bad, I often answer the question with a question - they say, what are your goals. Since, knowing the goal, you can choose the method that will lead you to it fastest.

- I want to lose weight, lose excess weight, reduce the percentage of body fat!
- Do you regulate your diet?
- Not yet.
- Then let's start with accounting for KBZHU.

And again - if you run after a strength training, thinking that this way you will lose weight faster, since during the strength training you have already exhausted all the glycogen, and during cardio the fat you hate will burn, then this is unlikely to be true.

If after strength training you have enough energy to do intense cardio training, maybe you are not finishing up on strength training? Maybe it makes sense to reconsider the load and train more effectively?

Under no circumstances should you judge the success of strength training by your condition after it.

Nobody says that after a strength training you need to crawl out of the gym, but going out so fresh that you have plenty of energy left to carry out a cardio workout of any duration and intensity is also not an option, would you agree?

The practical conclusion from all this can be drawn as follows: the option of performing cardio after strength training is again more suitable for experienced practitioners who clearly understand that the tasks of strength and cardio training are different.

If a beginner does this, then during strength training there is always a beacon in his mind that he will also have cardio, and this beacon simply will not give him the opportunity to give his best in strength training.

But you also need to take into account that a beginner cannot yet give all his best in strength training, since the “brain-muscle” connection is not so strong yet, it is not possible to use them to the fullest. Therefore, you can often hear from beginners after strength training: “For some reason, I’m not very tired.”

Option 3 - cardio separately from strength training

Theoretically, this is the most ideal way. Practice shows that the theory is correct. This combination option is especially suitable for those who want to preserve muscles and burn fat.

Anabolic and catabolic processes in this case will be separated in time
Muscles will have time to recover after strength training
And cardio training, in addition to strengthening the cardiovascular system, will help with additional calorie consumption and fat burning

Don't forget to monitor your pulse. It is believed that it is best to carry out cardio training at a level of 60-70% of the maximum heart rate (heart rate). Maximum heart rate is calculated using the formula: 220 - age.

Will there be loss of muscle tissue with this option of combining cardio and strength training? If you control your diet and your rest, then such losses can be minimized or avoided altogether.

Option 4 – high – interval training

There are many options for interval training. The main goal that many people pursue when doing interval training is to combine aerobic and anaerobic training.

Yes, such training makes maximum use of all body systems in the shortest possible time.

Is fat burning increasing?

Increasing.

Does the increased calorie expenditure remain after such training?

Remains.

But such a high intensity is not 100% suitable for beginners and even for those who have been training for about six months. If your level of training is not below average, if you have already used a lot of reserves in your body, then you can try this kind of training, but no more than 2 times a week.

And the most important thing is that when you are ready for interval training, the experience that you will already have accumulated at that time and the level of awareness that you will have will allow you to make the right conclusion on your own regarding what type of interval training to try.

The most important conclusion

It all depends on your goals. Determine your goal in the field of physical self-improvement. Preferably one.

Choose ways to achieve it yourself or with the help of others.

And take action.

A person who achieves goals sequentially, one after another, always achieves greater results than a person who wants everything at once - to lose weight, and more muscles, and to do pull-ups many times, and to do the splits, and to become a vegetarian, and to do a triathlon... and .. and... and...

I wish you confidence in choosing your goals!

Sincerely, Ruslan Dudnik!

You can also run in different ways, you know, they set up barriers :)