When you hit the gym, do you head straight for the treadmills and spin studio to get your cardio workout in? Or do you make a beeline for the free weights and strength-training machines for some resistance training?
The answer isn’t always clear-cut. Research on the benefits of combining aerobic and resistance exercises has shown that the order in which you perform them can impact your results. But what’s the best approach to get the most from your workout? Let’s dive into this topic and explore what research says about the optimal exercise routine.
The Importance of Both Aerobic and Resistance Exercises
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that people engage in both aerobic and resistance exercises to improve overall health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and enhance daily functioning. While each type of exercise brings unique benefits, understanding how to incorporate both into your workout routine can be key to maximizing those advantages.
Aerobic exercise, which includes activities like walking, running, swimming, cycling, or using a cardio machine, gets your heart pumping and helps improve cardiovascular health. It also boosts your body’s ability to burn fat, increases overall energy levels, and can help improve mental function. Essentially, it’s great for improving your stamina and endurance over time.
On the other hand, resistance training focuses on strengthening your muscles by lifting weights or using resistance bands. This type of exercise not only builds muscle strength but also helps maintain lean body mass, supports bone health, and can even regulate blood sugar levels. For those at risk of or currently dealing with Type 2 diabetes, resistance training has been shown to improve glucose control significantly.
Aerobic and Resistance Training: Does It Matter Which Comes First?
Now, here’s where things get interesting: When you include both types of exercise in the same session, does the order matter? Should you do cardio first, or should you hit the weights first? The answer isn’t as simple as you might think, and it ultimately depends on your personal fitness goals.
For general health, including both cardio and resistance training is a win. Research suggests that for most people, it doesn’t make a huge difference which exercise comes first. Both forms of exercise work together to improve cardiovascular health, muscular strength, and endurance. Studies show that whether you start with aerobic exercise or resistance training, you’ll still see significant improvements in your health-related fitness.
In fact, resistance training before aerobic exercise can lead to a slight increase in lower-body strength without negatively affecting aerobic fitness or overall health. However, if your main goal is to stay healthy and enjoy the mental benefits of moving your body, the order might not matter too much.
For Performance-Oriented Athletes, It’s a Different Story
If you’re someone training for a specific performance goal or preparing for a competition, the order of exercise does become more important. For athletes, especially those who engage in both aerobic and resistance training, research suggests that combining the two types of exercise in a single session might slightly hinder improvements in either aerobic capacity or muscle strength.
This phenomenon is called the “interference effect.” Essentially, the body’s adaptation to aerobic and resistance training can interfere with each other at a molecular level, impacting how muscles respond to training. This is especially noticeable in well-trained athletes who are performing high volumes of both exercise types.
For these athletes, it may be better to do resistance training first or to focus on the exercise that aligns most closely with the individual’s performance goals. If possible, separating the two workouts by a few hours can help minimize the interference effect.
The Microcycle Approach: A New Way to Combine Both Exercises
A new approach to combining aerobic and resistance training is what we call “microcycles.” In this method, instead of doing all of your resistance exercises followed by cardio (or vice versa), you alternate between the two types of exercises in shorter bursts. For example, after completing a set of weight training, you could walk or jog for a few minutes and then go back to another set of resistance exercises.
This method of concurrent training has shown promise in improving both aerobic fitness and muscular strength. Our research suggests that the microcycle approach might provide similar results in terms of fitness gains.
Still, it may feel less challenging compared to traditional methods, where all resistance or aerobic exercises are performed consecutively. This approach could be ideal for people looking to achieve a balanced fitness routine without feeling overly exhausted.
The Takeaway: What’s the Best Approach for You?
For most people, the best approach to combining aerobic and resistance training will depend on personal preference and fitness goals. If your aim is overall health and well-being, feel free to experiment with the order of exercises to see what works best for you. However, if you’re training for performance or competition, it may be worth paying more attention to how you structure your workouts.
For elite athletes, it’s important to separate aerobic and resistance training sessions when possible or to start with the exercise that aligns most with your performance goals. In the end, consistency and enjoyment are key factors in sticking with any fitness routine, so choose the order of exercises that you enjoy most, and keep coming back to the gym for more.
Disclaimer: This article has been meticulously fact-checked by our team to ensure accuracy and uphold transparency. We strive to deliver trustworthy and dependable content to our readers.
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