Running Before or After Workout?

[hypebeast]

I have been working out for over 7 years now and just now i have joined a forum to learn more. LONG OVERDUE and I hope i am posting in the correct section of the forum.

So through the years I have heard this and that. Do this and not that. I am 5'5 and just under 140. I am trying to get 6 pack abs like every other guy in the world.

Many have told me to run before my workout because running after my lifting session will make my workout a waste and i wont gain size. Others have told me to run after my workout but just maintain the diet i am on because trying to get abs is 80% diet and i wont lose the size i am trying to maintain/grow.

I have also read elsewhere that doing the treadmill/stair master on "FAT BURNER" will burn the fat only after a workout without taking away the gains from the workout i just did...

So many stories...from your exp...what do you guys do to try to maintain/grow your muscles and get abs at the same time?

Thanks in advance

 

[wearedbleedblue]

If you're not a contest prep bodybuilder, I'd say yes, diet is the biggest part. Get a clean, tight diet and get it dialed in for at least 4 weeks. As far as cardio is concerned, I prefer the dumbell or barbell complexes over any kind of long distance running or treadmill work. HIIT style workouts are also great. Basically stuff where you work hard for a short period of time (1 min or less) and then rest for 30-60 seconds. As you get better, you can increase the work time and decrease the rest. Just make sure you're going 90% or better on the work.

 

[hypebeast]

Sorry i am new to all the terminology on this site or perhaps in general

what is dumbell and/or barbell comlexes...is that like supersets?
and what is HIIT style workouts?

 

[wearedbleedblue]

Complexes are when you take a bunch of big exercises and do them with the same weight dumbbells or barbell consecutively after one another with no rest until the end.

For example
Barbell Complex:
Row
Clean
Front Squat
Military Press
Back Squat
Good Morning

They usually have some flow in the exercises so that the motion of the previous one goes well with the motion of the next.

HIIT is High intensity interval training. One of my favorite is full on sprint 30sec followed by 1:30 light jog/walk. If you're covering 150m or more in 30 sec you're probably going fast enough. You shouldn't be able to do HIIT for more than 20-25 minutes including the rest.

 

[Young Gotti]

i always stick with cardio after the weight lifitng....this is why...your body has carbs in it...it takes 20 minutes of cardio to burn that carbs off and start burning fat anyway....having those carbs will help when lifting so you don't get weak and your lifting will be more intense to gain the muscle you want...this way by the time your done lifting your carb storage is depleted and when you step on a treadmill or whatever you'll be burning straight fat at that point.....on the other hand doing the cardio first will burn up your carb storage and when your ready to lift, you'll be exhausted and won't have the proper nutrients in your body to push yourself....might get weak or dizzy on some occasions....your body also burns calories from lifiting long after your done, cardio burns the calories faster but stops when your done...so if your continueing to burn extra calories from lifting and then doing cardio and burning the calories faster from that, it seems to me that it would be a win win situation of extra calorie burning......like many have said...abs are made in the kitchen not in the gym...but i hope my info helps alittle

 

[WhatsaRoid?]

Complexes are when you take a bunch of big exercises and do them with the same weight dumbbells or barbell consecutively after one another with no rest until the end.

For example
Barbell Complex:
Row
Clean
Front Squat
Military Press
Back Squat
Good Morning

They usually have some flow in the exercises so that the motion of the previous one goes well with the motion of the next.

HIIT is High intensity interval training. One of my favorite is full on sprint 30sec followed by 1:30 light jog/walk. If you're covering 150m or more in 30 sec you're probably going fast enough. You shouldn't be able to do HIIT for more than 20-25 minutes including the rest.

I love doing circuits such as what’s in bold ^ and do your cardio after your workout. I might do a few sprints before my workout on days I'm not going heavy then more cardio after the workout as well.:AR15firing:Fat

 

[Rodja]

IDK where that 20 minute guideline came from, but it's pure bollocks. On average, a person may burn ~200kcals during a 20 minutes cardio session. This would equate to 50g of carbs; no damn way does a person only have 50g of carbs available.

OP, the correct answer is both:
5-10 minutes pre-lifting for a CV warm-up (highly neglected by 99% of lifters)
20-30 minutes post-lifting

 

[WhatsaRoid?]

IDK where that 20 minute guideline came from, but it's pure bollocks. On average, a person may burn ~200kcals during a 20 minutes cardio session. This would equate to 50g of carbs; no damn way does a person only have 50g of carbs available.

OP, the correct answer is both:
5-10 minutes pre-lifting for a CV warm-up (highly neglected by 99% of lifters)
20-30 minutes post-lifting

Sounds good

 

[wedlund6]

cardio after never before not even for a warm-up.

 

[Young Gotti]

IDK where that 20 minute guideline came from, but it's pure bollocks. On average, a person may burn ~200kcals during a 20 minutes cardio session. This would equate to 50g of carbs; no damn way does a person only have 50g of carbs available.

OP, the correct answer is both:
5-10 minutes pre-lifting for a CV warm-up (highly neglected by 99% of lifters)
20-30 minutes post-lifting

the 20 minute thing was the first thing i was told when i started working out and always followed that rule...always read or was told it takes your body 20 minutes of cardio to switch from carb burning to fat burning...so if all your doing is cardio you need to do much more than 20 minutes to burn fat...even my mother was told this so it might be a guy at our gym telling ppl that....always worked for me following that rule

 

[hypebeast]

IDK where that 20 minute guideline came from, but it's pure bollocks. On average, a person may burn ~200kcals during a 20 minutes cardio session. This would equate to 50g of carbs; no damn way does a person only have 50g of carbs available.

OP, the correct answer is both:
5-10 minutes pre-lifting for a CV warm-up (highly neglected by 99% of lifters)
20-30 minutes post-lifting

Again apologize for being a complete noob

5-10 or just pre lifting. so basically something light? Couple of warm up sets per say?


then i run?

then 20-30 mins of heavy lifting?

 

[khakiman]

if you want 6 pack abs do lots of crunches. cardio after weight training burns more fat.

 

[yoss]

I think it depends on your priorities and your fitness level. If you are blown out after 20 minutes of running you had better do that after you lift instead of before. I have to pay attention to how fast I can run so I always hit the treadmill or the trail first but I make sure I load a good amount of carbs beforehand. Not everyone can do that without getting sick but for me it makes the dfiference, eating before my cardio keeps my energy up for lifting.

The exception for myself is when I do HIIT like wind sprints, that has to be after I lift or I am useless

 

[Rodja]

Again apologize for being a complete noob

5-10 or just pre lifting. so basically something light? Couple of warm up sets per say?


then i run?

then 20-30 mins of heavy lifting?

Basically, hop on an elliptical or treadmill and do some light cardio for about 5-10 minutes. Nothing too intense as you're just looking to elevate the heart to about 120 or so and warm up the cardiovascular and central nervous systems.

 

[qwerty33]

you should really do cardio in the AM on an almost empty stomach. Then weight train by its self later int he day after a few lean meals

 

[bulldogz]

I like doin my cardio after weight lifting...only because I get so damn tired after doing cardio..lol..but this works for me...just do what ever works for you...here is a good read: When to Do Cardio