Is separrating cardio from weight training beneficial ?

[Iron Warrior]

Hey bros, looking for some advice because sometimes I am so time restricted (due to work & school) that I have to weight train at 7am and do cardio at 9:30pm. Would this still give about the same results as doing cardio after weight training ? I'm just curious because people have recommended me to do cardio after weight training because more fat is used for energy.

 

[MadChild]

I'm interested in this as well. Ever since I began cutting I only have weekends to do cardio. technically I could wake up at 6:30 to do morning cardio but I work out at 9pm and don't get to sleep until 11 or so...which doesn't allow me to get a great amount of sleep.

 

[motleybreu]

if i'm too tired to wake up because of a late night i'll do cardio immediately after my work out. It doesn't happen too often but it does happen.

 

[MadChild]

I just finished reading this Invalid Link Removed article as well as his preceding one. I take it you follow the school of thought whereby long, unintense cardio is more efficient for fat loss than short intense cardio. I didn't agree with the article.

Will it benefit me more in the long run to go for a 30 minute early morning walk on an empty stomach, or to go for a short, intense bout of cardio on a machine some time during the day?

 

[Alpha Dog]

I'm just curious because people have recommended me to do cardio after weight training because more fat is used for energy.

Problem is, they elicit competing metabolic responses. Anaerobics requires increased protein and glucose syntheses at the cellular level and thus increases metabolism to provide those nutrients. Studies have shown an increase in basal metabolism for up to 16 hours after anaerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is very ineffective at increasing basal metabolic rates. Metabolic rates after extended aerobic exercise (approx 30 min at 70% max heart rate) only remained elevated for about an hour. Why? Because your body adapts to the high rate of caloric (or energy) expenditure and trys to get back to setpoint. So, by performing cardio immediately after anaerobics, you are robbing yourself of the increased metabolism and thus extra nutrients your muscle cells need to repair over the next 12-16 hours.

 

[Iron Warrior]

Thanks for the replies bros, I'm gonna need to separate cardio. I liked doing my cardio right after weight training because I hate going to the gym twice a day

 

[motleybreu]

what do you need to go back to the gym for? go run around the block a few times...

 

[Iron Warrior]

what do you need to go back to the gym for? go run around the block a few times...

I need to go to the gym twice a day because I have a summer class from 9:30-2:20 and I work from 3-9pm. I get my weight training done in an hour but than I take a shower, eat, drive to the light rail, and take the light rail to school. There's just not enough time in the morning

 

[motleybreu]

ouch that's a fun day...

 

[Iron Warrior]

I know, but I only got one more week of this crap. The good thing is that the professor gives us 2 breaks during the day which allows me to slam a shake and eat some oatmeal. I'm actually break #1 right now

 

[Boarder1]

As you increase your aerobic performance your body will become more efficient at using calories. Aerobic efficiency will also lead to the reduction of the thermogenic effect (heat generated through inefficient use of calories).

Short infrequent HIIT sessions are going to be your best bet to produce caloric deficiencies, while keeping your body inefficient in calorie usage.

Some authors suggest that combination training enhances recovery because of the effeciencies made to the oxidative system (used during rest and low intensity activity), thus helping muscle recovery. In reality, combination training has been shown to reduce gain in muscle girth, maximum strength, and especially speed- and power-related performance.

Aerobic conditioning can be counter-productive to your anaerobic program if you are not careful.

 

[Iron Warrior]

Hey Boarder1, so would you say a combo of weight training & sprinting is better than weight training and jogging(aka cardio) ? BTW I'm not interested in weight loss, just fat loss.

 

[MadChild]

Disregard my last posts. I have now converted to a practitioner of HIIT. For over a year now I have been a devout follower of the cardio-in-the-morning-on-an-empty-stomach routine.

Seeing as 15 to 20 minutes is good for HIIT I guess it would be the best thing for a busy schedule.