When is it better to do cardio - before or after a workout?
The debate about when to do cardio - before or after a workout - is rampant in the fitness world.
Let's figure out what effect you can get from cardio before and after training.
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Doing cardio before strength training helps to increase your heart rate and warm up your muscles, says nutritionist, head of the fitness project fitness.project_jk, mother of 3 children and resident of the all-Russian production center insight.people Kuznetsova Yuliana .
This will make it easier to transition into more intense workouts, including weight training. Also, doing cardio before strength training helps burn a large number of calories, improves cardiovascular function, increases your endurance, and potentially improves your overall performance during your workouts.
There are also some downsides to consider when doing cardio before strength training. Intense cardio can deplete your energy stores, which will lead to decreased strength and overall performance during exercise. You will have a harder time lifting heavier weights or performing high-intensity exercises effectively. This will make it harder to achieve muscle growth and strength gains.
If your goal is to build muscle mass, increase strength, or improve muscular endurance, then post-workout cardio may be more suitable for you.
Additionally, doing cardio after strength training helps increase your overall calorie burn during your workout.
High-intensity interval training, such as HIIT, can help create an “afterburn” effect, known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. This means that even after you’ve finished your workout, your body continues to burn calories at an increased rate, which helps with weight management and fat loss.
Doing cardio after strength training has its benefits, but it's not for everyone - if you find it difficult to maintain the same level of intensity during cardio after completing a strenuous workout, it can lead to fatigue.
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There is no universal answer to the question of whether to do cardio before or after a workout. Everything is individual, experiment with both approaches and pay attention to how your body reacts. This way you will achieve the best results!
