Strength Training or Cardio, Which should be done first?

One of the most popular topics, in strength training, would be which should be done first, cardio or strength training . Expert say that strength training should be done first since you need energy to do strength training and cardio leaves your body depleted of energy after performing them for 30-45 minutes.

Cardiovascular Exercise Drains Your Stored Carbohydrate Energy Supply

Whenever you’re on the treadmill, elliptical or bike, you start using the stored muscle glycogen in your body. Glycogen is the means to power your working muscles through the cardiovascular workout. However, after of 30-45 minutes of training, your stored glycogen gets depleted unless you replace it with something, usually with a health drink. You will feel weaker when performing strength training after doing cardio workouts since strength training need glycogen to consume when lifting weights.

Long Workouts Have Bad Effects on Strength and Muscle Building

Doing non-stop exercise for 45 minutes increases the production of cortisol or hormonal brakes. Cortisol lowers your energy levels and increases fat storage. Your body pumps out more hormones if you’re doing longer period of exercise slow you down while adding fat to your body so that the body can ensure survival.

How to Avoid These Issues From Affecting You?

There is a way to counteract the bad effects of long workouts. Whenever your glycogen gets depleted, you can replace it with carbohydrate while you workout. Perhaps the most preferred way is through sipping Gatorade. Your body will burn the simple sugars you are consuming that are being released into your blood stream rather than depleting your stored muscle glycogen, or it will simply replenish whatever glycogen you burn off throughout the cardio workout, which leaves you with a leftover supply to fuel your weight training.

For the cortisol problem, luckily, this can be solved by the same method. As Gatorade puts glycogen on your blood stream, it also prompts the body to pump more insulin. Insulin is mean in controlling cortisol.