So, does it really matter if you do resistance training before cardio or vice versa? You bet it does…
It’s true that many researchers use to believe that it didn’t matter which came first and many personal trainers still don’t, but researchers have more sophisticated ways of looking at what happens to the muscle after different kinds of exercise. Their findings are quite fascinating…
The secret lies in a “metabolic switch” within the muscle that determines if the muscle is going to grow stronger (improved strength) or more efficient (improved endurance). The metabolic switch, called AMP kinase, is either on or off depending on one thing…
How your workout begins.
If you start with resistance training, the switch is set to hypertrophy (muscle growth). If the switch is set to endurance, then the muscle won’t get bigger and stronger, it’ll get more efficient.
Which Do You Want If Your Goal Is Fat Loss?
You want to activate muscle growth through resistance training…period.
Ok, hopefully I made my point…the only reason to do cardio first is if you are training for a 5K or a marathon, if your goal is fat loss, then resistance training or interval training is the friend you turn to first!
Reference:
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2006, 38(11), 1965-1970