Dear DM,
Thanks for creating such an informative site. I myself have spoken to my trainer friends and they state if you want to get lean best is to start with weight training first and then only cardio. Question though how many types of weight exercises must you do first so that you don’t tire yourself out in the cardio. The last time I did about half an hour of 4 different weight training exercises for my back, however I did cardio first. Could you maybe give an example of a routine of weight training first then cardio?
Aronil
Dear Aronil,
Yes - the ideal order is strength training before cardio.
Strength training should be performed a minimum of twice a week, with 8-12 repetitions of 8-10 different exercises that target all major muscle groups* - any less than this and you won’t be reaping the benefits of strength training.
So, an example weekly routine can be a 3x/week routine like the following - (Sample exercise selection shown for Day 2):
========================================
Day 1 - Chest/Shoulders/Traps/Triceps/Abs
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Day 2 - Back/Biceps/Forearms
Exercises:
Back
- Lat Pulldowns
- Barbell Rows
- Seated Cable Row
Biceps
- Barbell Curls
- Preacher Curls
- Wrist Curls
Abs
- Crunches
- Leg Raise
========================================
Day 3 - Quads/Hamstrings/Calves/Abs
========================================
*All exercises are 1-3 sets, 8-12 reps/set
The above is a sample routine for a beginner - a more advanced individual can have more sets, higher intensity, and also a frequency of more than 3x/week.
30 minutes of strength training shouldn’t tire you. If you find yourself getting tired frequently - perhaps you’re not eating enough, or may want to ensure you get a pre-workout snack about 90 minutes before your workout.
For your cardio, the guidelines actually recommend moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week or vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week. Your cardio sessions can even be at a different time of the day - not necessarily immediately after strength training.
*My references: The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Physical Activity Guidelines, 7th Edition
Read also:
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
could you list out the exercises for day 1 and 3?
i have always traditionally done cardio b4 weights and i am trying to change to this routine u have suggested. it is true that it can get quite lethargic after 30-40 mins of weight training b4 stepping on the treadmill for a jog. looks like i need to get some food into the body b4 the session..
can u post excercises wth pictures cz it would definitly makes me understand better?
for example i dun even knw what are preacher curls ..
tks DM
DM, what you suggested makes sense, but I find that I tire out right after my weight-training session too. But, then my lifting sessions usually lasts 45 mins to an hour before I decide if I want to throw some cardio in.
I usually lift 2-3 times per week using a full-body routine, focusing on compound lifts for large muscle groups. Typically, I do about 1-2 sets, 8-12 reps per muscle group.
I’ve read that the full- body routine is more fatiguing and have considered doing splits. However, my schedule can be unpredictable sometimes so I’m afraid I would miss out on certain muscle groups due to splits isolation. I’m not a newbie to lifting btw. Appreciate if you have some input on this.
My fitness regime is almost the same with Mark. I usually find myself getting tired after my strength-training and instead of heading to the treadmill, I’m heading to shower!
Previously, I will do my strength-training on mon, wed and fri, and tues and thurs will be my cardio day of 30mins. But eventually, I’ve lost weight even trainers in the gym commented that I’m getting skinnier. Something wrong with my diet? Or the way I exercise?
One thing that I don’t understand is that, I thought doing cardio is to lose fat. Since we are working so hard for building up muscles in strength-training, why do we need to do cardio since it’ll make us lose muscles/fat? Hm..sometimes that I really really don’t understand how this thing work. Any idea DM?
Adeline, I know your question is directed to DM, but allow me to explain a bit.
Exercise, regardless of cardio or weight-training, expends calories. If your diet is good, the additional exercise will put you in a caloric deficit, so you will lose fat. Some people prefer more weights than cardio and vice-versa, while others look for a balance between both. Whatever your training routine might be, as long as you’re in deficit due to diet, training or both, you will lose fat.
I hope this helps =)
Mark.. you didn’t answer her question la.. :)
Anyway.. I’ll answer all concerns in this post later tonight!
hehehee…..thanx Mark. But u know what? I dun wanna lose weight. I’m losing too much weight already. I wanna gain some muscles and look lean. That’s why I thought doing cardio at 30mins might not help me. Hm…ok waiting for DM to explain :)
lotsofcravings:: The above routine is just a sample - day 1 and 3 is basically any exercise that covers those bodyparts. Just remember to do the larger multijoint exercises first before you move on to isolation exercises - e.g., Squats before doing leg extensions, Dumbbell Chest Press before doing flyes, etc.
I always write out detailed and customized exercise programs and consultation for all my clients based on their goals, skill level and availability of equipment - but I would need to sit down with you for a full hour to gather more information from you. Drop me an email (author@dailymuscle.com) if you’re interested.
yahoo: See the Exercise Directory at http://www.fitnessideas.org/exercise-library/
Mark: A full body routine 3x a week sounds like a lot. You may want to consider a 3-day split, or even a 2-day split (Upper Body on Day 1, Lower Body on Day 2). Not only is doing a full-body routine tiring, but over time, you will want to vary your routine in order to see continuous gains/progress.
Adeline: Whether one is on a weight loss routine or not, ALL healthy adults aged 18 to 65 years need moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity for a minimum of 30 minutes on five days each week or vigorous-intensity aerobic activity for a minimum of 20 minutes on three days each week. This is not for weight loss, but for your own health benefit - so yeah - you need to do the cardio.
Mark is right - you’re losing weight cos you’re probably not eating enough. Usually for my clients, I get them to keep a food diary which I monitor with them, and also provide an individualized calorie intake plan as a guideline, so that they roughly know how much of carbs/protein/fat to consume everyday. My guess is that you are under-eating and maybe not getting enough from all food groups.
Hope the answers help.
I’ve got a question:
I recently bought the book “12 Second Sequence” and the accompanying journal + DVD just to make sure I stick to a workout plan that has seemed to work for many people in the US. Basically, what the author (Jorge Cruise) teaches is that all one needs to build lean muscle mass and burn fat are two 20 minute circuit training workouts (no breaks) and each movement is done slowly. For example, in a bicep curl, 10 seconds up, stay for 2 seconds and then 10 seconds back down. Today is actually my first day on it, so i’ll give you a report back in about 2 weeks.
Also, he advises a diet of eating every 3 hours. Basically a breakfast consisting of protein, carbs, fruit and fat (like avocado or flaxseed oil), a protein shake (with one scoop) 3 hours later, a lunch that is like breakfast, but no fruit 3 hours later… then another shake 3 hours later… then for dinner, just protein and non-starchy vegetables 3 hours after the shake… then a bedtime shake 3 hours after dinner.
What are your thoughts on this?
Marcus: 10 secs up and 10 secs down? wow. Well no harm giving it a try. Often, what our bodies need is just a change from our existing routines.
As for the recommended diet - well, it looks like it has an emphasis on complex carbs, protein and healthy fat, definitely a recipe for success if you ask me. I’m quite certain you’ll see great results just by following the eating plan alone. :)
Keep me updated!
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