Cardio vs Weights: What to Do First and Why? | Fitness Guide 2025
Cardio vs Weights: What is Best to Do First and Why?
When it comes to building a workout routine, one of the most common questions fitness enthusiasts ask is: “Should I do cardio before weights or weights before cardio?”
This debate has been ongoing for years in gyms, training studios, and among health experts. The truth is—it depends on your fitness goals, body type, and the kind of results you want.
In this article, we’ll break down the science, benefits, and expert recommendations behind cardio vs weights, so you can make the right choice for your workout.
What is Cardio and Why is it Important?
Cardio (cardiovascular exercise) refers to workouts that raise your heart rate and improve endurance. It includes activities like running, cycling, swimming, or HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training).
Benefits of Cardio:
- • Burns calories and aids fat loss
- • Improves heart and lung health
- • Increases stamina and endurance
- • Reduces stress and boosts mood
- • Helps regulate blood pressure and cholesterol
The Cardio vs Weights Debate: Which Comes First?
The big question: What should you do first—cardio or weights?
The answer depends on your fitness goal. Let’s explore the different scenarios.
1. If Your Goal is Fat Loss
- • Best to Do Weights First
Lifting weights uses up glycogen (stored carbs) in the muscles. Once glycogen is depleted, your body will use fat as a fuel source during cardio. This leads to more effective fat burning.
- • Also, weights preserve muscle mass while losing fat. Cardio alone can sometimes cause muscle loss if overdone.
2. If Your Goal is Building Strength & Muscle
- • Weights First, Cardio After
When you lift weights, you need maximum energy and strength. Doing cardio first may tire you out, leaving you weaker for strength training. - • Research shows that weight training before cardio helps maximize muscle growth and strength gains.
3. If Your Goal is Endurance & Stamina
- • Cardio First, Then Weights
If you’re training for a marathon, cycling race, or improving stamina, starting with cardio makes sense. This ensures you’re practicing endurance when your body is fresh.
4. If Your Goal is General Fitness
- • Either Way Works (But Alternate)
For overall fitness, you can switch between doing cardio first or weights first depending on the day. The most important factor is consistency.
Science Behind Cardio vs Weights Order
According to studies published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research:
- • Doing cardio first may reduce muscle performance during weight training.
- • Doing weights first tends to preserve strength and increase fat oxidation in the following cardio session.
However, the differences are small for beginners. More advanced athletes benefit from goal-specific sequencing.
How Much Cardio and Weights Should You Do?
- • For Fat Loss: 3–4 days of weights + 3 days of cardio (mix HIIT and steady-state).
- • For Muscle Gain: 4–5 days of weights + 2 days light cardio.
- • For Endurance: 4 days cardio + 2–3 days light resistance training.
Mistakes to Avoid in Cardio vs Weights
- • Doing long, intense cardio before heavy lifting (leads to muscle fatigue).
- • Neglecting resistance training while focusing only on cardio for fat loss.
- • Overtraining both cardio and weights without recovery (causes injury).
- • Not aligning workouts with actual goals.
Expert Recommendation
- • If you’re serious about strength and fat loss, start with weights first.
- • If you’re training for endurance sports, start with cardio first.
- • If you’re a beginner or doing it for overall health, it doesn’t matter much—just stay consistent.
FAQs: Cardio vs Weights
- Should I do cardio or weights first for fat loss?
Do weights first, then cardio. This way you burn more fat while preserving muscle. - Can I do cardio and weights on the same day?
Yes, but the order should depend on your fitness goal—weights first for strength, cardio first for endurance. - Is cardio necessary if I lift weights?
Not mandatory, but cardio improves heart health, stamina, and calorie burn. A balance of both is ideal. - Can cardio reduce muscle gains?
Excessive cardio may slow muscle growth, but moderate cardio supports recovery and fat loss. - How many days a week should I do cardio vs weights?
3–5 days of weights with 2–3 days of cardio is a good balance for most people.
Conclusion
The cardio vs weights debate isn’t about which is better—it’s about what works best for your goals.
- • Want to burn fat and build muscle? Weights first, cardio after.
- • Want to build endurance? Cardio first, weights after.
- • Want general fitness? Mix it up and stay consistent.
Ultimately, the best workout is the one you can stick to long term. Balance both cardio and weights for the healthiest, strongest version of yourself.