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to cardio or not to cardio?

bri1 Posts: 2 Joined: 2007/08/06	2007/09/26, 11:39 AM I am trying to drop about 30 more lbs of fat and add muscle. I have heard mix thoughts on the cardio workout. I am currently doing weight resistant exercises as outlined for me followed by a 30 minute cardio workout. is this what i want to do or am i wasting my time on the elliptical?
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/09/26, 12:35 PM Do weights before cardio. Lifting weights has a lot of benefits and people like those. I don't think anyone is against cardio all together especially if you're trying to lose fat, just make sure to do the weights first.
drieman Posts: 190 Joined: 2007/07/16	2007/09/26, 12:45 PM Why is it best to do weights before cardio? -------------- Success is not for the chosen few but rather for the few who choose it.
ReptilianFeline Posts: 187 Joined: 2007/08/28	2007/09/26, 02:52 PM I though it was the other way around? Cardio as wqarmup, and then weights, but I'm just a noob. -------------- ----------------------------------- Getting there... -----------------------------------
DGJ3 Posts: 68 Joined: 2006/03/12	2007/11/15, 04:07 PM You should do weights before cardio so your muscles lift to their potential. What I suggest is lift weights/do cardio on different days, or just do light cardio after your weight lifting. Honestly, the theory behind doing weights before your cardio basically ensures that your carbohydrates or "energy" is directed toward weight lifting. But the most important thing is to actually do it. If you like doing cardio first, then stick to that.
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2007/11/15, 07:32 PM The goal of lifting is to build muscle, and a byproduct of it is that you deplete your glycogen stores, creatine, and ATP. The goal of cardio is to burn calories and deplete glycogen stores, creatine, and ATP. So you see, lifting prior to cardio really just gets the ball rolling on what you are trying to do with cardio. However, if you do it the other way around, you are trying to lift with already depleted glycogen, creatine and ATP stores. -------------- SQUAT MORE ~Jesse Marunde Mortal by birth. Strongman by the grace of god. Blood Guts Sweat Chalk
bb1fit Posts: 11,105 Joined: 2001/06/30	2007/11/15, 07:42 PM As a rule, do your weight training first. You should be stronger, thus provide more overload to muscle, translating to more efficient caloric burn which is what you are after by a higher overload to the muscle. Cardio after this will just add to the calorie burn. Calorie burn is an extension of your diet. -------------- Baseball is the only field of endeavor where a man can succeed three times out of ten and be considered a good performer