Should I Do Strength or Cardio Training First?

At the end of the day, all that really matters is that you’re moving. But depending on what your goals are and your purpose for doing exercise in the first place, the order that you structure a workout matters.  

The workouts that I post on Facebook and Instagram are designed for what my readers tell me they want — to lose 10KGs. They are often a combination of strength and cardio exercises in the form of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

There are 3 Ways to Structure a Workout

• Combination. This is where you combine two components of fitness — strength AND cardio but you alternate them. These sessions are generally HIIT workouts and they burn a lot of energy (and fat) in a short amount of time.

• Dual focus. This is where you combine two components of fitness — strength AND cardio but you do all of your strength exercises first, followed by all of your cardio exercise (or vice versa). For safety and maximum fat burning, it’s best to structure your strength exercise first, followed by your cardio exercise.

• Single focus. This is where you focus on just one component of fitness — strength OR cardio. These workouts are valuable as you can do more of each in a single session. These workouts still have a place in any workout regime and should not be discounted. 

If you take my advice from any of my previous articles, you’ll be primarily doing bodyweight strength exercises. There are more than enough progressions for any strength exercise. Sure, weight training adds variety and is necessary for higher levels of fitness and sporting performance, but you can achieve most health and fitness goals from bodyweight strength training.

Sessions solely consisting of strength or cardio are valuable and should be incorporated into any holistic training program. If you’re combining strength and cardio exercise, perform your strength exercises first for maximum fat burning results. For even greater results from single a session, perform HIIT sessions where you alternate strength and cardio — just ensure you maintain good posture throughout all of your exercises. 

What’s your purpose for training?

Leave your answer to that question in the comments section below.