About the Author
Franklin Antoian
Fitness Expert.
1 of SHAPE's Top 50 Personal Trainers
TPI Golf Fit Pro Level 3
Founder of iBodyFit
Cardio or Weights First?
If you're not sure what you should do first in the gym, cardio training or weight training, all you need to do is ask yourself one question: What is my fitness goal? Once you define your personal goal, you'll have your answer. Let's look at some common goals.Goal: Weight Loss
If weight loss is your primary goal, you should hit the weights first. This may sound surprising, but in general, time-for-time workouts, weight training burns more calories than cardiovascular training. Weight training also results in muscle increase, which leads to more calories burned per day. Additionally, weight training helps you burn calories throughout the day, long after you have left the gym.Goal: Icreased Muscle or Toning
Here is a another scenario where you should hit the weights before your cardio training. It takes a lot of heavy lifting to gain muscle or to simply make your muscles more toned. If you do your cardio training before you hit the weights, you'll waste precious energy - energy that could be used towards your weight workout.Goal: Stronger Heart
Sometimes the primary goal of a workout program is to make your heart stronger. If this is your goal, you definitely need to do your cardio training before your weight training. In fact, you should probably just do cardio one day and weights on another day. If you lift weights before you do your cardio workout, you wont have the endurance to do your cardio training, which is the main source of a stringer heart.Two Ways to Start Getting in Shape Today
Online Workout Plans
No contracts. Just results.
iBodyFit pre made workout plans are designed to get you in shape, no matter what your fitness goals. iBodyFit founder and SHAPE Magazine Top 50 Trainer, Franklin Antoian, designed each online workout plan to help you achieve maximum results in the shortest amount of time.
Online Personal Training
No gyms. No rude trainers. Just results.
The best way to get in shape is with a custom workout designed around your goals, time, equipment and fitness level. At iBodyFit, all of our online personal training workout plans are built from the ground up to support your unique fitness goals, needs and wants.