I Gave Up Cardio After Weights – My Running And Lifting Has Never Been Better

Sometimes, it feels like science is on a mission to upset me.Not only does it turn out that upper body workouts (which I hate) might be key to better running, but apparently, cardio should be done after weights if you want to build muscle, pivotal to healthy ageing.Until about seven weeks ago, I was trying (and failing) to adopt the advice. I had previously been running before my strength training sessions every time I hit the gym – but the prospect of even a five-minute jog after Bulgarian split squats felt impossible.To be honest, though, the issues began long before that attempted change. Even when I was cramming cardio first in my hour-long, pre-work gym sessions, I didn’t feel I was jogging for long enough to really improve my pace or endurance.And my lifts struggled, despite my (beloved) creatine supplementation. So, I stopped doing them in the same session altogether, in favour of separate sessions on the same day – and even though it doubles the amount of workouts on some days, I’ve been absolutely amazed by how much better I perform both at the squat rack and on the road.On a run on the left: weights on the rightI split my running from my lifting altogether Rather than puffing desperately away on a treadmill after lifting (before giving up at the two-minute mark), I decided to try weightlifting before work and then jogging after it. Most days I only do one or the other, but I’ve been amazed to discover that even on the days when I do both, although it’s double the load, I find both far easier – and it ends up taking about the same amount of time.My PBs for both have improved, too (not to mention the fact that my step count skyrocketed). According to Dr Suzanne Wylie, GP and medical adviser for IQdoctor, I’m not alone in my experience.“It is quite common for people to notice better results when they separate strength training and cardiovascular exercise, rather than performing both in the same session,” she shared. “By splitting your training into different times of day or alternating days entirely, you allow each type of workout to be performed when your body and nervous system are fresh, which can lead to greater strength gains, improved cardiovascular endurance, and less risk of injury.” Alex Kirkup-Lee, a personal trainer and writer at Gymshark, agrees.“Ideally, you should split your cardio and weight training sessions, leaving four to six hours between workouts,” she explained, though she wouldn’t recommend doing two intense sessions in a day.“Balance your sessions with one higher intensity workout and one lower intensity, such as an interval run, and then light accessory work later, for example, core training... This allows for better recovery between each exercise type and maximises performance during both disciplines,” she recommended. Resistance training in the gym (left), increased step count after splitting running from lifting (right)So... is it ever OK to do cardio and weights in the same session?In short, yes.Kirkup-Lee explained that “there might be a lot of reasons you want to do cardio and weights in one session, and it’s important to note that it’s also OK to do this”.Bear in mind, too, that I don’t have kids and work from home – as the PT points out, “many of us don’t have time to train twice or even once a day, so it’s best to not get too caught up in these finer details”.If you are going to try fitting both into a single session, either opt for a group class (which sometimes combines both) or, Kirkup-Lee said, go for weights before cardio. “Lifting carries a higher risk of injury, and you don’t want to pre-fatigue your muscles with cardio. Numerous studies have also proven that resistance training before cardio improves muscle strength and power,” she said. But if, like me, you find combining the two exhausting, try splitting them (ensuring you don’t do two very hardcore sessions in one day) and see how you feel. For me, it’s been life-changing.Related...I Tried 'Jeffing' And My Running Pace SkyrocketedI Swapped 10,000 Steps A Day For 30 Minutes Of 'Japanese Walking' – I've Never Been More ActiveI Tried 'Plogging,' The Eco-Friendly Running Trend – And I'll Never Do It Again

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