When to do cardio

Tips for Cardio Junkies: When to Do Cardio Exercise?

Have you noticed significant changes in your energy level when you reverse the sequence of heavy lifting and cardio exercise? How do you feel when you lift heavy weights after playing ball? How do you feel when you do it the other way around? Lifting before doing cardio exercise is a lot better than in reverse. If you run on a treadmill before lifting heavy weight, you will end up completing just one part of the exercise, which is the weight lifting part. What’s the science behind it? Our body requires the stored fat for exercising. However, to reach that level, you must burn your body glycogen first. Weight training typically helps in glycogen burning, which is why you can burn more fats if you do cardio right after weight training. Like the tip? Read on to find what the ideals ways to do cardio are.

Let’s get down to basics

University of Tokyo recently conducted a study and the researchers found that doing cardio right after weight training actually helps in burning fat within the first fifteen minutes of cardio. Try it and you will feel the difference within a day. Remember if you are doing cardio in the WRONG WAY, you may reach nowhere after a month of steadfast dieting and training. Fat loss may be your primary aim. But if you want to stay healthy at the same time, you need to do it in the RIGHT WAY. After a strenuous workout session, our body continues to burn supererogatory fat for 48 hours (Excess Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption or EPOC). So if you do cardio training afterwards, which is lower in intensity, you can do it in the perfect way.  

The bottomline: Do your weight training when you are fresh and full of energy.

Let’s not forget that it’s always alright to do a short cardio (for warming up) before moving onto high-intensity weight training. What really impacts in terms of fat loss is the weight training. So always do cardio after weight training.

What is the best way to do cardio?

Cardio training should occupy a significant part of your training regime and it is no less essential than strength training or sport training. This is because cardio training helps a lot in boosting our endurance level, which is almost a precondition for doing other types of workouts. Should you just go outside and aimlessly run around for doing your cardio session? Nay, there are certain ground rules to follow if you do not wish to see your efforts go in vain. 

When to do cardio?

Honestly, there is NOTHING WRITTEN IN STONE when it comes to get best out of cardio. It totally depends on you. If you like the fresh air in the morning, you may just wake up early and go out for exercise. Similarly, if you are not an early riser, you can choose afternoon or evening for cardio workout. Listening to your body is important. However, if you want to hear it from us, here are some dos and don’ts of cardio training.

Never ever do cardio on empty stomach after waking up early in the morning

The carefully Photoshopped images of people running or jogging during cockcrow hours may be enough of an inspiration for you to wake up early, but that really doesn’t help. You may think that since you have low glycogen deposits in the morning and you don’t have carbohydrates either, cardio training on empty stomach may help you in burning the fat. But it does not simply work that way. Fat burning actually starts after two hours. And the reason we say cardio training on an empty stomach is a strict no-no is that you don’t regain enough energy on empty stomach, which results in unsatisfactory results if you try cardio workout in the morning. Give your body some food before you go and hit the track.

A small disclaimer: We are not trying to establish that doing cardiovascular exercises in the morning is harmful. It’s just that you need to give your body some time to regulate itself and need to consume some food to refuel your body. It’s best if you take some food and then take rest for half an hour (or quarter of an hour) before going out.

Take rest and food before doing cardio

Like we discussed it earlier, cardio training should always follow weight training and this sequence should not be reversed. Notwithstanding that, you need to take enough food and allow your body to take some rest before you enter the cardio session. ‘Food’ certainly does not imply cheeseburgers and fried chickens here. Eat a piece of fruit, apple, banana, orange…anything. Or nosh a few carrots, some yogurt and an egg. If you want to take meat, maintain safe distance from oil and spices. That’s all!

How to schedule your cardio sessions?

For getting best results, you need to segregate your cardio sessions and your weightlifting sessions. If you are lifting weights 4 times a week, do cardio for the rest of the days (e.g. 3 times in a week). This is because you can gain enough energy to do cardio if you do it on different days. Keep in mind that you reap the best benefits from cardio when you are full of energy. Additionally, if you do cardio by running, it gives you a good leg lifting workout too.

Few tips for beginners

If you are planning to start cardio and weight training together, here are a few tips for you. First off, separate your weight training and cardio sessions from each other. If you are dong low-intensity cardio training, taking a balanced meal comprising of protein and carbs is paramount. If you are doing High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), just take one good shake and you are good to go. Wait for 30-45 minutes and start doing HIIT cardio. After cardio training, you should take a shake with 1:2 protein and carb ratio.

Stay consistent and do not break your routine. Good luck!