Cardio Before or After Weightlifting? The Best Approach to Maximize Muscle Growth and Workout Efficiency

For fitness enthusiasts and gym-goers, the ongoing debate of whether to perform cardiovascular exercises before or after weightlifting continues to generate confusion. This isn’t just a matter of personal preference—it can have a significant impact on the effectiveness of your workout, muscle growth, and overall fitness goals.

Both cardio and weight training play essential roles in a balanced fitness routine, so understanding the advantages and disadvantages of each approach can help you optimize your workouts for better results.

Cardio Before vs. After Weightlifting

Sanjay Goyal, Managing Director of PowerMax, explains, “The decision to do cardio before or after weightlifting should depend on your specific goals and preferences.” He notes that doing cardio first can serve as a warm-up, enhancing cardiovascular endurance, sharpening mental focus, and aiding in calorie burning—all beneficial for weight loss. However, it can also lead to fatigue, impair strength, deplete glycogen stores, and increase the risk of overtraining.

On the other hand, performing cardio after weightlifting allows you to use your peak energy for lifting, which can lead to greater muscle growth. “Doing cardio after lifting weights can help with muscle recovery and fat utilization, but it may also be less effective if you’re too fatigued from strength training,” Goyal adds. This exhaustion can make it harder to manage time, stay motivated, and complete your cardio workout effectively.

Cardio before weightlifting can cause muscle fatigue, potentially lowering strength and performance, and depleting the glycogen stores needed for heavy lifting, which reduces the effectiveness of strength training. In contrast, lifting before cardio ensures maximum energy is used for strength training, which is essential for muscle growth.

Additionally, Goyal points out that doing cardio after weightlifting can improve muscle recovery by increasing blood flow and promoting fat burning. For those aiming to gain muscle, prioritizing weightlifting over cardio is generally more effective.

The Best Cardio to Pair with Weightlifting

Goyal emphasizes that some types of cardio pair better with weightlifting than others, and timing is crucial for effectiveness. He suggests pairing weightlifting with low- to moderate-intensity cardio, such as brisk walking, cycling, or light jogging, especially if done before lifting. “These exercises are great for warming up as they improve blood flow and reduce the risk of injury without depleting too much energy,” he says.

For high-intensity cardio exercises like sprinting or HIIT, Goyal recommends performing them after lifting weights. “Following strength training with high-intensity cardio can maximize fat burning and enhance cardiovascular fitness without compromising muscle growth or strength.”

Timing is also key. “Low-intensity cardio before weightlifting helps prepare the body without causing excessive fatigue, while high-intensity cardio after weightlifting allows you to direct energy toward strength training, preserving muscle growth and performance,” concludes Goyal