# Aerobic before Anaerobic?



## Ragin Caucasian (Aug 7, 2008)

Trying to lose a lot of weight and improve just general overall health (not necessarily power or strength) as I'm over 30 now, and there really isn't much of a need or desire to bench 400lbs any more....

When I was into BB in my 20's - early 30's. it was all about strength-training and mixing it up with boxing/MMA....not a fan of long-cardio.

Here is the dealio.

Can I get away with doing 45-60 minutes of cardio FIRST (get it out of the way), and THEN do strength-training (3x12 / 4x10) or is that just not right, or counter productive?

The reason I ask is ---- after weights, man, I just don't have anything left in the tank for long bouts of cardio (and I know I need it). Also, I find it hard to stay focused on card, because lets face it  -  it is a little mundane compared to the challenge of weights.

Usually work 30 minutes cardio once I wake up - then after work (sedentary job) do the cardio + weights...

thoughts?


----------



## Built (Aug 7, 2008)

Well, consider that the hour of cardio only burns off a couple hundred calories. Big deal. I don't do that much, ever. 

The lifting, on the other hand, will preserve lean mass, make you hard and change the shape of your body. FAR more important than a few-hundred-calorie deficit that you could just as easily create by eating one less bagel that day. 

Lifting requires glycogen and glucose. Anaerobic. The whole point of cardio is to burn fat, right? Well guess what - if you lift first, and intensely, you'll release free fatty acids into your blood stream! Do your lifting, then say 20 minutes of any type of cardio you like afterward, and you'll get the best of both worlds. Do your cardio first, particularly if you do an hour of it, you'll burn less fat, have a shitty lifting workout, and be more likely to injure yourself and overtrain. 

Ick. 

You really can't cardio off your weight. It takes too much. You want to do a half hour walk in the morning, that's fine. But you're doing way too much cardio, where the lion's share of your deficit really ought to come from your diet.


----------



## Built (Aug 7, 2008)

PS and no, you don't NEED it. Honest.


----------



## Ragin Caucasian (Aug 7, 2008)

thanks, brother..... I need to hear the "Truth"....

much appreciated.


----------



## Ben dur (Aug 7, 2008)

i do enjoy about 45 min of cardio a week

usually 3 miles sunday and 3 miles wednesday

not for fat loss
its enjoyable to me
and it seems to speed the recovery from my leg work

ive believe it helps circulate toxins out of the muscles (like lactic acid and ammonia from hard weight lifting)

aside from that and the general cardiovascular benefits, the fat loss side of it is almost non existent


----------



## Perdido (Aug 7, 2008)

Ragin Caucasian said:


> thanks, brother..... I need to hear the "Truth"....
> 
> much appreciated.



Brother Built knows his stuff


----------



## Built (Aug 7, 2008)

Ragin Caucasian said:


> thanks, brother..... I need to hear the "Truth"....
> 
> much appreciated.





rahaas said:


> Brother Built knows his stuff


----------



## allnaturalmyass (Aug 8, 2008)

We all love you here ANna


----------



## CowPimp (Aug 8, 2008)

In addition to what Built has said I wouldn't do cardio before resistance training because it can actually decrease your strength.  I'm aware you said that you weren't concerned with the weight you move, but the more you are moving the more effective your growth stimulus will be, which is more important for achieving desired body composition than endless aerobic exercise.


----------



## Ragin Caucasian (Aug 8, 2008)

again, the views are appreciated.

The rationale behind all this was;
1) Use the anaerobic training more like a circuit training cardio extension (limited rest period, less weight, and more multi-joint movements at a faster pace).  
2) Improve the respiratory / circulatory system by stressing it and thereby improving the metabolic rate (increased oxygen)

and before it was;
3) Not put on more weight (was involved in a competition that was solely based on _weight_ and not body composition.


Now, I'm all on-board with changing this up, and thanks again for setting me straight and waking me up, because it is completely Gospel.


----------

