When my husband and I decided to join our local community center a little over a year ago, I wanted to figure out how to combine cardio and weight training that would provide the best results for me. My goals were to get the best results in the least amount of time and not hurt myself. The results I wanted were overall health and wellness, fat loss/weight management, and muscle building.

To reach those results, I knew that the main things I needed to incorporate were cardio and weight training, and I needed help to combine them in a workable plan to produce the best results for me. I hired a personal trainer, and he helped me create a plan that is helping me gain strength and endurance. 

Same Day Options

I learned that a person could choose to incorporate both cardio and weight training on the same day in the following ways. Cardio improves heart health and burns calories. Strength training builds muscle, which increases resting metabolic rate. 

• Do cardio first and then do weight training. This is the best way to build endurance and ensure you have enough energy for your cardio workout. 
• Do weight training before cardio to build muscle. Starting with lifting weights allows for your highest energy levels to lead you to better strength gains. 
• Do High-intensity Interval Training (HITT) or Moderate-intensity Interval Training (MITT) to combine both cardio and weight training exercise in a time-efficient manner. This method is efficient for improving cardiovascular fitness and burning fat. 

The best plan for me was to start my work out with some gentle stretching, which also helped me work on my balance. Then, I did cardio for 5 – 15 minutes to warm up my muscles. Weight training came next. Finally, I walked to cool down. This plan incorporated both my cardio and weight training goals. 

My trainer also taught me how to do MITT, which I could incorporate when I wanted to vary my routine. Variety can help prevent burnout because keeping things interesting motivates a person to continue to enjoy daily exercise. 

Alternate Day Combining

A person could choose to alternate cardio and weight training on separate days. This allows them to recover in between weightlifting sessions. 

A great cardio plan is to go for brisk walks outside during every season. This walking workout gives a chance to be in sunlight, which has its own set of benefits. Our body is meant to interact with the outdoor temperatures, and it is good for the body to do so. 

Frequency and Duration

Your fitness goals determine your workout routine. 

For example, if your goal is to lose fat, you need to know that both cardio and strength training are important for losing weight. Cardio burns more calories than weight training. Start your workouts with cardio at a steady intensity to get into the heart rate zone you need for burning fat. You can still lose fat with a lower level of intensity, if you sustain it for longer periods of time. 

Each week, aim for at least two or three days a week of weight training/cardio sessions that are 30 – 60 minutes long. When time allows, the number of days could increase to four or five days a week. 

Good cardio goals could be to work up to 150 minutes a week.

Action Step

There you have it! Incorporating both cardio and weight training into your fitness routine can lead to better wellness and improved body composition. 

May God bless you on your wellness journey!

Joni

P.S.How do you approach getting cardio and weightlifting into your fitness routine?