Come on – the weekend is here, you left the cooking to Yochananoff, the housekeeping for the Roomba and the dishwasher dishes. Now you have no excuse not to set aside an hour on Friday or Saturday night for practice. But then you'll probably ask yourself, like many gym-goers, whether you should prioritize aerobic training, such as running, walking, spinning, etc., or strength training, such as weightlifting, rowing, etc. Is one of these workouts better than the other, and does the order in which they are done matter? Forefront provides us with the answer.
According to physiological research of exercise, the answer depends on your fitness goals. Both aerobic and strength training provide important health benefits when done regularly – aerobics improve heart and lung function, while resistance exercise builds strength and muscle mass. For overall health and fitness, research shows that performing both types of exercise in your daily workout routine is most effective, regardless of order.
However, the sequence may affect outcomes for high-level athletes who strive for certain levels of performance. Research on "simultaneous training" reveals that frequent switching between aerobics and strength can slightly reduce the increase in aerobic endurance and muscle strength/size when both types are performed at high volume. This "interference effect" is more common for well-trained athletes undergoing intense training loads.
To minimize interruptions, 'serious' exercisers are better off prioritizing the type of training that is preferable for their goals; For example, runners will benefit from starting with aerobic training followed by strength training. Those who aim to build muscle mass will, of course, prefer to reverse this order. Separating aerobic and strength training three hours or more apart may also help advanced athletes avoid interference.
However, for most of us, personal preference largely dictates order. Some evidence suggests that lifting weights before aerobic exercise may provide a small boost to lower body strength without compromising other fitness markers. Overall, both sequences yield similar health and fitness benefits for those who exercise to maintain a healthy body.
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