Even though I have addressed this topic before (a-hem, at least twice before), I’m circling back because A) I keep getting asked, “I did strength training today, what should I do tomorrow?” and B) I keep getting asked, “Is it okay to do both strength training and cardio on the same day?”

If you want to cut to the chase, check out: “Cardiovascular or Weight Training: Which should come first?”

Otherwise, stay right here, ’cause I’m about to WOW you with…pretty much the same thing I said before. ;0)

Here’s the thing – you need to know what it is you want to get out of your workouts. Are you trying to increase overall strength? Are you training for a marathon or similar endurance event? Or are you working towards improved general fitness and a combination of both strength and cardiovascular improvements? You need to know.

If it is your goal to gain strength, then I advise doing cardio on a separate day rather than doing both ST and cardio on the same day. This will allow you to go into your ST routine with fresh legs, and you’ll have the energy and time you need to focus entirely on strength training. Likewise with cardiovascular training – if your main goal is to improve this area, then I suggest doing ST on a separate day.

But, if general fitness is your goal, by all means, attempt the ST/Cardio combo in any order you wish, BUT, don’t overdo it. Use common sense and listen to your body (i.e, an hour and a half on the treadmill PLUS an hour of ST might be overkill. It would be for me, and I do this for a living. Just saying, don’t go overboard ;0)

Fulling realizing not everyone has the time to separate their workouts by a day or two, I recommend the following:

If your goal is ST, then do ST first, stretch, and do light cardio last.
If your goal is cardio training, do that first, stretch, and follow-up with light strength training.

Keep safety in mind. After both cardio and ST, muscles will be fatigued. By combining workouts, especially if you are new to fitness, you may increase your risk of injury by overworking fatigued muscles that, quite frankly, are probably more used to going from sitting to standing than from treadmill to squat press. Listen to your body and pay attention to how you feel. If something hurts, stop exercising. And if you are too fatigued to give your best during your workout, then it is best to focus on the part of your workout that will help you reach your goal (strength or cardio training), and bag the rest for another day when you are rested.

You have probably heard about Pilates, or possibly know someone who talks of “reformers, chairs, straps, pulleys” (and other contraptions), and silently wonder, “what the heck is Pilates anyway?”

The Pilates Method (or simply Pilates) was developed in Germany in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates. The core-strengthening and posture-improving benefits of regular practice have helped the Pilates Method develop a loyal following of faithful participants in recent years. The aesthetic benefits of regular practice can be seen on the physiques of famous devotees, such as Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow. As of 2005, there were 11 million people who practiced Pilates regularly and more than 14,000 instructors in the United States.

Like many fitness disciplines, certification is not required to teach (although, any reputable gym or studio will only hire certified teachers). If you can fog a mirror, you can label yourself a “Pilates instructor.” For your safety, and also to maximize your learning experience, it is important to know the differences between a reputable instructor and a kook before you make a long-term commitment to this popular mind-body discipline.

Before you sign up for just any ole Pilates class, follow these tips:

• Check the instructor’s credentials. Most websites post each instructor’s bio, so you can easily look up their teaching credentials and experience.
• Look for PMA-certified instructors. The Pilates Method Alliance is a not-for-profit organization devoted to upholding the highest standards in the Pilates method. PMA initiated the very first, industry-wide certification exam in the United States. Their performance parameters guide the practice of all PMA-certified instructors.
• A good instructor will have experience using all pieces of exercise apparatus used to teach Pilates.
• Top instructors typically have a minimum of 300 hours in a PMA-approved program, sound knowledge of anatomy, injury prevention, and sound teaching techniques.

Whether you are a die-hard gym-junkie or a “start and stopper” (you start a fitness program, follow it diligently for several weeks or months, then stop), or somewhere in between, no doubt you’ve hit a point when you were either:

• Tired of exercise
• Tired of the gym
• Tired of your routine
• Tired of not making steady progress…

I could add more, but I think you get the point: at some point, your exercise routine, no matter how regimented (or not) it is, might get stale. Psst…I have a secret: An often over-looked, but very important, component of that plan is “recovery” time!

Recovery time is built into fitness plans to allow the body time to rest. During this built-in rest time, lots of good stuff happens. Muscles rebuild themselves and metabolic changes take place at a cellular level. There is a lot going on when we exercise that we may not feel or see. Without recovery days, the body can’t properly rebuild and repair. Miss these important rest days enough times, and several things may occur:

• Burn out
• Injury
• Lack of progress (you won’t see further adaptations – you’ll “plateau”)

Follow this “Rule of Thumb”: 1-2 days of rest per week, not necessarily in a row. For weight training, switching to a cardiovascular activity the following day, or training different muscle groups, will allow the muscles previously trained time to adapt and recover. The same goes for cardiovascular activity: after several days in a row of cardio, a day of rest or cross-training is a good idea. This will give you a chance to work different muscles and allow the muscles typically used a chance to rest. So if you are a runner, cross-training with cycling or swimming gives the “running” muscles a chance to rest. This is why Triathlon training is often called the perfect “triad” — cross-training is built in!