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.

The Top 10 “Don’ts”

Don’t….

1. Jump into a new fitness regimen without first consulting your primary care physician. Starting a new exercise routine without a clean bill of health can be unsafe, especially if you have been sedentary for a long period of time.

2. Use weight training equipment without proper training. Most fixed weight machines have pictures and good descriptions and if you are comfortable working out on these machines, fine. However, I witness poor form and questionable exercise execution on nearly a daily basis at the gym. To avoid injury, consult with a qualified fitness trainer prior to using equipment you are unfamiliar with.

3. Do too much too soon. When you start a fitness program, it is tempting to throw yourself into it in order to achieve results quickly. It is important to note that this usually leads to burn out, muscle fatigue, and/or injury. The cumulative effect = drop out. Ease into your routine. Set realistic, weekly goals and track your progress against them. As a very general rule of thumb, progress your routine by 2-5% per week.

4. Buy expensive workout clothing. The purpose of your workout is to do just that – -work out! Your muscles don’t care what you’re wearing, so dress comfortably, and wear quality, supportive foot wear.

5. Forget to eat before a workout. You need to fuel your body if you want to have the energy to exercise. Eat a quality carbohydrate and a small amount of protein at thirty minutes to an hour prior to working out. A good example is whole wheat crackers with some organic peanut butter and 1/2 a banana.

6. Skip cardio to save time. If your goal is weight loss, then you’ll have to do something that will raise your heart rate to a level sufficient to burn enough calories to lose weight. If you aren’t sure if your favorite activity burns enough calories, visit the TOOLS page on my website.

7. Skip strength training to save time. You need to preserve your muscle mass, especially if you are trying to lose weight. Doing so will keep your metabolism revved up, and will add muscle defination.

8. Start without a goal in mind. Failing to plan is planning to fail. Write down your short and long term goals, then schedule your workouts each week. Track your progress against your plan to keep yourself on track.

9. Try the latest, greatest fad just because you heard it works. Stick to quality resources. Information is easy to access, especially on the world-wide-web. For a list of BSG-approved resources, go to the RESOURCES page on my blog.

10. Give up too soon. Remember – change takes time. It is easy to become frustrated when results aren’t coming soon enough, but stick with it – -success is just around the corner!