Wondering whether to do cardio before or after weights? You're not alone. Some gym-goers prefer starting on the treadmill, while others head straight to the weights to build strength. The truth is, the best order depends on your fitness goals, whether you want to lose fat, build muscle, or improve endurance. Let's break down what works best so you can make every workout count.

Neither, fully. Whether you should do cardio before or after weights comes down to one thing: your main goal. Here's what the research says, how to order your session for fat loss, strength or endurance, and a simple template you can use today.

Should You Do Cardio Before or After Weights?

For most gym-goers, do weights first and cardio after. Lifting takes the most focus and good form, so do it while you're fresh. The exception is endurance: if a 10K or a long ride is your goal, do cardio first.

Two reviews in 2018 pooled the studies that tested exactly this question of cardio before or after resistance training:

• Eddens, van Someren and Howatson (Sports Medicine, 2018): across 10 studies, lifting before cardio improved lower-body dynamic strength by about 6.9% more than the reverse order. Order made no difference to muscle size, aerobic capacity or body-fat percentage. (Northumbria University)
• Murlasits, Kneffel and Thalib (Journal of Sports Sciences, 2018): people who lifted first gained about 4 kg more on their lower-body one-rep max. The order had no effect on aerobic capacity (VO2max). (Griffith University)

So the order mostly matters for one thing: how strong your legs get. If that's your goal, lift first. For almost everything else, the choice of cardio before or after weights is far less important than showing up. And the answer is the same whether you call it cardio before or after a workout, lifting or strength training.

Does Cardio Kill Your Gains?

No, not for most people. Mixing cardio and weights doesn't stop you building strength or muscle. It only slightly blunts explosive power, mostly when both are crammed into one session.

Researchers call this worry the interference effect: the idea that cardio training gets in the way of strength gains. A 2022 meta-analysis of 43 studies (Schumann and colleagues, Sports Medicine) tested it directly. Adding cardio did not reduce gains in maximal strength or muscle size. It did slightly reduce gains in explosive strength, like jumping and sprinting, and that effect was bigger when cardio and weights were done in the same session. When sessions were at least 3 hours apart, the effect disappeared. (Schumann et al., 2022)

If you play a sport that needs quick, powerful movement, split your cardio and weights into separate sessions when you can. Everyone else can relax: cardio after strength training won't wipe out your gains.

Cardio Before or After Weights for Weight Loss?

For fat loss, the order barely matters. Doing both, consistently, matters a lot. The 2018 review by Eddens and colleagues found no difference in body-fat percentage between lifting first and cardio first.

What does matter is the mix. In an eight-month trial in the Journal of Applied Physiology (Willis and colleagues, 2012), 119 overweight or obese adults finished one of three programmes: cardio only, weights only, or both. (ScienceDaily summary)

• Cardio only lost weight and fat, but didn't add muscle.
• Weights only added muscle, but fat mass didn't drop.
• Both together lost fat and gained muscle, and cut body-fat percentage the most.

So in the cardio vs weight training for weight loss debate, the best answer is both. A practical fat-loss session: lift for 30–40 minutes, then finish with 15–20 minutes of cardio.

So if you're asking weights or cardio first for weight loss, lift first so your strength work stays good quality, then do your cardio. But food matters more than either: no workout order outruns a diet that keeps you in a calorie surplus.

Cardio or Weight Training First? A Goal-by-Goal Guide

Use your main goal to decide on cardio before or after weights. The rule behind every row is the same: do your priority first, while you've got the most energy for it.

If you're still deciding how much of each to do, our guide to strength vs flexibility training helps you balance your week.

Does Pre-Workout Cardio Count as "Cardio First"?

No. Five to ten minutes of easy cycling, rowing or brisk walking before lifting is a warm-up, not a cardio session. It raises your body temperature and gets your joints moving without draining the energy you need for your lifts. When people debate cardio before or after weights, they mean full cardio sessions, often 20 minutes or more at a solid effort. A short, easy warm-up doesn't count.

How to Structure a Session With Cardio After Weights

Here's a simple 60-minute template for a fat-loss or general-fitness day:

1. Warm up (5–10 minutes). Easy cardio, then a few light sets of your first lift.
2. Lift (30–40 minutes). Big moves first: squats, deadlifts, presses, rows. Then smaller exercises.
3. Cardio (15–20 minutes). Steady cycling, incline walking or the cross-trainer. Keep hard intervals for days you aren't training legs heavily.
4. Cool down (5 minutes). Slow walk and light stretching.

Got more time across the day? Splitting them works too. Try cardio in the morning and weights in the evening, at least 3 hours apart. Our guide to the best time to workout helps you pick the slots.

What Mistakes Should You Avoid?

• A hard run right before heavy squats. Hard cardio before lifting weights means tired legs, worse form and a higher chance of injury.
• Skipping weights to "lose weight first." In the 2012 trial, only the groups that lifted held on to or built muscle.
• Turning the warm-up into a workout. Keep it easy. Save the effort for your main block.
• HIIT every day. Hard intervals stack fatigue fast. Two or three sessions a week is plenty for most people.
• Obsessing over order and ignoring consistency. Whether you do cardio before or after weights matters far less than doing both every week.

How Much Cardio and Strength Training Do You Need?

The World Health Organization recommends that adults do 150–300 minutes of moderate cardio (or 75–150 minutes of vigorous cardio) a week, plus muscle-strengthening work on at least two days. (WHO) That fits easily into three or four gym visits of about an hour each, whichever order you choose.

More relatable blog posts for you:

1. Morning or Evening: When Is the Best Time to Workout?
2. The Truth About Fitness: Strength vs Flexibility
3. How to Increase Stamina: 7 Daily Habits to Beat Low Energy

Cardio Before or After Weights: Frequently Asked Questions

Is it bad to do cardio before weights?

Not bad, just less ideal if strength is your goal. A hard cardio session first can tire your legs and limit your lifts. A short, easy cardio warm-up is fine. If endurance is your main goal, cardio first is the right call.

Can I do cardio before a workout?

Yes. Five to ten minutes of easy cardio before a workout makes a good warm-up. Keep it light if you're lifting heavy afterwards, and save longer or harder cardio for after your weights.

Is it OK to do cardio first, then weights?

Yes, if endurance is your main goal or you simply prefer it. You may lift slightly less on leg exercises, but research found no difference in muscle growth, aerobic fitness or body fat between the two orders.

Can I do cardio and weights on the same day?

Yes. A 2022 review of 43 studies found adding cardio didn't reduce gains in strength or muscle size. If you need explosive power for a sport, try to keep the two at least 3 hours apart.

How long should I do cardio after weight training?

For most people, 15–30 minutes of cardio after weight training works well. Aim for 150–300 minutes of moderate cardio across the week, as the WHO recommends, and adjust each session to fit.

Is cardio or weight training better for weight loss?

Both, together. In an eight-month trial, cardio cut fat and weights built muscle, but combining them reduced body-fat percentage the most. Your diet still makes the biggest difference.

Is it better to do cardio before or after weights for fat loss?

Neither order has been shown to burn more fat. A 2018 meta-analysis found no difference in body-fat percentage between lifting first and cardio first. Total effort across the week and your diet matter far more than order.

Should beginners do cardio or weights first?

Weights first is usually best for beginners, because learning good form is easier when you're fresh. Keep the cardio afterwards easy to moderate, and ask a trainer to check your technique.

✓ Reviewed by Meridian Fitness's certified training team, JP Nagar.

This article is for general information and isn't medical advice. If you have a health condition or injury, speak with a doctor before changing your exercise routine.