Weights or exercise first? The expert suggests the ideal combination for strong muscles and a heart

YGEIAMOU.GR Team

03/01/2024 08:21:28

For daily function and improved overall health, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends a combination of strength training and aerobic exercise. But what is the optimal sequence that gives us the best results?

Research shows that when planning an exercise program, there are a number of factors to consider, including age, fitness level and history, as well as exercise goals. You should also consider your exercise volume – i.e. its duration and intensity – and how you will plan your training throughout the day.

So the answer to this question is…it depends. In an article on The Conversation, Dr. Randall Claytor, associate professor of kinesiology, nutrition and health at the University of Miami, explains the effects of combinations of aerobic and resistance training on improving health-related fitness, especially aerobic capacity and muscle strength.

In fact, combining these two types of exercise is a better exercise, especially for people with risk factors for chronic disease, than performing either one alone. Studies have found similar improvements in aerobic capacity and muscle strength, regardless of the order of aerobic and resistance exercises in the workout. These benefits apply to those who have been more active and to those who have remained inactive longer, regardless of age.

However, one Stady indicates that Resistance exercises performed before exercise results in a slight increase in lower extremity muscle strength body without compromising all other health-related fitness improvements. So, if your goal is to stay healthy, you don't have to worry too much about the order in which you should exercise.

On the other hand, if you are interested in high performance,… research indicates that Concurrent training may slightly prevent improvement in aerobic capacity. Most likely it can interfere with gains in muscle strength and to a lesser extent muscle growth. This phenomenon is called the “overlap effect” and often occurs in athletes.

Of course, many sports require a combination of aerobic and muscular abilities. Some elite athletes need to improve both. So the question remains: What is the optimal order of the two exercise modes to obtain the best performance results? Given the research findings on synchronized training for high-level athletes, it makes sense to begin training with resistance exercises first, or to first train the type of exercise most important to your performance goals.

In conclusion, the professor himself advises, according to his research in the laboratory, to combine the two methods in much shorter periods of time. For example, eOne set of resistance exercises is immediately followed by three minutes of walking or running. This method results in similar gains in aerobic capacity, muscle strength, and muscle mass.

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