Ask a Trainer: Is It Better to Do Cardio or Strength Training First?

When it comes to the benefits of doing strength training or cardio first, the evidence is mixed. Some research shows that cardio first is better, because doing resistance training first may increase a person’s sense of exercise effort, which may make your workout motivation dwindle more quickly.  

Conversely, other studies have shown that doing strength training first is better because it depletes the body’s carbohydrates stores, which means it may burn slightly more fat for fuel. We asked Holly Rilinger, a Nike master trainer, for her take.

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Written by:

Brittany Doohan

Brittany Doohan was the Content Director at HealthiNation and is currently the Editorial Director at Medscape. Through her work with Medscape, she won a Silver Telly Award in May 2022 for "Sleepless Nation: A Public Health Epidemic — Episode 2: A Decade Without a Diagnosis." She has worked in health journalism and video production for more than 8 years, and loves the challenge of explaining complex topics in an easy-to-understand and creative way.

Reviewed by:

Mandy Armitage, MD

Mandy Armitage, MD, has combined clinical medicine with her passion for education and content development for many years. She served as medical director for the health technology companies HealthLoop (now Get Well) and Doximity.

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