Cardio Before or After Weight Training? Here’s What You Really Need to Know

At Curl Fitness, one of the questions we get asked all the time is:

“Should I do cardio before or after weight training?”

It’s a great question—and the answer is important, especially if you’re serious about reaching your fitness goals. Whether you’re looking to burn fat, build muscle, improve endurance, or just feel fitter overall, understanding how to structure your workouts can make a huge difference in your results.

Let’s break down the science, consider different goals, and help you figure out what’s right for you.

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The Science Behind Workout Order

Your body relies on different energy systems for cardio and resistance training. In simple terms:

• Weight training relies heavily on glycogen, your stored carbohydrate energy.

• Cardio (especially steady-state) primarily taps into aerobic systems.

If you perform intense cardio before lifting, you may deplete your glycogen stores, which can leave you feeling fatigued and reduce your strength for resistance exercises. This can affect your performance, muscle-building potential, and even increase injury risk due to compromised form.

Conversely, doing cardio after lifting allows you to put full focus and effort into your strength session—especially important if strength or physique goals are your priority.

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If Your Goal is Fat Loss

If your goal is to lose body fat and improve overall body composition, the general recommendation is to lift weights first, then do cardio.

Why?

• Weight training increases your EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption), meaning your metabolism stays elevated longer after your session.

• Following that with cardio can enhance the calorie burn without compromising your lifting performance.

• Muscle is metabolically active tissue—more muscle = more calories burned at rest. So prioritising weight training supports long-term fat loss.

🔥 Want a programme that ensures you’re maximising fat loss without spinning your wheels? Our 1:1 personal training builds each session around your unique goals—so you’re not just burning calories, you’re building a stronger, leaner body.

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If Your Goal is Strength or Muscle Growth

To build muscle and get stronger, you need to progressively overload your muscles—lifting heavier, maintaining good form, and having adequate rest between sets. Doing cardio before lifting can:

• Fatigue your central nervous system and muscle fibres.

• Reduce the amount of weight you can lift.

• Compromise the intensity and focus of your training session.

That’s why most strength-focused programmes place cardio after weights, or on separate days entirely.

💪 Struggling to gain muscle or improve your strength despite training hard? With our online coaching, we’ll tailor a plan that balances strength training and conditioning, keeps you progressing, and adjusts as you evolve.

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If Your Goal is Endurance or Cardio Performance

Now, if you’re training for a specific endurance event (like a 10K, triathlon, or cycling challenge), you’ll want to prioritise your cardio work.

That means doing cardio first, when you’re freshest. But even in this case, it’s not about skipping strength work—it’s about programming it intelligently.

Strength training supports endurance by:

• Improving running or cycling economy.

• Reducing injury risk.

• Strengthening connective tissues and joints.

🧠 Not sure how to balance strength and endurance without burning out? We help endurance athletes inside our online coaching structure their week for optimal performance.

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Hybrid Goals: What If You Want It All?

Many people want a bit of everything—lean muscle, improved fitness, cardiovascular health, and general strength. If that’s you, consider the following tips:

1. Prioritise the goal that matters most: Do it first in your session.

2. Split your sessions if you can: For example, lift in the morning and do cardio in the evening.

3. Alternate days: Strength one day, cardio the next.

4. Use interval cardio (HIIT) smartly: It can save time and preserve strength if done after weights.

💡 With 1:1 personal training, we take the guesswork out and build your sessions around your priorities, time constraints, and energy levels—so you don’t have to figure it out on your own.

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The Final Verdict

Here’s a quick summary of what we’ve covered:

Remember: The “best” approach is the one that fits your lifestyle, your goals, and your preferences. Doing cardio after weights might be ideal scientifically, but if it makes you dread your workouts, we’ll find a better solution.

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Need Help Structuring It All?

Whether you’re training at home or in the gym, Curl Fitness has you covered.

✅ Our 1:1 personal training gives you in-person accountability, expert guidance, and workouts tailored to you.
✅ Our online coaching is perfect if you want flexibility and results, with support and structure every step of the way.

Let’s take the guesswork out of your training and get you moving with purpose.