Workout Wisdom

My goal as a "teacher" has always been to explain things in the same way I wish MY teachers would have taught me, back in the day... Do you remember what it was/is like when someone asks or tells you to do something such as a teacher, parent, coach, trainer, etc?

I remember as a kid, the first word out of my mouth was "Why?" (sound familiar?)

And nothing frustrated/irritated me more than receiving a glib reply like "Because I said so, THAT'S Why!" (it's irritating, isn't it???)

OK, so with that in mind, the information I share with people has been crafted in a way that addresses the innate "Why?" so that you KNOW the reasoning for each of my suggestions and/or recommendations.

That way, when you read a popular magazine, see an infomercial, hear someone make a suggestion, etc. you're able to discern between useful versus useless information.

Here's a common topic I cover regarding "WHY?" cardio should be done AFTER strength training.

DISCLAIMER: There are always people who instantly rebut, BUT, let me first explain a simple "Why?" then you can decide for yourself whether to implement, or not. Fair enough?

To begin, you should know each activity runs/relies on a different energy system.

Strength training is an AN-aerobic activity. The primary fuel for anaerobic activity is glycogen, derived from the food we eat.

Cardio is an aerobic activity (hence the name). When I ask a client/patient what the fuel source for aerobic activity is, they generally respond with "fat"... Well, they're not wrong - BUT, fat becomes fuel only after we have exhausted our immediate energy source (glycogen).

Perhaps you've heard it phrased this way: "Anything ABOVE & BEYOND 20 minutes in your target heart rate zone is when fat is burned for fuel", right?

Fat is an intermediate/long-term energy source. Stored glycogen is an immediate energy source.

Remember this:

Strength = Anaerobic = glycogen (glycogen is to your muscles what gas is to your car)

Cardio = Aerobic = glycogen/fat

Now, let's look at a common workout routine:

Let's say your goal is to burn stored bodyfat/tone and sculpt lean muscle. You begin by doing 30 minutes of cardio, followed by your strength training. Well, the first 15-20 minutes are essentially a waste of time (Remember, anything above/beyond 20 minutes in your THR = fat burning).

So, out of 30 minutes worth of effort you only got 10 minutes of what you REALLY wanted (fat burning).

NOW, it's time to do your strength training routine - BUT - what are you going to use for fuel? You just burned up your available "gas" during the first 15-20 minutes of cardio!

Perhaps you've noticed a couple sets into your workout after doing cardio you feel "flat", "lost the pump", or "out of gas"... Quite literally, you are!

I'm not saying "don't do cardio", or "it's wrong", etc. etc. What I am suggesting is to look at the basic physiology (Why), coupled with real-life experiences (myself/others) of reversing the order of activity.

Here's an additional thought: By doing strength training first, you effectively burn the stored glycogen. That way, whatever time you allot to your cardio routine following your strength training is strictly dedicated to fat-burning!

*Note: Remember, if you begin your workout with 30 minutes of cardio, you're only getting a 10-minute fat-burning ROI. If you did cardio AFTER strength training, you could cut your time in HALF (15 minutes) and get 5 additional minutes of pure fat-burning!

Hmmm... "You mean I can get more/better results by working smarter/less?"

Yep.