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Cardio
before weights or weights before cardio? Or cardio and weights
on alternate days? Those who exercise regularly know that to get
the most out of weight-training (unless you're training to be
a big-as-a-house power-lifter or a contender for rigged wrestling
shows), you have to combine it with cardio-vascular exercise.
Weight-training builds and strengthens muscles; cardio-vascular
exercise burns fat, and both activities boost the rate of metabolism.
Therefore, ideally, if you are trying to get back into shape or
even maintain a lean muscled physique, doing a combination of
both regularly is what will get you there. But, should you do
cardio first or weights?
Now, in exercising (as much as in anything
else) there is no dearth of views, theories or ideas. Some believe
doing cardio (running, cycling, rowing, etc.) before hitting the
weight-room is counter-productive because you get too tired to
lift your maximum in good form. Others believe cardio done first
is beneficial because it helps boost your heart rate and kicks
off a calorie-burning process that weight-training can then carry
on. My take on this is: mix it up a bit. Begin with a bit of cardio,
say, 10 minutes on the treadmill or elliptical trainer or stationary
bike. Work up a sweat. These will not only kick-start your metabolism
levels but also condition your body for weight-training. Then,
after your routine of weight-training, do another session of cardio,
this time for 20-25 minutes.
I'll tell you why this sequence-the main
cardio session after weight training-may work better for you.
While cardio-vascular exercise burns calories as you exercise,
weight-training has a kind of an after-burn by raising the body's
metabolic rate and, because muscles continue to repair themselves
after you lift weights, keeping that rate high even after you
finish doing the exercises. So, there could be a double benefit
if you go for a fairly rigorous cardio session after your weight-training
session and, in effect, you could burn more calories (hence, more
fat) than if you did your cardio before hitting the weights. Give
it a shot for a couple of weeks and see if it works. It does for
me.
-Muscles
Mani
write to musclesmani@intoday.com
ALL
ABOUT IMPLANTS
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-Indrani
Rajkhowa
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