Weights before cardio, or after? A new study confirms which is best for strength and fat loss

A woman performing a barbell deadlift — (Image credit: Getty Images)

We all know that variety is the spice of life, and the same goes for your workouts. Combining resistance training with cardio is key to staying both fit and strong. But one question that continues to divide gym-goers: should you do cardio before or after lifting weights?

Exercise order matters more than you might think, especially if your goal is building strength. The general consensus for this is clear: to save the treadmill for after your weight training – and a new study further backs this up. Plus, it reveals the benefits this order can have when it comes to fat loss.

The study

The 12-week study, published in the Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness, looked at the effects of concurrent training – workouts that combine lifting weights and cardio within the same session – on body composition, physical activity levels, fat loss and muscular strength.

The results

Shot of a man doing front squats in the gym

Understandably, the no-exercise group experienced no changes, while the two other groups saw improvements across a range of health markers: physical activity, body composition, bone density, VO2max, and muscle strength.

However, the group that did resistance training before cardio saw significant improvements in their maximum, explosive, and muscular strength, as well as a reduction in body fat, due to changes in physical activity.

Despite the study having a few limitations – it was pretty small and didn’t include any women – it's another clear indicator that placing your weight training before cardio can make a big difference to overall strength and body fat reduction.

Previous studies also support this, such as this study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning, which found that performing cardio prior to strength training negatively impacted strength gains.

As we previously mentioned, cardio training is important for overall health and it will benefit your weight training, as it can help improve your recovery between sets, which can lead to increased work capacity, meaning more gains. However, order is key and if strength is the goal, then prioritise your barbell and dumbbell exercises before getting sweat doing cardio.

Bryony is a former Staff Writer in T3’s Active vertical. She is a certified personal trainer and part-time fitness instructor. In her spare time, she could usually be found in her natural habitat – the gym – where her training combined bodybuilding and powerlifting. She used to write about accessible workouts, nutrition and innovative fitness products that could help people reach their fitness goals and take their training to the next level.