Should you do treadmill before or after workout?
Doing cardio of any sort like running or treadmill before or after workouts depends on your goals.
If you want to gain muscle mass, gain strength, then you should do heavyweight training first and then do cardio. In this case, that is treadmill running.
And on the other hand, if you want to lose weight, then you should do your cardio training first.
How do I know this?
Scroll to check the scientific data to understand what really happens when you mix cardio with strength training!
Scenario 1: Do treadmill runs after strength training to build muscle
If you’re looking to build strength, do cardio after weight training. Low-intensity cardio is best for pairing with weight lifting because it helps the body get all of the energy it needs.
Running Technique Long Distance Easily!
I will also say, if you are weight training, cardio is best done afterward because it has a different focus than lifting.
It’s more about burning calories and cardiovascular exercise rather than crushing the iron and lift them to humble them.
So running should get less focus.
Honestly, I would not even worry much about running on a treadmill for than 10 minutes after a strength session. Scartch that, I would just walk for 10 minutes to cool down myself.
As a skinny guy, I would want to preserve all the calories in my body. Oh! My precious calories….
Running before working out will limit the number of reps that can be used to build muscle, while running after exercising allows for proper technique in order to avoid injury during the lifts.
In conclusion, if you are looking to build your physical strength, it is best to do cardio after an intense weightlifting session.
Scenario 2: Do treadmill running First for weight loss goals
The cardio workout done on treadmill consume so much energy that there will be nothing left to do those 90% 1 RM squats.
But does weightlifting helps with weight loss if your goal is that?
Duh! clearly, running takes out a lot of energy out of you too quickly. But 1 Rep Max squats of 5 reps of 5 sets may not seem much, they drain you out of calories, but you are not just as aware as a treadmill run.
This might have motivated the test subjects to stay on the program for longer as well.
This means that weight lifting should come first if your main goal is losing weight, as it will help increase metabolism and decrease overall body mass.
If your goal is to gain muscle, you should also incorporate weights into your workout.
This allows for a better chance at gaining lean muscle growth, strength gains and fat loss.
But you can train with treadmills only and lose weight as well!
This 2012 study suggests that aerobic training could be the optimal style of workout to lose fat mass.
If you only do treadmill runs, then your workouts will be shorter as well.
So if your main goal is lose your fat mass first then you should do the cardio AKA treadmill runs.
Does treadmill increase height?
Scenario 3: You are training for a marathon to beat Milind Soman, training for cardio vascular health
A proper workout routine includes cardio, strength training, and flexibility. If you’re trying to improve your cardiovascular fitness while also building muscle mass, you should start with cardio before weightlifting.
For a stronger body overall, fitness trainers suggest that both be in your workout routine.
But if you just want to shed some fat and not train crazy for marathon – then for fat loss an HIIT training is an optimal method.
As per Harvard with HIIT you can do a 30 min workout under 15-20 minutes and it will train your heart well.
The above training from ACE Fitness seems interesting!
What should I do after a treadmill workout?
If you are gassed out, you should just rest.
Walk at low pace to cool yourself down and do your weight training or do more runs.
But the best option is to do some sort of HIIT instead of just treadmill running.
Interval training takes less time than steady-state exercise, and it’s beneficial for weight loss.
Intervals are a good way to keep the heart rate elevated while still achieving aerobic work capacity.
The best way to use a treadmill is for a moderate-intensity workouts like light jogging or low-intensity walking.
Base your time and speed of the treadmill workout on your current fitness level so that you don’t risk injury by running too fast at an unfamiliar place.
The following routine is from 8fit! This looks great!
- 3-minute warmup (brisk walk)
- 5-minute run at 5 MPH with a 5% incline
- 1-minute walk at 3.5 MPH with a 4% incline
- 5-minute run at 6 MPH with a 3% incline
- 1-minute walk at 3.5 MPH with a 2% incline
- 5-minute run at 7 MPH with a 2% incline
- 1-minute walk at 3.5 MPH with a 1% incline
- 3-minute sprint (8-9 MPH) with no incline
- 5-minute cooldown (light jogging)
How long should I run on treadmill before A strength workout?
As per Nike, you should run for 10 minutes max as a warm-up before a weightlifting session.
Laura Wheatley, a graduate student in Exercise and Sport Sciences at the University of Utah says that you should start with 20–30 minutes of treadmill workout which includes running and walking.
I also think you should do some walking in between your running routine to ease things out.
What is the best time to walk for weight loss?
Is it better to use the treadmill in the morning or at night?
Exercise is important for weight loss, but you should also consider how to schedule your workouts.
Walking before breakfast allows your body to be in a calorie deficit mode and this can help with the overall performance of the exercise.
Afternoon exercise has been found to have better performance results than morning exercises.
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Is walking on a treadmill good for seniors?
Walking on a treadmill is good for seniors. Regular walking increases memory, cardiovascular health, reduces arthritis pain, strengthens the immune system, and aids weight loss.
Seniors should walk for 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week as per CDC.
On average, public health guidelines promote at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for seniors.
And for seniors, I would say that it’s best to stick with brisk walking on the treadmill or outside because it will get your heart rate up and help you stay active while maintaining balance and coordination over time.
For weight training for seniors, they should consult with their doctors first.
Is it better to run before or after a treadmill?
If you are using a treadmill then you do not need to run outside at all. Unless you want to feel what the outside world looks like.
It is a commonly held belief that it is best to run before or after an exercise session.
This is because running on the treadmill will give you a more cardio focused workout.
FAQ
Is it good to walk on treadmill after workout?
It is good to walk on the treadmill after a workout to do some low-impact cardio. After a strength day, with the low amount of energy left in your body, you can do some treadmill run to get some cardio workout.
Does treadmill reduce belly fat?
Treadmill running or doing HIIT workouts on a treadmill requires a lot of calories. If you do these workouts at home or at the gym and keep watching your diet, then you will lose belly fat.
What is a good speed for a beginner on a treadmill?
5-8 km per hour is a good speed for beginners. Once you can pull that speed off easily, then you can consider an incline or increasing speed.
Does treadmill burn thigh fat?
A treadmill or any other gym machine can not target body parts for fat reduction. But doing repeated running workouts will slim you down and that will burn some thigh fat as well.
Is 30 minutes treadmill enough?
Most of the doctors recommend 150 minutes of walk/workout per week. So 30 minutes of moderate speed walking or running on the treadmill is enough for general fitness.
How much weight can I lose on a treadmill in a month?
Weight loss and weight gain depend on a lot of things but I have seen people lose 2-5 kgs a month with treadmill workouts.
Provided you do eat healthy low-calorie food, you might even can lose more weight.
And if you are going to the gym and your primary goal is losing body fat then you can take advice from a personal trainer.
At what speed should I run on the treadmill to lose weight?
A moderate speed of 8 km per hour is enough for most of us in India to lose weight. You can also vary in speed, incline, and throw in other workouts to expend more calories. You can also add some heavy lifting, exercise bike to your cardiovascular training.
Combining different types of endurance training will improve blood flow and will give more health benefits.
Conclusion
I would do runs as a cooldown after my main weight lifting sessions.
Since I would mostly do weightlifting workout/strength training exercises, thus my energy source will get lower at the end of my workout.
My training goals are focused on improving strength.
And yet all my workout sessions contain some workouts with cardio. Moderate-intensity cardio is good for overall health.
And if your goal is weight loss, then you should run first and do strength sessions later. You might also want to do high-intensity cardio as well.
Ref: Short Youtube version here
