Quick workout question

[Spac3d]

I am 19 and have been working out seriously for almost a year. I lift pretty hard then I run for 2-4 miles, so everytime I goto the gym I lift weights and get my cardio in. I am usually sore the next day from the lifting so I take those days off. My protein supplement doesnt make me feel any different in the morning, I am still sore for about ~36hours.

So, is it better to work out pretty hard and have a days rest in between workouts or is it better to not work out as hard each time but work out everyday??? Does it make much of a difference?

Thanks

Spac3d

 

[yobarman]

always work out to full intensity, so if you're feeling sore the couple days after then you should stay rested...

are you stretching enough before and after workouts? drinking lots of water and protien and taking your vitamins? huh, are ya?!

 

[amnesiac]

1. Cardio first. Lifting first invalidates the first 5-15 minutes of any work you do because your muscles aren't warmed up. Plus you risk injury.
2. Alternate muscle groups. Don't work the same muscle groups within 48 hours
3. Working out more than 4 times a week has been shown to have little advantage. i.e. working out every other day is good. However, you can do cardio whenever you want.
4. For building and repairing muscle, make sure to ingest the protein within 1 hour of your workout, preferably within 30 minutes. Don't smoke for at least an hour.
5. Water. It is your friend. Drink LOTS of it before (pre-hydration = VERY important), during, and after. The quicker you are to sweat the better off your body is.

 

[Spac3d]

Originally posted by: yobarman
always work out to full intensity, so if you're feeling sore the couple days after then you should stay rested...

are you stretching enough before and after workouts? drinking lots of water and protien and taking your vitamins? huh, are ya?!

That is what I thought.

I actually do stretch before and after the workouts. I take a protein shake and I bought a good multi vitamin but my crazy aunt from India told my mom I would poison myself if I took both so they hid the vitamins somewhere.

If I took both I would be getting 100% of everything and 150% of some vitamins.

Spac3d

 

[yobarman]

IMO i wouldn't recommend doing cardio before working out... it would just wear me out. A little jumping up and down and stretching is all i need...then after working out use the last of your energy for cardio....


read up on T-mag (in my sig)

 

[GoodToGo]

Go for Cardio first and then weights. Do only one major body part every day(arms, shoulders, chest, back and legs). Also creatin(sp?) supplements are good at removing such tiredness.

 

[UDT89]

i heard bananas are good for soreness..........or was that something else

 

[Insomnium]

Stretching and cardio are good before workouts as long as you don't go nuts to the point where you don't have enough energy to lift. Heart rate up = good for lifting.

By the way, any opinions on some good tasting protein bars or shakes? I haven't tried many but the ones I have pretty much sucked :disgust: though the Met-Rx bars labeled "New and Improved Taste" weren't too bad.

 

[Babbles]

What I do and suggest is to do 10 minutes of cardio to warm up then hit the weights.

Also, you don't want to stretch a cold muscle either. I start by doing a fast walk for five minutes then a fast jog for five minutes then stretch.

After that do your normal cardio routine after lifting.

Something about your body will burn more fuel doing cardio however if you do that first you won't have anything left to get a good full intensity workout lifting weights. If you lift first then hit the cardio you should burn more fat since your body used the carbs and what not when you did your lifting.

Also, I try to keep my heavy cardio days seperate from my lifting days. I eat more when I lift; and I do cardio on a near empty stomach to burn the fat and not the carbs I would have just ate.

 

[Spac3d]

Originally posted by: Babbles
What I do and suggest is to do 10 minutes of cardio to warm up then hit the weights.

Also, you don't want to stretch a cold muscle either. I start by doing a fast walk for five minutes then a fast jog for five minutes then stretch.

After that do your normal cardio routine after lifting.

Something about your body will burn more fuel doing cardio however if you do that first you won't have anything left to get a good full intensity workout lifting weights. If you lift first then hit the cardio you should burn more fat since your body used the carbs and what not when you did your lifting.

Also, I try to keep my heavy cardio days seperate from my lifting days. I eat more when I lift; and I do cardio on a near empty stomach to burn the fat and not the carbs I would have just ate.

That sounds a lot like what I do actually. My heavy days of cardio (which is 4+ miles) I usually just stretch down for a few minutes and then do an excersize I dont feel I got in during the week and I do abs.

Thanks for all the replies!

Spac3d