Cardio and strength training are often treated like two separate worlds. Some people mainly focus on lifting weights, while others mainly do cardio.
You may have heard things like: “If I do cardio, I will lose muscle,” or “If I do strength training, I will become slow and too muscular.”
But for most people and most goals, combining both is a smart choice. Strength training helps you build muscle strength, muscle mass and movement control. Cardio supports your fitness, health and energy.
In this article, you will learn when, how and how much cardio and strength training you can combine in a realistic routine.
What can strength training do for you?
Strength training means using resistance to challenge your muscles. This can be done with machines, free weights, cables, resistance bands, your own bodyweight or a combination of these.
Strength training can help with:
- muscle strength
- muscle growth
- bone health
- posture and movement control
- daily physical capacity
Strength training is not only for people who want to lift heavy. It is also useful if you want to move better, feel stronger in daily life and give your body more support.
What does cardio do?
Cardio is training where your heart rate stays elevated for a longer period. Think of walking, cycling, running, rowing, swimming or using cardio machines in the gym.
Cardio can help with:
- heart and lung fitness
- endurance
- energy
- recovery between efforts
- general health
Cardio does not always have to be intense. Easy cardio, such as walking or relaxed cycling, can also be valuable. Your goal and recovery determine which type of cardio works best for you.
Can you do cardio and strength training together?
Yes. You can combine cardio and strength training in the same routine. Many people get good results by doing both.
If you get out of breath quickly, feel tired or have low energy, you may also struggle to train with enough intensity during strength training. Better fitness can therefore support your strength sessions.
A simple rule is: your main goal gets your best energy.
Training for a marathon? Then cardio should usually come first.
If your main goal is strength, muscle growth, fat loss or general fitness, strength training before cardio is often the better choice.
If possible, you can also do cardio and strength training on different days or at different times of the day. That often gives you more energy and better recovery for both.
How cardio can affect strength training
Cardio is useful, but timing and intensity matter. A short, easy cardio warm-up before lifting can help you feel warmer and more prepared.
Long or intense cardio before strength training can reduce your performance. For example, if you do hard intervals or a long run before heavy leg training, your squats, deadlifts or leg press may feel much harder. Your legs may already be tired, your focus may drop and your working sets may become less strong.
That does not mean cardio ruins your progress. The problem is usually too much intensity, too much volume or too little recovery.
The best ways to combine cardio and strength training
Option 1: easy warm-up, strength training, then cardio
Start with 5 to 10 minutes of easy cardio, then do your strength training, and finish with 10 to 30 minutes of cardio.
This works well if your main goal is to get stronger, build muscle, improve general fitness or support fat loss. You use your best energy for the exercises that require the most focus, control and strength.
Option 2: cardio and strength training on separate days
This works well if both are important to you and you want more recovery between sessions. For example, you could do strength training on Monday, cardio on Tuesday and rest on Wednesday.
It does not need to be complicated. Walking, cycling or an easy session on a cardio machine can already count as cardio.
Option 3: easy cardio on rest days
Easy cardio, such as walking or relaxed cycling, can help you stay active without making it harder for your body to recover. This can be useful if you want to move more while keeping your strength training effective.
How much cardio do you need?
For general health, official guidelines from the World Health Organization recommend that adults work toward 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, or an equivalent combination of both. They also recommend muscle-strengthening activities for all major muscle groups on two or more days per week.
A simple starting point is 2 to 3 cardio sessions per week. These can last 10 to 30 minutes, depending on your level. Keep most sessions easy or moderate, especially if strength training is also important to you.
If your main goal is strength or muscle growth, keep most cardio controlled and do not suddenly add a lot of hard cardio. This gives your body enough room to recover and get stronger.
150 minutes a week comes down to roughly 22 minutes a day. To help you put that into practice, the Basic-Fit app has 22-minute training plans focused on three things you might need from your workout: more energy, more confidence or a calmer session.
Example weekly routines
Beginner, 3 days per week
- Day 1: full-body strength training + 10 to 20 minutes easy cardio
- Day 2: rest or walking
- Day 3: full-body strength training
- Day 4: rest
- Day 5: full-body strength training + 10 to 20 minutes easy cardio
- Day 6: rest or walking
- Day 7: rest
Beginner, 4 days per week
- Day 1: upper-body strength training + 10 to 20 minutes easy cardio
- Day 2: lower-body strength training
- Day 3: rest
- Day 4: upper-body strength training + 10 to 20 minutes easy cardio
- Day 5: lower-body strength training
- Day 6: rest
- Day 7: rest
These are only examples. The best routine is the one you can stick to and recover from.
Common mistakes
- Doing too much too soon. Adding several cardio and strength sessions at the same time can be hard to recover from. Build gradually.
- Making every cardio session intense. Hard intervals can be useful, but not every cardio session needs to be hard. Easy cardio can work well when strength training is also a priority.
- Doing intense cardio before heavy leg training. This can reduce your strength performance. If leg strength is important, lift first or plan cardio at another time.
- Skipping recovery. Cardio and strength training are both training stressors. Pay attention to energy, sleep, soreness and performance. If everything keeps feeling heavier, you may need more recovery.
- Thinking cardio ruins your progress. Cardio does not automatically stop you from getting stronger or building muscle. Problems usually come from too much intensity, too much volume or too little recovery.
- Using cardio for the wrong goal. For example, the stairmaster can make your glutes work, but high repetitions and a lot of fatigue do not automatically mean better muscle growth. If your goal is glute growth, use strength training as your main tool. Use cardio mainly for fitness, recovery and health.
Conclusion
Cardio and strength training can work very well together. Strength training helps you build strength and muscle, while cardio supports your fitness, health and energy.
Start simple. Decide what your main goal is, give that goal your best energy and add the other type of training in a way that gives your body enough time to recover.
The Basic-Fit app can help you build that routine, with a wide range of cardio workouts and video workouts you can follow whenever it fits your day. Pick a session that works for you and keep building from there.
This article is for general information only. Individual needs can vary depending on health status, training experience, and personal goals. If you have a medical condition or specific health concerns, consider seeking advice from a qualified healthcare professional
