If you’re looking to get the most out of your workout routine, one question you might have is whether it’s better to run before or after leg day. While both options can yield great results, there are some key differences between them that will help you decide which path works best for your goals. From the effects on muscle development to finding the right time for cardio, we’ll dive into the specifics so you can make an informed choice about when and how to tackle running in your training regimen.
Quick Answer
It is generally recommended to run before leg day, as running will help warm up your muscles and increase blood flow to the area. This can help reduce the risk of injury and improve your performance during leg exercises. Additionally, running after a heavy lifting session may leave you feeling too fatigued to get in a good workout.
Should I Run Before or After Leg Day?
When it comes to running and leg day, the debate rages on. Should you get your run out of the way before hitting up a full-fledged leg workout? Or is it better to save your legs for after your running session? There are pros and cons to both approaches; let’s take a closer look.
If you decide to do your cardio first, there are several benefits. Running before lifting will help warm up the body for an intense lower-body workout that follows. It also helps burn calories and fat prior to resistance training which can reduce fatigue so you can lift heavier weights with proper form. Additionally, if weight loss is your goal, then beginning with a cardiovascular routine will jumpstart calorie burning and make sure you don’t miss out on any of those precious results!
On the flip side, doing cardio after strength training could be beneficial as well – especially if time management is an issue since selecting this approach eliminates pre-run stretching from being added into the equation. Also, post-lifting endurance work may assist in muscular recovery due to increased blood flow aiding in muscle repair at a faster rate than traditional rest periods alone would provide.
When done right after lifting heavy weights, this type of exercise increases glycogen storage within muscles more efficiently than when performed separately or earlier during the day making refueling simpler while helping build lean muscle quicker too!
At the end of the day though it all boils down to individual preferences: some people just feel like they need their strength workout completed first thing for them to push through their runs later on that same day whereas others find value in using running as part of their cool-down period following an intense leg session – regardless what works best for each person always comes down personal preference & experimentation!
Benefits of Pre-leg Day Cardio
Cardio workouts are renowned for being an excellent way to stay fit and healthy, as well as burning excess fat. Doing cardio before your leg day workout can bring some great benefits for gaining muscle mass and increasing strength.
One of the main advantages of doing pre-leg day cardio is that it increases blood flow to your legs. This helps with delivering more oxygenated blood to your muscles, which in turn provides them with extra energy for the workout ahead. It also reduces inflammation, helping you recover faster from any soreness or fatigue after a strenuous session at the gym.
Additionally, increased blood flow helps reduce lactic acid buildup in your leg muscles during exercise, enabling you to perform better while lifting weights and reducing the risk of injury when pushing yourself too hard.
Another benefit of pre-leg day cardio is that it gives you physical and mental preparation for an intense session in the weight room by warming up your body slowly but effectively prior to starting strength training exercises such as squats or deadlifts.
It also gets rid of any fatigue or sluggishness that may have built up overnight giving you a much-needed energy boost before lifting weights; making sure you make every rep count towards gaining maximum muscle growth potential while avoiding feeling drained later on during the post-workout recovery time period . Doing just 10 minutes of light jogging or cycling can give your entire body an instant pick me-up so that it’s ready for heavier lifts throughout the session
Drawbacks of Pre-leg Day Cardio
Doing cardio before leg day is a trend that has been gaining traction lately, with many people claiming it provides the perfect opportunity to warm up and prime your body for lifting. However, certain drawbacks to this approach should be taken into consideration.
The most obvious drawback of pre-leg day cardio is that you are burning up energy which could otherwise be used for squats and deadlifts – two major movements included in every leg day routine. Doing an intensive session of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or steady-state cardio can take away from your performance when it comes time to lift heavy weights, as energy levels become depleted throughout the activity.
This may mean you’re unable to put maximum effort into each set and exercise due to fatigue, thus leading to inferior results in terms of muscle gain or strength-building progressions over time.
Another potential downside of doing pre-leg day cardio is that it may tire out your muscles too much prior to weightlifting activities. If an individual has done a particularly strenuous cardiovascular workout beforehand then their muscles will already be under considerable strain; performing lower body exercises while they’re still fatigued can lead them to experience increased soreness during recovery periods afterward, which can ultimately hinder further growth efforts down the line if left unchecked.
Finally, incorporating any kind of aerobics before hitting the gym always carries some risk factors with it – such as dehydration or injury – so one must consider whether their chosen form of exercise falls within safe parameters before carrying on with their regimen each time they visit the facility.
While doing light stretching prior to lifting weights can have positive effects by improving flexibility and loosening tight joints/muscles; pushing oneself too hard during aerobic activity might negate those benefits altogether depending on how intense it is performed at any given moment in time
Benefits of Post-leg Day Cardio
Cardio is an essential part of any leg day workout, as it helps you stretch the muscles that were worked and increases blood flow to help repair those muscles. Additionally, cardio after a leg day can also be beneficial for overall health and fitness goals. Doing post-leg day cardio can improve your cardiovascular health, speed up recovery time, boost metabolism, and provide extra calorie burn.
One of the main benefits of doing some low-intensity cardio post-leg day is to help recover from the intense training session. After completing a challenging leg workout – such as squats or deadlifts – your body needs to rest in order to rebuild muscle tissue that was broken down during exercise.
The endorphins released during aerobic activities have been shown to reduce inflammation in the body which allows for faster healing times by speeding up nutrient delivery into cells for regeneration purposes. This is why athletes like cyclists or runners may do light jogging following their heavy lifting days; they know how important it is for their bodies to recover quickly so they can perform optimally on race days!
Another advantage of adding some moderate aerobic activity after a leg workout has finished is increased fat-burning potential since this type of exercise raises heart rate over time which encourages long-term weight loss results with consistent effort over time.
It also raises core temperature which further boosts metabolic rate so more calories will be burned even when resting! Lastly, performing post-leg day cardio can increase endurance levels by teaching your body how to efficiently use oxygen while engaged in activity – giving you more energy throughout future workouts too!
Moreover, doing some form of steady-state cardio after a lower body session not only helps you stay active but gives your legs an extra challenge while still allowing them plenty of rest afterward: something vital if aiming towards bigger strength gains down the line.
Low-impact activities such as walking on an incline treadmill are great options here because they won’t put too much strain on joints yet still get those all-important cardiovascular benefits plus improved blood circulation & lymphatic drainage due to its rhythmic movement patterning too!