Strength Training or Cardio First – Does the Order Matter?

Many people who exercise regularly – and many patients in rehabilitation – combine strength training and cardiovascular training within the same session. A common question is whether the order matters: should you start with strength or cardio to achieve the best results? The answer is more nuanced than often assumed and depends on goals, health status, and context.

The so-called “interference” effect

Research on concurrent strength and endurance training has long discussed the interference effect. This refers to the possibility that endurance training may blunt strength adaptations when both modalities are performed in close proximity over time. One proposed explanation involves competing cellular signaling pathways responsible for different muscular adaptations.

However, this effect is not absolute. It appears most pronounced with high training volumes, high-intensity endurance work, and in individuals training for maximal strength or power.

What does the research show?

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses indicate that performing strength training before cardio within the same session generally leads to greater strength gains compared to the reverse order. Cardiorespiratory adaptations, on the other hand, seem less sensitive to training order.

For recreational exercisers and patients undergoing rehabilitation, these differences are often small and of limited clinical relevance. In these groups, total training volume, consistency, and adherence are far more important than the precise order of exercises.

Relevance for physiotherapy and rehabilitation

In physiotherapy practice, training order should primarily be guided by the patient’s goals and functional capacity. If the objective is to improve strength, stability, or load tolerance, it may be advantageous to prioritize strength training while the patient is least fatigued.

For patients with limited endurance, cardiopulmonary conditions, or pain-related issues, a light cardiovascular component at the beginning of the session may serve as an effective warm-up and improve movement quality during subsequent strength exercises. In such cases, individualization outweighs general training principles.

Practical recommendations

For most people, the following rules of thumb apply:

• Perform the training modality most important to your goal first in the session.

• Avoid high-intensity endurance exercise immediately before heavy strength training if maximal strength is the priority.

• In rehabilitation settings, choose the order that optimizes technique, safety, and adherence.

Summary

The order of strength and cardiovascular training can influence outcomes, particularly strength adaptations in well-trained or performance-oriented individuals. For most recreational exercisers and patients, however, the impact is modest. Training quality, consistency, and individualized programming are far more important than selecting the “perfect” order.

Sources

• Fyfe, J. J., Bishop, D. J., & Stepto, N. K. (2014). Interference between concurrent resistance and endurance exercise: Molecular bases and the role of individual training variables. Sports Medicine, 44(6), 743–762. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0162-1

• Grgic, J., McIlvenna, L. C., Fyfe, J. J., Sabol, F., Bishop, D. J., & Schoenfeld, B. J. (2019). Does aerobic training interfere with strength and hypertrophy adaptations? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 49(5), 713–733. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-019-01099-1

• Wilson, J. M., Marin, P. J., Rhea, M. R., Wilson, S. M., Loenneke, J. P., & Anderson, J. C. (2012). Concurrent training: A meta-analysis examining interference of aerobic and resistance exercises. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 26(8), 2293–2307. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31823a3e2d