Like Oil and Water?

Is it OK to mix cardio and strength training in the same exercise session? I like to separate mine, so I am currently lifting three days a week and performing cardio (circuit-style body weight training, 5K runs, and walks) for the other four. This allows me to perform each exercise session optimally. That’s just me. But how do the pundits weigh in on the subject?

It depends on your intensity. If you’re jogging at a moderate pace on the treadmill for 20 minutes and then hitting the weights--moderately--for 40 minutes, it probably doesn’t matter. But according to Dr. Bill Kraemer, a professor of kinesiology, physiology and neurobiology at the University of Connecticut, “You wouldn't want to have a heavy lifting day after running 10 miles." After an intense cardio workout, your body needs to restore energy, rebuild damaged tissue.

The bottom line: "You want to be fully metabolically and neurologically capable for the big stuff. Whatever [activity] you do first will have the highest quality," Kraemer explains.