When you head into just about any gym, it is pretty obvious what each person "enjoys" or a guess a better word would be "prioritizes" for their workout. Meaning, the gal jamming away on the treadmill with a smile on her face probably enjoys cardio more than the guy grunting with curling huge dumbbells that hasn't stepped on a cardio machine for ages, and vice versa. Muscular strength and endurance are two essential keys to optimal fitness, however most of us prefer one significantly over the other (or neither at all!). Of course it is rare to have these components preferred equally in any given person and that is most often fine; given that he/she engages in the recommended minimum of both. Therefore, clients often ask me "Which should come first, cardio or strength?" My answer is one of three: Cardio. Strength. Both at the same time.

Well, that probably wasn't confusing right?! Let me explain. Let's go to the extremes: You cannot expect to reach your ultimate potential as a weightlifter and marathoner at the same time. Too much strength exercise can slow your endurance gains, and logging hours and hours of cardio per week will hinder your ability to build and/or keep muscle. Most people do not fall into either extreme category however and desire a reasonable combination of cardio ability and muscle mass.

From what I researched, findings show that the key to which you choose to do first is simple: start with the activity that is most important to you. If you want bigger and defined muscles, hit the weights first. If you are training for an endurance event such as a 10K, focus on cardio before your strength session. There is an enzyme called AMP kinase which is called the "master switch" as it controls both the cellular adaptations for either bigger muscles or better endurance. Apparently how you start your workout that given session determines which way the switch will be set; without changing back and forth in the same session.

While I agree with some of these findings, I also find in a bit hard to believe that the switch is "locked" into that setting for the entire workout. I feel that the switch is never exactly in the middle but more so leaning toward one side or the other. And why must the two genres of fitness be so compartmental? For example, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a great mix of cardio, endurance, strength and power. And many people find that it makes the workouts fly by since it breaks it up into smaller circuits.

So, instead of doing all cardio and all weights in two big chunks, HIIT alternates between the two for gains on both ends of the spectrum and in between.

Example of a HIIT workout:

1 minute jumping jacks

15 pushups

1 minute mountain climbers

15 deadlifts

30 seconds high knees

15 squat presses

30 second butt kicks

20 reverse lunges each leg

1 minute side shuffles

1 minute plank

If you repeat this circuit 5 times, you will have a 45-60 minute full body workout that will challenge you and likely not bore you.

Another piece of advice (and one I should take more often) if you are looking to improve fitness: do what you are not good at. It is easy to do something we are good at because, well, we are good at it! What you are already good at is probably not where you are lacking in fitness. It's in the areas we may struggle in that can use more attention and challenge your body and metabolism.