Is it better to split your strength training and cardio into 2 sessions or 1 long workout?

quote:

---

If I have the opportunity to do either, is there a difference?

---

At that volume, unless the intensity is insane, no

If time was not an issue, I’d prefer doing cardio sessions first thing in the morning and strength trainings in the evenings

Some studies say it doesn’t matter the timing , but I feel morning cardio gets my metabolism going better than in the evenings. I get an increase in energy and hunger when doing cardio in the mornings

And I feel stronger and can lift heavier in the evenings. YMMV

quote:

---

If time was not an issue, I’d prefer doing cardio sessions first thing in the morning and strength trainings in the evenings

---

Same. I do cardio very early and on an empty stomach. I like the way it boosts my metabolism and gets my day going.
Weight train in the evenings and light cardio right after to bring it home.

Works for me.

quote:

---

Moving is moving no matter when you do it.

---

Well that's not true. Do 500 air squats and go immediately run a mile. Or do 500 air squats and 10 hours later and go run a mile and tell me they aren't different.

quote:

---

That’s not the question. He asked whether it matters if splits his cardio and strength sessions into two workouts during the day. In the long term vision of programming and weight maintenance, splitting it up will likely not result in any perceptible difference. I’m not denying that it is harder to do one after the other, but that is a short term effect and not really relevant to the issue presented.

---

If your goal is to build muscle, concurrent training is not optimal. It’s called the interference phenomenon or effect. Not sure at what level of training it starts to be meaningful.

quote:

---

If you can't reach the desired intensity on the second part of the workout doing it in one session will absolutely have a long term effect.

---

You are only considering it in one day. Over the course of a week, month, etc. it would even out. What you are forgetting is that if he rests for 12 hours in a day he’s also only resting for 12 hours between days, where as working out the same day he’d then have a 24 hour or more rest.

I’m not sure what your plan is OP or how often you work and I’m not an Olympic athlete. But if you are working out 120 mins/ day you are likely over training. Especially if you are trying to build muscle. You likely should be doing more like 40 mins of weights and 15-20 mins of more intense cardio.

Unless you are an athlete focusing your life on your body that’s a lot to be doing for peak performance/ returns.

quote:

---

You are only considering it in one day. Over the course of a week, month, etc. it would even out.

---

It'll likely get even worse

quote:

---

What you are forgetting is that if he rests for 12 hours in a day he’s also only resting for 12 hours between days, where as working out the same day he’d then have a 24 hour or more rest.

---

But he's still resting 24 hours between each lifting session and cardio session. And that's not really how it works anyway.

quote:

---

I’m not sure what your plan is OP or how often you work and I’m not an Olympic athlete. But if you are working out 120 mins/ day you are likely over training.

---

No such thing as over training as long as you are sufficiently recovering. I do more volume in a day than some people here do in a week, but I can recover from it.

quote:

---

Especially if you are trying to build muscle. You likely should be doing more like 40 mins of weights and 15-20 mins of more intense cardio.

---

Well that would just depend.

quote:

---

Unless you are an athlete focusing your life on your body that’s a lot to be doing for peak performance/ returns.

---

Huh?

I prefer to just lift and stay lean by eating the proper amount of calories so that I don’t have to waste time doing cardio.