- With Mayo Clinic physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist
Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
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Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
Dr. Edward Laskowski is certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. He is co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center and a professor at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
He has been on the staff of Mayo Clinic since 1990 and specializes in sports medicine, fitness, strength training and stability training. He works with a multidisciplinary team of physical medicine, rehabilitation and orthopedic specialists, physical therapists and sports psychologists.
Dr. Laskowski is an elite-level skier and approaches sports medicine from the perspective of a physician and an athlete. In addition to skiing, he is an avid hiker, cyclist and climber.
In 2006, President George W. Bush appointed Dr. Laskowski to a two-year term on the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
Dr. Laskowski was a member of the medical staff of the Olympic Polyclinic at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and was involved in medical coverage for the Chicago Marathon. He serves as a consulting physician to the National Hockey League Players' Association and is a featured lecturer at the American College of Sports Medicine's Team Physician Course.
Dr. Laskowski, a Cary, Ill., native, has contributed to Mayo Clinic's CD-ROM on sports, health and fitness, a Web site guide to self-care, and hundreds of Mayo Clinic articles and booklets in print and online. He is a contributing editor to Mayo Clinic's "Fitness for EveryBody" book.
"There are many myths and misconceptions about exercise and fitness in general, and also many traditions that don't stand up to scientific scrutiny," he says. "My goal is to provide the most up-to-date and accurate information on sports medicine and fitness topics in a way that you can practically incorporate into your life."
Fitness basics (4)
- Exercise and illness: Should you exercise when you're sick?
- Heart rate: What's normal?
- Body fat analyzers: How accurate are they?
- see all in Fitness basics
Aerobic exercise (10)
- Weighted hula hoops: Exercise gimmick or good idea?
- Elliptical machines: Better than treadmills?
- Air pollution and exercise: Is outdoor exercise risky?
- see all in Aerobic exercise
Strength training (10)
- Weightlifting belt: Do I need one?
- Sit-ups: Is it OK to stabilize my feet?
- Flat stomach: Can wearing a girdle tighten abdominal muscles?
- see all in Strength training
Sports nutrition (4)
- 'Natural' steroids: Are they safe?
- Insulin: Can it boost athletic performance?
- Energy drinks: OK for athletes?
- see all in Sports nutrition
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Question
Weightlifting: Before or after an aerobic workout?
Is it better to lift weights before or after an aerobic workout?
Answer
from Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
Whether you lift weights before or after an aerobic workout is up to you. Research hasn't definitively shown that one way is better than another.
Consider factors that fuel the debate:
- Lifting weights can deplete your "quick burst" energy (glycogen) stores. If you lift weights first, you may burn less glycogen and more stored fat during your aerobic workout. If you lift weights first, however, you may be too tired to complete your aerobic workout — which could jeopardize your weight loss or fitness goals.
- An aerobic workout can be a good warm-up for weightlifting. If you do your aerobic workout first, however, you may be too fatigued to lift weights with proper form — which could increase the risk of injury.
The bottom line? If you want to include both weightlifting and aerobic exercise in the same workout, experiment to find what works best for you.
Next questionFitness ball exercises: Good for my abs?
- Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 21, 2009.
- Davis WJ, et al. Concurrent training enhances athletes' strength, muscle endurance, and other measures. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2008;22:1487.
- Drummond MJ, et al. Aerobic and resistance exercise sequence affects excess postexercise oxygen consumption. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2005;19:332.
- Optional nutrition for exercise. In: McArdle WD, et al. Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition & Human Performance. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2007:101.
- Williams MA, et al. Resistance exercise in individuals with and without cardiovascular disease: 2007 update. Circulation. 2007;116:572.
