Question: Should I combine my cardio work with my strength training on the same days, or should I do them on separate days?

Answer: Everything depends on your goal and, of course, training schedule. Generally, there are two different ways you can add your cardiovascular exercise with your strength-training program. The first is to start by including cardio on the same day that you perform your strength training workout.

The only rule to follow is if you want to concentrate on getting in a good lift, do weights first, but don't forget to begin with 5-10 minutes of light aerobic warm-up. If you want to have a great cardio workout, then start with cardio. Keep in mind that whatever you do first will take up most of your energy, therefore the activity followed would lack the wanted intensity.

So, doing cardio first if you want to build muscles is not a good idea. The other method of training can be accomplished by alternating your cardiovascular exercise with your strength training work: one day concentrate only on weights, the next day focus only on cardio. But this type of routine can become a burden if you are pressed for time.

And there is the third way of working out - if weight loss (burning fat) is your main goal doing cardio on an empty stomach after fasting all night is the way to go. That's because you access your fat stores quicker when your carbohydrate levels are depleted from a night of fasting. But, there could be several potential drawbacks to working out in the morning.

First, exercising in a fasting state is like running a car on an empty tank. You might suffer from a loss of energy, headaches or nausea from an early morning workout. Second, if you are not a morning person, trying to exercise when you are not fully awake can be torture. Others, on the other hand, find that they will be too tired to train at the end of the workday. Experimenting with exercise and finding what best works for you is the way to go. You are almost guaranteed that you will have the greatest workouts when you have sufficient energy and time.

By Elena Voropay