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Article by Infofit

Effects of Combining Strength & Endurance Training

Does the order of strength training and endurance training matter?

Endurance training can help build endurance for a sport or event

Endurance training, when implemented correctly, can significantly help build endurance for a specific sport or event. It can be used in either a resistance training method using higher repetitions with lighter resistance or in an aerobic training capacity building endurance at a slower but longer duration depending on the desired results.

Strength training can help athletes improve their performance

Strength training on the other hand can significantly help in building overall strength for athletes looking to improve their athletic performance is most commonly trained in the weight room with weights that include between 80-95% of a person’s 1 rep maximum, meaning they are only able to lift that weight 2-6 times at most.

But how would the combination of using both methods during a single training session affect a persons overall fitness and lean mass? A study was performed to see what would result if physically active young men were to perform moderate training 2-3 times per week for a total of 24 weeks. They looked at the effects of endurance training first and strength training second for group 1 versus strength training first and endurance training second for group 2. They were expecting one group to excel in one area more than the other group as the training order should certainly yield different results. However, what they found was that both groups had significant increases in both aerobic power and their 1 rep maximum as well as a significant increase in their lean mass. There were no significant changes during the 24 weeks in their body fat percentage or in their blood lipids.

Include both endurance training and strength training in your workouts

The results confirmed their suspicions that the order in which a person trains regarding strength training and endurance training or vice versa does not affect training adaptations.  So when you are planning your next workout, and you want to include both endurance training and strength training, the order in which to perform both components depends solely on your preference.

Ref:https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Abstract/2014/09000/Fitness_and_Lean_Mass_Increases_during_Combined.11.aspx