In a 2007 study conducted at the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Tokyo, ten men took part in an experiment to look at the effects that participating in a weight training session before aerobics would have on lipolysis (fat burning). For those looking to get the most from their fat burning efforts (and wouldn’t that be all of us?), the study yielded some interesting results.
The men performed three types of exercise regimen:
- Submaximal endurance exercise only (what is commonly referred to as “aerobics”).
- Resistance training followed by a twenty minute break and then submaximal endurance exercise.
- Resistance training followed by a two hour break before performing the submaximal exercise (again: aerobics).
The researchers found that when the test subjects participated in resistance training and then took part in an aerobics session with only a twenty minute break in between, their bodies burned more fat than when they did not participate in the resistance training, or when the break between sessions (two hours) was too long.
Conclusion: Lifting weights right before your aerobics session could help you burn more fat, but don’t leave the gym for dinner in between sessions.
Source: Effects of resistance exercise on lipolysis during subsequent submaximal exercise.