🏋️‍♂️ 3 Reasons you should do cardio after lifting

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Here's what's going on today (no fooling):

• All the reasons to do cardio after lifting

• Can barefoot training elevate your fitness?

• Active stretching for optimal performance

Conditioning

Order of Events

In the past, you may have felt like you've needed to choose between being a lifter or being a runner. Well, you don't. Not only are both disciplines good for you, but they complement each other. The cardio you gain from running will grant you more endurance to lift weights for more reps, translating to more muscle. On the flip, strength training will build up your calves, quads, and core — the main muscles that allow you to run more powerfully.

So you know you can (and maybe should) run, even a little, in addition to strength training. However, now the question becomes, "Do I run before or after lifting?" Well, we have the answer.

It turns out that running after you lift keeps you fresher for the weights, lets you lift heavier, and increases your muscle-building potential. Below, we'll dive into the science and expand on those three reasons.   

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Workout Tips

Sole Train

Barefoot training has amassed a legion of devotees who believe that socks are all you need on your feet to get some world-class training. But once and for all, does lifting weights without shoes actually help? Are shady Al Bundy-esque shoe salespeople robbing you of your gainz?

Given the sheer number of people deadlifting in just socks, it's clear there is some benefit (in this case, leverage). Feeling the floor directly may give you a better understanding of the mind-muscle connection, but is there a cost to this? At the end of the day, it may simply be a matter of preference. Learn all about your feet and what they may be able to do for you in the gym.

Exercise Science

Biiiig Stretch

Stretching seems to frequently fall in and out of favor in the fitness world. Much of the discourse surrounding stretching as a viable — or wasteful, depending on who you ask — practice comes from research that is hastily or altogether incorrectly interpreted.

That said, stretching has maintained its status as a benchmark practice among recreational yogis and professional weightlifters alike for a reason. It can be incredibly effective for preventing injuries or recovering from strenuous training when utilized correctly.

Want to reap the benefits of a stretching routine? We reveal some of the best active stretches for maximizing recovery and performance both in and out of the gym.

Everything Else

What's in the Box? 

• Even though box squats' efficacy has been proven for decades, it's still easy to sleep on this potentially game-changing move. It's time to wake up to their power and joy with this tutorial.

• Olivia Reeves may be one of America's best hopes for a weightlifting medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and she recently dropped some jaws by squatting three times her body weight.

• Sometimes, it's important to stop in the middle of your diatribe about "kids these days" being weaker than past generations. Need more proof? Watch this high school student squat 900 pounds.