Should You Do Pilates Before or After Cardio? Deciding the Optimal Workout Order

Should You Do Pilates Before or After Cardio?

With the rise in popularity of pilates in recent years, many people have started incorporating it into their workout routines. Some do pilates in addition to strength training and cardio, while others use it as their primary form of exercise. This leaves many wondering - should you do pilates before or after cardio?

There are good arguments on both sides of the debate. Some say it's better to do pilates first to activate and strengthen the smaller stabilizing muscles that will be worked during cardio. Others prefer to do cardio first to get the heart rate up and burn more calories during the pilates session.

Ultimately there is no universally right or wrong answer. The optimal order depends on your specific goals, level of fitness, and personal preferences. Here are some things to consider when deciding whether pilates should come before or after cardio in your workout schedule.

Benefits of Doing Pilates Before Cardio

There are several potential advantages to doing pilates before cardio:

• It warms up your body - Pilates is effective at warming up muscles, mobilizing joints, and getting blood circulating. This can prep your body for more intense cardio exercise.
• It activates stabilizer muscles - Many pilates exercises heavily utilize smaller stabilizer muscles. Engaging these first can better prepare them for stabilization during aerobic activity.
• It prevents injury - Activating stabilizers ahead of time provides more support for joints and can help prevent injury during cardio where you may be subjected to more impact.
• It enhances mind-body connection - The focus required during the controlled movements of pilates can get you in the right mental state for the workout ahead.
• It allows you to go deeper in stretches - Warm pliable muscles from an earlier pilates session allow you to stretch further during cool down stretches after cardio.

So doing pilates first has some clear benefits as a preparatory workout before higher intensity cardio. The stabilization, joint support, and flexibility gained can really prime you for better form and less risk of pain or injury during aerobic exercise.

Benefits of Doing Cardio Before Pilates

On the other hand, there are also good reasons you may want to do cardio first and pilates after:

• Higher calorie burn - Getting cardio done first, when energy levels are highest, often allows you to work at a higher intensity and burn more calories.
• Increased endurance - The cardiovascular endurance gained during an initial cardio workout can help you last longer during the sustained holds and sequences of pilates.
• Warmed up muscles - Cardio gets the blood flowing, increasing muscle temperature, which decreases risk of pulls or strains during pilates.
• Higher heart rate - Starting with cardio elevates heart rate, which you want to be higher during strength training for optimal calorie and fat burn.
• Better recovery - Low intensity pilates moves done after higher intensity cardio aids circulation for faster muscle recovery.

So in many cases doing cardio first can enable you to get the most out of your pilates session and the entire workout as a whole. The increased calorie burn, endurance, and recovery benefits often make this order appealing if fitness goals are your top priority.

Factors to Consider

When planning your workouts, here are some key factors to take into account as you decide whether to schedule pilates or cardio first:

• Your goals - If fat burning and weight loss are your main objectives, cardio first may be optimal. If you're focused on sculpting long lean muscles, pilates first may be better.
• Level of intensity - The higher the cardio intensity, the more warmup pilates can benefit. For lighter cardio, the order matters less.
• Types of cardio - High impact cardio like running may require more pilates prep, while swimming or biking put less stress on stabilizers.
• Time constraints - Getting cardio in first guarantees you raise heart rate if short on time for the full workout.
• Eating schedule - Doing pilates while fasted can lead to dizziness or muscle weakness, so eat first or do cardio first.
• Your energy levels - When most energized, get cardio done to maximize burn. When tired, pilates may better suit low energy levels.

Paying attention to these factors can typically steer you in the right direction of whether pilates should come before or after cardio for your unique needs on any given day.

Sample Workout Schedules

Here are two sample workout schedule options showing how pilates and cardio can be sequenced:

Pilates First

• 5 minute gentle warm up and stretch
• 20-30 minutes mat or reformer pilates
• 10-20 minute HIIT cardio session
• 5-10 minute cool down and stretch

This schedule prioritizes activation and stabilization in pilates before ramping up to higher intensity intervals. The pilates workout targets smaller muscle groups to prepare the body for cardio. Stretches bookend the session to maximize flexibility.

Cardio First

• 5-10 minute dynamic warm up
• 20-30 minutes steady state cardio like running, biking, or swimming
• 10-15 minutes pilates cool down and muscle engagement
• 5-10 minute stretching

Here cardio is done first to elevate heart rate and maximize calorie burn. The pilates session afterwards enhances flexibility, recruits muscle fibers, and aids recovery. This allows you get the most out of both workouts.

Tips for Deciding the Order

Here are some useful tips to help you work out whether pilates should come first or second on any given day:

• If doing high impact/intensity cardio, pilates first may be safest.
• On focused strength training days, save pilates for the end to supplement lifts.
• After an intense workout, use pilates to wind down and stretch out muscles.
• When you first wake up, get cardio in right away and do pilates post-workout.
• If short on time, consider alternating days - one day pilates first, the next cardio first.
• For maximum calorie burn, do intense cardio first followed immediately by pilates to keep heart rate up.

Being mindful of these tips and how your body feels can typically guide you to sequence pilates and cardio in an order that suits your changing needs day to day.

In Conclusion

There are good arguments for both pilates before cardio and cardio before pilates. Choosing what order to do them ultimately depends on your specific goals, current energy levels, time constraints, and the types of workouts planned.

Doing pilates first allows you to activate stabilizer muscles, enhance flexibility, and prepare your body for the cardio to come. This can be especially beneficial before intense or high impact cardio. But doing cardio first will heat up your muscles, maximize calorie burn, elevate your heart rate, and improve endurance for the pilates session.

Ideally it’s beneficial to mix up the order - some days starting with pilates to hone form and prevent injury, other days beginning with cardio to optimize energy expenditure. Listen to your body, consider your aims, and structure your workouts accordingly to achieve maximum results.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.