Should You Do Abs Before or After Cardio?

When designing a workout routine, one question that often arises is the order of exercises, particularly whether you should tackle abs before or after cardio. The answer isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution as it is dependent on your fitness goals, energy levels, and personal preferences.

Your body has a limited energy reserve, primarily stored as glycogen in muscles, to fuel your workout (1). The sequence of exercises can influence how effectively this energy is utilized. 

By prioritizing the component of your workout that is aligned with your goals, you ensure maximum effort and focus when your energy is at its peak.

Here’s what to know when designing your routine.

Can I Do Abs and Cardio Together?

Abs and cardio are complementary exercises that can be done together effectively, as long as the session is well-planned. 

Cardio primarily improves cardiovascular health and aerobic capacity. It’s excellent for burning calories and reducing overall body fat (2). On the other hand, abs exercises aim to strengthen the muscles in the core, which include the abdominals, obliques, and lower back (3). These muscles support posture, stabilize movement, and play an essential role in most physical activities (4).

When combined, these activities target complementary aspects of fitness. Cardio helps create the calorie deficit that is needed for fat loss (5), while abs exercises improve muscle tone and core strength (4). When done strategically, this pairing can enhance your overall workout efficiency. For more details about calisthenics supersets, take a look at our prior publication.

Should You Do Abs Before or After Cardio?

Both approaches have their benefits and drawbacks and the right choice often depends on your specific goals and individual body responses.

Pros of Doing Abs Before Cardio

Focused Energy for Core Work

At the start of a workout, your energy levels are at their highest. This means your muscles can perform with optimal strength and endurance.

• Abs exercises require precision and control to effectively target your core muscles.
• Starting with abs ensures you’re not fatigued, which allows for better form.
• Poor form during abs exercises can lead to ineffective workouts or even strain on your lower back.

Prioritizes Core Strength Goals

If improving core strength is your main objective, starting with abs ensures you’re giving this area the highest priority.

• The core is central to almost every movement, from lifting weights to running.
• A strong core helps stabilize the body, which reduces injury risk.
• Focusing on abs first helps you train the muscles when they’re fresh and ready to be challenged.

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Cons of Doing Abs Before Cardio

Potential Fatigue During Cardio

The core plays an essential role in maintaining posture and stability during cardio (4). If the core muscles are fatigued from abs exercises, your cardio performance may suffer.

• Activities such as running or cycling rely on core strength for balance and efficiency.
• Fatigue can lead to poor posture, which increases the risk of injury, particularly in the lower back or hips.

Scenario: Imagine completing a challenging ab circuit, then immediately moving to treadmill sprints. A fatigued core may cause alignment issues, which will impact your stride.

Reduced Capability for Elevated Cardiovascular Output in a Given Workout Session

When cardiovascular exercise follows intense abs training, your overall stamina and energy reserves may be reduced.

• Cardiovascular exercise sessions, particularly high-intensity ones, demand endurance and focus.
• Fatigue from your abs workout could limit your ability to sustain a strong performance.

Takeaway: If fat loss or cardiovascular health is your top goal, prioritizing cardio may be wiser.

Pros of Doing Abs After Cardio

Warms up the Core Muscles

Cardio increases your body’s temperature and stimulates blood flow to your muscles (6). This applies to your core too.

• A warmed-up core is more pliable, which reduces the chance of strains during abs-focused moves.
• Exercises such as planks feel more comfortable and effective when your muscles are already primed and ready to perform each exercise.

Example: Running or cycling engages the core indirectly, acting as a natural warm-up for targeted abs work later.

Enhances Fat Loss Potential

If your goal is fat loss, cardio before abs may help because it burns more calories upfront.

• Cardio at the start ensures you’re dipping into energy stores quickly.
• Following this with abs creates a well-rounded calorie-burning session that targets fat stores and muscle toning.

Cons of Doing Abs After Cardio

Decreased Core Engagement

After a demanding cardio session, overall fatigue may impact your ability to fully engage the core during abs moves.

• Proper activation requires focus and control, which may be compromised due to exhaustion.
• You may find it harder to hold positions such as planks or perform dynamic movements with good form.

Increased Risk of Poor Form

Fatigue after cardio doesn’t just affect engagement, it can also hurt your form.

• Abs exercises such as leg raises or scissors require a tight core and neutral spine.
• Completing these movements with poor form could lead to discomfort or strain on the lower back.

Caution: Always aim for quality over quantity when training the core, even if you feel tired.

How to Decide the Best Order for You

Your ideal workout order will depend on your fitness goals and personal preferences. Here are some recommendations to guide your choice:

1. If your goal is core strength or definition: Start with abs to maximize focus and energy for these muscles. Ensure proper form to avoid injury.
2. If your goal is fat loss or cardiovascular endurance: Start with cardio to prioritize calorie burn and stamina. Follow it with abs for a complete workout.
3. Consider splitting sessions: On some days, dedicate one workout to cardio and another to abs for optimal performance in both areas.

Read more: 7 Exercises for an Ab Workout, No Equipment Needed

How Does the Order Affect Fat Burning Results?

The order of exercises can influence your performance (7), which plays a role in how many calories you will burn during a workout. 

However, fat loss is a long-term process that requires consistent effort. You should focus on structuring workouts in a way that supports your performance (how well you execute exercises) and consistency (how frequently you work out).

Ultimately, the order of exercises plays a minimal role in fat loss compared to other factors such as diet and overall activity level.

That being said, there are some considerations when it comes to the order of exercises for optimal fat burning results. Here are a few tips you should keep in mind:

By starting with cardio first:

• You optimize your energy for prolonged steady-state cardio or high-intensity intervals.
• You burn more calories overall, as cardio pulls directly from your body’s energy reserves.
• You can still target your core after cardio, which ensures a complete workout.

Our previous article covers everything you need to know about beginner cardio workout.

For fat-burning goals, leading with cardio is often practical as it maximizes calorie expenditure upfront.

Starting with abs won’t burn as many calories initially, but it still has benefits. By focusing on abs exercises when your energy is fresh, you can effectively engage your core muscles and improve strength. A stronger core can improve posture, stabilize movement, and even boost your efficiency during cardio exercises (8).

However, abs exercises alone don’t require as much energy as cardio. The calorie burn from an abs-focused portion of your workout will be lower. If you perform abs first and your core becomes fatigued, you may find it difficult to maintain proper form during cardio, which could limit your performance and calorie burn.

To summarize:

• Fat-burning is dependent on creating a calorie deficit, not just what happens in one workout.
• Both abs and cardio contribute to your overall calorie burn and fitness.
• Choosing the order that helps you perform better consistently will yield the best results for fat loss.

Read more: At-Home Workout For Abs: 3 Basic Exercises To Do

How Long Should You Rest Between Abs and Cardio?

Rest during a workout may feel like “downtime”, but it’s an essential part of your routine. The right amount of rest can impact your performance, recovery, and results (9). When combining abs and cardio in a workout, the duration of rest between the two will depend on your fitness goals and the intensity of your session. 

The ideal rest period between abs and cardio varies depending on what you aim to achieve. Here’s a breakdown:

1. For Fat Loss

• Rest Duration: 15-30 seconds
• Why: For fat loss, keeping your heart rate elevated is key. Minimal rest ensures you maintain the calorie-burning momentum.
• Example: Finish your abs set, take a short pause to catch your breath, then immediately transition into a cardio segment.

When it comes to weight loss, progress is made by inches, not miles, so it’s much harder to track and a lot easier to give up. The BetterMe: Health Coaching app is your personal trainer, nutritionist, and support system all in one. Start using our app to stay on track and hold yourself accountable!

2. For Endurance

• Rest Duration: 30-60 seconds
• Why: Endurance training focuses on sustained effort over longer periods. A brief rest helps you recover just enough to maintain steady energy for the cardio portion.
• Recommendation: Use this rest time to hydrate or perform light dynamic stretches to stay loose and prepared.

Uncover the surprising benefits of the ab exercises on pull up bar in our past article.

3. For Core Strength

• Rest Duration: 60-90 seconds
• Why: To target core strength, you need focused effort during abs workouts. A slightly longer rest period allows your core muscles to recover so you can perform high-quality cardio movements after, without sacrificing posture or stability.
• Tip: Monitor how your core feels. If you’re still shaking after planks or crunches, give yourself extra time to recover.

Adjust Rest Based on Intensity

The intensity of your exercises also influences how much rest you need. High-intensity abs moves, such as V-ups or bicycle crunches, place significant strain on your core.

Similarly, vigorous cardio, such as sprints or HIIT, demands more recovery time to replenish energy stores. If you combine two high-intensity segments, lean toward longer rest (60-90 seconds).

With lower-intensity exercises, rest can be shorter. For example, a steady jog followed by gentle core work may only require 15-20 seconds to transition safely.

Listen to Your Body

While these guidelines are useful, your body’s cues are the best indicator of rest duration. If your breathing is labored or your muscles feel fatigued, it’s okay to take a bit more time. Rushing back into exercise prematurely can lead to burnout or compromised form.

Is It Better to Separate Abs and Cardio Workouts?

Separating these two workouts can allow for better focus and recovery. By dedicating a full session to either abs or cardio, you’ll maximize the quality of your workout.

• Separate them if you want to maximize performance for each workout, need additional recovery time, or are training for specific goals such as long-distance running or core-heavy strength.
• Combine them if you’re short on time, enjoy high-intensity sessions, or want an all-around workout targeting multiple fitness aspects at once.

Benefits of Separating Abs and Cardio Workouts

1. Improved Performance

If you’re not dividing your energy between abs and cardio in the same session, you can give 100% effort to each. For example:

• A dedicated session for cardio allows you to sustain higher speeds or intensities.
• A standalone abs workout ensures you can perform challenging exercises such as planks or ab rollouts with proper form.

2. Better Recovery

The core will be involved in all cardio exercises. It may not be the primary muscle being used, but you need that stability for anything in the gym or outside of it. Running, jumping, swimming, biking, and stair stepping all rely heavily on the core.

Doing one type of workout at a time reduces the strain on your muscles. Separating them can prevent overfatiguing the core, which is heavily involved in both abs and cardio exercises. This also lowers the risk of injury.

3. Flexibility to Prioritize Goals

Separating workouts lets you schedule each according to your goals. For example:

• Focus on cardio for calorie burn and endurance today.
• Target your core tomorrow with strength-focused abs exercises.

This balance helps you pursue both goals without compromising on quality.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Does cardio order affect ab results?

The order in which you do cardio and abs won’t drastically affect the results of your core training and the development of your core. What matters more is the quality of your workout and maintaining proper form. That being said, doing abs after cardio can be harder as your core may already be fatigued, which may impact performance during ab exercises.

• Does workout timing change ab effectiveness?

The timing of your workout doesn’t significantly change how effective your ab exercises are. Whether you work out in the morning or evening, consistency and proper technique are far more important factors for building a strong core.

• Is morning better for abs and cardio?

Morning workouts can be beneficial if you feel more energized and focused earlier in the day. However, there’s no physiological advantage to working out in the morning versus later. Choose a time that is aligned with your energy levels and schedule to ensure consistency.

• Do rest days help ab definition faster?

Yes, rest days are essential for muscle recovery and growth, including your abdominal muscles. Overtraining can lead to fatigue and hinder progress. Proper rest, combined with a balanced diet and consistent training, supports better results for ab definition.

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The Bottom Line

Whether to do abs before or after cardio depends largely on your personal fitness goals. For fat loss and endurance, starting with cardio is often the better choice. However, if core strength and stability are your priorities, tackle abs first while your energy is fresh. 

Remember, the best workout is the one that is tailored to your needs and preferences. By being purposeful with the order of your exercises, you can optimize performance, reduce the risk of injury, and get closer to your fitness goals.