# Is there more benefit to doing a different type of exercise last?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-more-benefit-to-doing-a-different-type-of-exercise-last/723310>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 24, 2015, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-more-benefit-to-doing-a-different-type-of-exercise-last/723310 "2015-06-24T01:46:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mr.Insaneo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mr.Insaneo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Insaneo)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-more-benefit-to-doing-a-different-type-of-exercise-last/723310/1 "2015-06-24T01:46:16Z")

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Say I do strength, cardio and flexibility training. If I did strength training, then cardio, then flexibility last, my flexibility would improve the most. Vice versa as well…doing flexibility training first, then cardio, and then strength last would improve my strength the most.

I was wondering if such a thing exists, and if it is, what the heck is it? I don’t even know where to begin to look for such a thing, so I came here hoping someone heard about it somewhere!

Thanks again!

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**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-more-benefit-to-doing-a-different-type-of-exercise-last/723310/2 "2015-06-24T01:54:44Z")

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A solid stretching session actually weakens muscle slightly so it should be saved for last.  
Personally. I always did strength first, then cardio ( on the rare occasions I combined both).

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**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-more-benefit-to-doing-a-different-type-of-exercise-last/723310/3 "2015-06-24T02:12:50Z")

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Stretching cold muscles has been shown to increase risk of injury and is not currently advised.

There is little solid data that I know of but the typical consensus is to do that which is most important to you first, not last, as you will then give it the better and more intense work out. Or to do it circuit style, doing cardio in between strength sets.

But likely it does not really matter all that much.

A sample review for popular consumption in [the NYT](http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/26/ask-well-weights-before-cardio/?_r=0).

> [@](#):
>
> Perhaps most telling, the order of the exercises in these studies was immaterial. In the 2014 study, the men rode and then lifted; in Dr. Phillips’s study, they lifted and then rode. Muscles, it seems, “can’t tell the difference,” Dr. Phillips said.
> 
> So don’t worry overmuch about which exercise comes when. “Just set up a workout regimen that happens to be convenient for you,” Dr. Phillips said.