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Should Beginners in Strength Training Also Do Aerobic Exercise? A Physical Therapist Explains the Order of Workouts

翠｜筋トレ初心者ラボ

2026年7月9日 09:57

Conclusion

It is important for strength training beginners to incorporate aerobic exercise according to their goals.

The conclusion is as follows:

Want to build muscle → Prioritize strength training
Want to lose weight → Do aerobic exercise after strength training
Want to maintain health → Incorporating both is recommended

While aerobic exercise is useful for fat burning and improving cardiovascular function, it can sometimes hinder muscle growth depending on how it is performed.

In this article, from the perspective of a licensed physical therapist, I will explain in an easy-to-understand way how beginners should incorporate aerobic exercise.

What is aerobic exercise?

Aerobic exercise is exercise that can be continued for a long time while using oxygen.

Typical examples include:

Walking
Jogging
Stationary cycling
Swimming

and so on.

The type of stimulus it provides to the body is different from strength training, and each has different effects.

Differences between strength training and aerobic exercise

Strength Training Aerobic Exercise Increases muscle mass Fat burning Increases basal metabolism Improves cardiovascular function Explosive exercise Long-duration exercise

It is not a matter of which is superior, but rather it is important to use them differently depending on your goals.

Strength training should come first

If you want to build muscle

strength training → aerobic exercise

is recommended.

If you run for a long time first,

fatigue will accumulate
the weight you can handle will decrease
the quality of your strength training will drop

are the disadvantages.

By performing aerobic exercise after fully exerting yourself in strength training, you can also expect fat burning.

What if your goal is weight loss?

Even for weight loss, the basic recommendation is

strength training → aerobic exercise

is recommended.

By stimulating your muscles with strength training before doing aerobic exercise, you can more easily increase your energy expenditure.

In particular, just doing 20 to 30 minutes of walking or using an exercise bike is enough to expect results.

Be careful not to overdo it

Beginners do not need to run for long periods every day.

About 2 to 3 times a week

20 to 30 minutes

Intensity at which you can hold a conversation

This level is sufficient.

If you push yourself too hard, you won't recover from fatigue, making it difficult to continue strength training.

What I want to convey as a licensed physical therapist

The most important thing for building health is "consistency".

Strength training alone has significant health benefits, and aerobic exercise alone also has its advantages.

Rather than trying to do both perfectly,

like "just strength training today" or "I'll walk for 20 minutes today",

choosing a method you can stick with will lead to long-term success.

What do studies say?

The exercise guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine state that combining strength training and aerobic exercise can be effective for maintaining health and preventing lifestyle-related diseases.

Additionally, it is reported that if your goal is muscle hypertrophy, performing aerobic exercise for long durations or at high frequencies may affect muscle strength gains, so finding the right balance is important.

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Summary

If you are a strength training beginner incorporating aerobic exercise, keep the following points in mind:

Prioritize strength training if you want to build muscle
Aerobic exercise is recommended after strength training
20 to 30 minutes is sufficient
Continuing without strain is the most important thing

Let's continue at our own pace without rushing.