[I posted this at the bottom of a thread I started a few days ago, but I haven't gotten any responses and I think it's because people haven't noticed this post. That's why I'm starting a new thread for it.]

Here's the deal: I really can't leave 8 hours between my cardio and weights. The plan I'm currently on is 50 minutes of weights followed by 30 to 50 minutes of cardio about 20 minutes later. I do this on M W F and then I do cardio on Sat and/or Sun. IS this doing more harm than good (as far as building muscle and burning fat are concerned)?

Would it be better to do the following:
-weights on M
-cardio on W
-weights on F
-cardio on Sat
-weights on Sun

And then, the following week:
-cardio on M
-weights on W
-cardio on F
-weights on Sat
-cardio on Sun?

With the first plan I mentioned (the one I'm currently following), I'm able to get in 3 weights sessions and 4/5 cardio sessions a week (which is why I'm doing it), whereas, with the second plan, I'd only be getting in 2/3 weights sessions and 2/3 cardio sessions a week, but maybe this would be more effective and it's not worth the extra time and effort to do both weights and cardio on M W F.

Any ideas?

I suggest you start doing something on Tuesday and Thursday, unless there are time constraints on that. Theres 2 more days you can do cardio then you can lift 3 days and do cardio 4 days.

I'd go with the first approach. With a good diet you should make progress pretty quickly.

It depends on what you are trying to do at the mo...

For cutting, there have been success atories with doing cardio even on 7 days a week. For bulking, a recommended maximum would be 3 days a week and not more than 30 minutes of running/rowing/cycling whatever. An important thing to note is that rowing and skiing uses more muscles and hence are better fat burners than running/cycling but what you enjoy doing more comes first. Same with morning fasted cardio, it does burn more fat than cardio later on in the day but if you are not a morning person, then don't bother. Nothing wrong with doing cardio right after a weights workout, although some may disagree.

50 minutes of cardio is a bit much if you want to build some quality muscle. 20-30 minutes should do it.

If you want to have a nice muscly figure, weight workouts are more important than cardio. You do cardio for its calorie consuming effect and other health reasons i.e. improved circulation.

The "less is more" approach is something that has arisen due to people thinking that doing bicep curls every day for example with lots of sets will produce bigger biceps than once a week with 6 sets only. Not true and completely vice versa. Muscle grows when you REST! You workout intensely and then eat and sleep right so your muscles can repair and overcompensate. It does not however imply that you should not workout every day, just that you shouldn't go for the same muscle group more than twice a week, once being enough for most, and keep the sets in moderation (generally speaking 6-9 sets max for small groups i.e. biceps and 9-12 sets for big groups i.e. back). For example, if on a 4 day workout plan like me, you would do:

Monday: Back
Tuesday: Chest
Wednesday: Rest or Cardio
Thursday:Legs
Friday: Arms & Shoulders
Saturday: Rest or cardio
Sunday: Rest

I like my 4 day program because I can work hard on each muscle group whilst not overdoing a particular muscle group. On chest day I am using a different muscle group which doesn't overlap the back day. Get the picture? Same with leg day and arm day. No overlapping!