Building an effective workout plan for your goals can be a trial-and-error process that takes time to figure out. Strength training and cardio are two types of workouts that will develop contrasting results. However, when you use them together, these workouts can make up a well-rounded plan of action.
Learning how your body reacts to different types of workouts is a process with a learning curve, so don’t get discouraged! When you’re looking into the benefits of cardio vs strength training, consider how they can both challenge your body differently and contribute to your workout in unique ways.
What is Cardio?
Cardio is short for cardiovascular exercise, which is activity that raises your heart rate and keeps it elevated for the duration of your workout. This type of exercise, also known as vigorous physical activity, is essential for long-term health. Cardio can be anything from running to swimming or even dancing! These workouts can strengthen heart and lung health over time but burn calories quickly, so it is essential to replenish with food and hydration after a cardio workout.
How Much Cardio Should You Do
The time you spend on cardio workouts throughout the week will depend on your specific goals. Generally, a person should do about 30 minutes of cardio per day to promote lung and heart health. However, if the goal is to lose weight by shedding fat and water weight, a longer cardio workout will be more beneficial.
Cardio Benefits
Cardio is generally encouraged as a type of workout to build endurance, strengthen lung capacity, and maintain heart health. Most doctors recommend that the average person make the time for cardio to promote long-term wellness, as cardio can be a preventative measure for certain medical concerns. Moreover, cardio can also be an anti-inflammatory and increase blood circulation.
The body releases endorphins, also known as the ‘feel-good’ hormones, during a workout. This is a natural mood enhancer that is scientifically proven to help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Making a consistent effort to do regular cardio exercise can improve stamina which will boost energy levels in the long-term because the body becomes better at transporting oxygen to muscles and tissue. It’s almost like training your body to have more energy!
What is Strength Training
When you think of strength training, do you think of 250 lb plates on barbells or the jacked guys on Muscle Beach? Sure, that can be one side of strength training, but it doesn’t have to be as extreme. Strength training is simply a type of exercise that improves muscle strength by working against resistance.
You can strength train with barbells, dumbbells, and resistance bands or choose to opt out of using equipment at all! When you think of cardio vs strength training, typically the latter comes with some expectation of equipment, but lunges, squats, push-ups, and sit-ups are all good examples of simple strength training exercises that don’t require any equipment.
When Should You Train for Strength
Maintaining the strength of your muscles is part of a healthy workout routine. Strength training has many positive effects like preserving muscle mass and improving metabolism. Similar to cardio, the amount of strength training you should do will depend on your personal goals. The more you want to grow your muscles, the more you should strength train. If you’re comparing cardio vs strength training for fat loss, cardio will burn calories faster while strength training will shred fat quicker.
Remember to give your body time to heal. It is important not to strain your muscles by overexertion and pushing the limits too frequently. To build muscle, consider strength training between 3-5 times a week. Otherwise, 2-3 strength training sessions are enough to maintain current muscle mass. If you are combining strength training with intensive cardio workouts, alternate days and ensure that you allow yourself to take days off when your body feels too tired!
Benefits of Strength Training vs Cardio
The benefits of strength training vs cardio go beyond muscle toning and building a strong physical physique. Yes, strength training will increase muscle mass and can build endurance, but there are even more positive effects on a person’s overall wellness. For example, strength training can help build up bone density and even reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Cardio can be good for general bone health, but it is the resistance-based stimulation from strength training that impacts bone density. Strength-based workouts also release the same feel-good hormone as cardio: endorphins. However, lifting weights can also help regulate stress hormones like cortisol to calm symptoms of anxiety.
Cardio vs. Strength Training for Maintaining a Healthy Weight
Cardio and strength training exercises can each play a role in maintaining your ideal body composition. Most people incorporate a mix of the two into their routine because of the unique benefits that you might miss by neglecting one or the other. If you’re trying to compare the benefits of strength training vs cardio, it is important to remember that they both serve different purposes in a fitness journey. While cardio is effective at burning calories and building stamina, strength training is essential for keeping up with muscle mass. Too much cardio without strength-based exercise can degenerate muscles over time, leading to a decrease in metabolism and strength. On the other hand, overexerting on weight lifting and neglecting cardio can result in unplanned weight gain and fat retention. By combining both, you take the beneficial aspects of these exercises to create a balanced fitness routine.
Combining Cardio and Strength Training
There’s no question that you should combine your cardio and strength training, but how should you build your routine? This depends on what your goals are.
When should you:
- Strength training before cardio: If your goal is to build muscle mass then strength training first is more optimal because it requires extensive energy and a specific, proper form. At the end of a cardio workout, it’s common to feel drained of your energy reserves which could make weight lifting dangerous. To prevent fatigue and optimize technique, strength training before your cardio workouts.
- Cardio before strength training: Doing cardio workouts like running or swimming before your strength train is beneficial for encouraging fat loss. When you do cardio workouts, you’re essentially warming up your body by getting your blood flowing and your heart beating faster. Doing this depletes some of the body’s stored glycogen in the muscles, so it forces the body to rely on fat for fuel throughout the workout. As a result, the body burns more fat quickly!
