Between strength training and cardio

While it’s evident that Strength training and cardio are two distinct workout routines, we cannot miss the fact that both accomplish wonders for our bodies in their unique ways. People regularly focus on their fitness objectives; some strive to lose weight while some look to acquire it. However, the most crucial factor that many neglect is the perfect balance between strength training and cardio.

Cardio: For Endurance and Heart Health

Cardio or Cardiovascular exercise is a branch on which the heart of fitness relies. It covers activities like walking, jogging, hiking, aerobics, cycling, swimming, etc. In summary, cardio is all about boosting your heart and lung capacity while burning fat.

As we are talking about strength training versus cardio, let us remind you that cardio burns more calories each session than strength or weight training, with identical efforts. The calorie burn varies on individual’s physical size and activity intensity. Let us explain some of the perks!

Benefits of Cardio

Improved Heart Health: Regular cardio strengthens our heart and increases circulation. It is undoubtedly one of the key benefits of cardio since a stronger heart also pumps blood more effectively, which increases blood flow to all regions of your body.
Mental Health Boost: It has been proved that cardio decreases tension and anxiety, making us feel more energized and cheerful. Further, it is truly advantageous as it enhances our mental health, self-esteem, and most significantly, regulates our sleep cycle.
Boost Endurance: Cardiovascular exercises boost our stamina. It makes us feel active, consequently, making everyday activities simpler and enhancing our general fitness level.
Fat Loss: Cardio is a calorie-torching activity. It is claimed to help substantially for losing fat, especially when accompanied with a balanced & nutritious diet.

Strength Training: Building Power and Muscle

Strength Training and Cardio

Coming onto strength training, also known as resistance training, it focuses on strengthening muscle and boosting strength. This includes workouts like bodyweight exercises, weightlifting, Pilates, Power Yoga, and resistance bands. There are limitless exercises, or we might say fitness programs that work a range of various muscles. Let’s examine some of the benefits of Strength training!

Benefits of Strength Training

Promotes Flexibility and Mobility: Research works have shown that strength training helps in increasing the joint ROM in a way which favors mobility and flexibility. One should employ their complete mobility capacity around a joint.
Increased Muscle Mass: The apparent benefit of Strength training is that it helps in growing muscle mass; it further enhances metabolism and helps in burning more calories at rest, however, one should be consistent in their training.
Stronger Bones: It is believed that strength training helps in developing bones. This of course also means that the bones stay strong through the process of providing body support thereby reducing the incidence of osteoporosis especially as one advances in age.
Uplift our Mood- Regular weight training is something that increases our mood as well as helps our mental health, while lowering anxiety. Further, it offers many advantages to mood management, such as higher self-esteem and self-efficacy, leading to a happy outlook.

Types of Strength or Resistance Training

Free weights - The traditional method of strength training is free weight training. Free weights are therefore any kind of weight that is not fixed on any equipment. Of all the varieties out there, those used most often are the barbells, dumbbells, kettle bells, and medicine balls. It is believed to be good for novices.
Weight machines — Now come the weight machines. These are the equipment that comes with adjustable chairs with handles attached either to weights or hydraulics. Built-in guidelines and processes assist govern our bodily mobility. This is excellent for novices as well as for those mending any ailment.
Resistance bands - You must have seen those big rubber bands; those produce resistance when stretched. They are portable and can be modified to most exercises, ergo, a significant aspect of strength training. The bands offer continual resistance throughout a movement.
Suspension equipment - Suspension training helps enhance balance and coordination. It is a gizmo that employs gravity and the user’s body weight to execute different workouts.
Your body weight - Bodyweight exercises, a kind of strength training where an individual uses their own body weight to produce resistance against gravity. When we finish a bodyweight workout, we are essentially utilizing our body alone without any extra exercise equipment. These include squats, push-ups, and chin-ups. It is believed to be handy, especially when traveling or at business.

Which one is best for YOU?

Strength Training and Cardio

Continuing our argument on “’strength training vs cardio”, let’s proceed further. Our solution to this topic is “It Depends on Your Fitness Goals!”. You can pick an exercise routine as per your goals and tastes.

For Fat Loss: In my understanding, if your aim is to be fat loss then it is crucial to incorporate both; Cardio and Strength training. While cardio enables one to lose calorie, strength training enables one to build muscles that enable him/her to maintain the calorie away from the body.
For Muscle Gain: In this case the strengths training are most suitable for those people who are in the process of trying to build their muscles and gain more strength. Cardio can beyond any doubt add on to your exercises; however, cardio is never going to offer the benefits similar to lifting.
For Heart Health & Endurance: Of course, cardio is all the more dominant in this case. It is particularly useful for those who desire to increase their longevity and raise their heart ‘’coaching’’.

How to Build a Strength and Cardio Routine?

While addressing strength training vs cardio, let’s throw some light on another crucial aspect- creating a strength and cardio program. One should not stress it!

There are several studies that advise that one should perform 150 minutes of cardio per week which may be divided down into 5 sessions of 30 minutes. Further, one should work out their core, upper, and lower body 2 times each week. However, let us warn you that it does not imply that you have to work out every day, or that you have to do your strength workouts individually.

Talking about a routine, it relies on the aims. If you are someone whose major objective is to increase strength, then you should start with weights. On the other hand, if your aim is to enhance aerobic fitness, then you may undoubtedly start with a jog.

No matter what sequence you chose, be aware of the intensity of your workout, you should not be going too hard since it might raise the danger of an injury that prohibits you from exercising entirely.