Cardio or strength training? It’s a popular debate in the fitness world. The truth is, you need both to create an effective, well-rounded exercise program. Both offer their own health advantages while also working well together to create overall wellbeing. How much time you devote to each depends on your individual fitness goals, as well as what you prefer. Read on to find the unique health advantages of each.
Muscle Health – Strength training with help increase and maintain muscle mass, while low-intensity and elongated cardiovascular exercises will help increase muscle endurance. High-intensity cardiovascular exercise and strength training cause the contractile units of the muscle cells to grow, creating stronger muscles.
Heart Health – Of course, cardiovascular exercise benefits heart health. Both aerobic – such as running or biking – and cardiovascular exercise affect the heart more directly than strength training, increasing the body’s ability to deliver oxygen to tissues. Strength training increases muscle mass and gives your cardiovascular system more places to store its blood, reducing blood pressure on the arterial walls. Additionally, by reducing fat levels, strength training also lowers the risk of heart disease.
Body Fat – Both forms of exercise reduce body fat levels, but in different ways. Steady, low-intensity cardiovascular exercise reduces levels by burning calories. Strength training leads to fat loss by increasing muscle mass, which ups your metabolic rate and enables you to burn more calories both during and after your workout. No matter what type of exercise you do, the amount of calories burned depends on the exercise intensity.
Life Expectancy – Although studies have shown that a person doing only cardiovascular exercise and no strength training will likely live longer than a person who only does strength training, the two forms of exercise go hand in hand. Building and maintaining muscle mass is important for longevity, especially as you age and need strength and balance to prevent falls and other complications.
Start your fitness journey today by visiting Cape Regional Miracles Fitness at 408 Rio Grande Ave., Rio Grande. For more information, call (609) 886-7070 or go to miraclesfitness.com.
