Cardio and strength training are both important, but it’s easy to only do one and forget the other. I’ve been on both sides of the fence. As a runner, I go months without lifting weights or doing any purposeful strength training, because who has that time? And in my recent life as a lifter, I would join in on the joke about how more than 10 reps is cardio, everyone. But here’s the truth: We all need strength training. And Real cardio.
I think it’s easy to get attracted to one type of exercise because we find it fun or convenient. Then, when we think we’ve been challenged enough, there’s no need to look any further, right? I’m already an athleteI remember thinking during both of my orgasms. But both times, I was missing something.
What does strength training do for you
Most obviously, strength training makes you stronger. This means you’re better able to lift weights, but it also means you build up the strength reserves to perform better in other sports. For example, stronger legs to help you run up hills. Strength training also means you’ll be stronger in everyday life, and tasks like carrying groceries or shoveling snow will become easier.
Strength training may mean lifting weights, but it can also include other types of resistance training. It’s called “resistance” because you’re literally working against some kind of force. maybe you are working with dumbbells or resistance bandsOr maybe you’re creating a force to resist from your body, such as in pushups or air squats.
Our muscle mass decreases with age, but the more muscle you start with, the better off you will be. (There’s no such thing as “too old” to train, and in fact, the older you get the more important it is.) Muscle loss, called sarcopeniaContributes to the possibility of falls and fractures. Exercise slows and possibly reverses that loss. so if Longevity is one of your fitness interestsThis is even more reason to prioritize strength training.
Strength training also helps with bone health and joint flexibility. People who also do strength training have better balance And it may be easier for them to control their weight.
what does cardio do for you
Cardiovascular exercise includes steady-state endurance work like jogging as well as interval training where you alternate between harder and easier work but keep moving the entire time. Ideally, you should do both types of cardio, as they each have slightly different benefits. If you’re confused about which activities count as cardio, I have a lecturer here. Think hiking, running, cycling, or gym machines like ellipticals.
is cardio exercise Good for your heart healthAs the name suggests. Regular cardio helps lower your blood pressure, lower your “bad” cholesterol, and increase your “good” cholesterol. This can help you maintain a healthy weight, because burning more calories gives you a little more leeway for the extra calories you want to consume. Both cardio and strength training Increase your insulin sensitivitywhich is especially important if you have or are thought to have type 2 diabetes. prediabetic.
Apart from those benefits, cardio also helps your other activities. With improved cardio fitness, you’ll be able to recover more quickly between sets of heavy weight-lifting exercises, and you’ll have an easier time performing everyday physical activities like yard work. If you do physical activities for fun, like going hiking or exploring a new city while traveling, you’ll be able to enjoy it more.
What do you think so far?
How much cardio and strength training is enough?
So now you know that lifting weights will benefit your ability to perform cardio activities, and cardio will benefit your ability to lift weights. Of course there are also activities that combine the two. (For example, if you do CrossFit, or strongman training, you’ve probably covered most of your bases.) But for the sake of simplicity, Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Break down the two different types.
These guidelines (which agree with other major public health organizations) suggest a minimum of 20-30 minutes of strength training at least twice a week. Most beginner lifting programs will have you working out three times a week, which is great. There is a minimum of two sessions for this Everyone muscle groups, so if you prefer to split your workouts into upper-body and lower-body days, make sure you do two of each. If you work your entire body each strength training day, you only need two or three workouts per week.
As you become accustomed to strength training, you may want to do more – which is great, as long as you work up to it gradually. Although you can create one-off videos or create a routine of exercises you like, in the long run you are better off with a program that gives you a path to progress as you get stronger. There are some great lists of programs on subreddits r/fitness And r/bodyweightfitnessIf you want to choose from a few.
For cardiovascular exercise, the recommended minimum is 150 minutes of light exercise such as walking, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise. So if you take a 30-minute walk every weekday at lunchtime, you’ll meet the guidelines. If you use that time to run instead, you’ll exceed the guidelines within three sessions. While the guidelines use minutes of exercise, researchers have calculated that if you prefer to count steps, 7,000 to 9,000 steps will get you in the right ballpark.
Again, more is better, as long as you work at it over time. One summer I introduced evening walks into my routine, and once the weather started getting cooler I went for lunchtime walks And An evening walk. Then, gradually, I replaced some evening walks with running/walking sessions and eventually took up running. I felt like my lifting sessions were better than before, but I was also happy to know that I was setting myself up for better health in the long term, rather than getting stuck on just one type of exercise.
