Cardio vs Strength Training Or Both?

When it comes to exercising to lose weight, which would you prefer? Cardio or strength training? Back in the 80′s, men went to Gold’s Gym and women got fit with Jane Fonda. That was almost 30 years ago and recently, after intense debates and in depth studies, some fitness experts say strength training is winning. While others believe striking the right balance between cardio exercises and strength training is the best way to lose weight.

Cardio exercise is any exercise activity that increases your heart rate at 60 to 85% of the heart’s maximum rate for at least 20 minutes. You burn an average of 10-12 calories per minute with cardio exercise and admittedly it has a slight advantage over strength training calorie per calorie. Experts agree that 60-90 minutes of moderate intensity cardio exercises several days a week is necessary to lose weight. Popular cardio activities include running (whether on the treadmill or outdoors), swimming, step aerobics, biking and walking.

Strength training makes you lose a slightly lower number of calories per minute of training at an average of 8-10 calories per minute. What sets strength training apart is its ability to boost metabolism even after working out. Strength training encourages muscle growth, and muscles require more calories than fat, so the more muscles you have, the more calories you burn. Every pound of muscle requires 40 calories per day just doing nothing.

Most fitness students do both strength training and cardio exercises nowadays. You need not separate the days that you do strength training and the days that you do cardio exercises. You can mix them up or do light strength training before moderate cardio workouts. It is totally up to you. The best thing about this combination is you get the best of both cardio and strength training, and that is when you expend the most number of calories which eventually leads to weight loss. Other benefits of cardio exercises include a stronger heart and lungs, a healthier immune system, reduced stress, etc. Weight training notably increases bone density which becomes a problem with advancing age. It improves posture as well as combats depression and of course, improves muscle strength.

Whether you prefer cardio or strength training exercise or both is a personal choice, but knowing the benefits of each discipline is important so the choices you make later on not only complement your lifestyle but also work with your health goals and aspirations. There are many considerations to be taken before deciding on which suits you best and which would address the health goals that you have. The important thing for now is that you have committed yourself to a healthier lifestyle. How you proceed after that is entirely up to you.

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