Many people struggle to choose a focal point for their training. Both have numerous health benefits, and the decision between the two is personal. While cardio and strength training are excellent ways to improve your fitness, you may be confused about which one will give you the desired results.
Both forms of exercise are a step in the right direction, and each one will provide different results.
In this article, we’ll discuss the benefits and differences between cardio vs. strength training. Here you’ll find the information to make an informed decision based on your workout goals.
What Is a Cardio Workout?
Cardiovascular or aerobic exercise is any vigorous activity that increases your heart rate for a prolonged period. For example, cardio workouts include running, cycling, and swimming. Technically, anything you do that gets your heart pumping for an extended time can be called aerobic or cardio exercise.
Sports like soccer and basketball are good examples. This also includes dancing, walking briskly, jumping rope, or even running up and down the stairs. Once your heart rate increases and you work to keep it pumping, that’s a cardio workout.
Along with increasing your heart rate, a cardio workout will also cause your respiratory system to work harder. As a result, your muscles will require more oxygen, causing you to breathe deeper and faster.
What Are the Benefits of a Cardio Workout?
We all know that cardiovascular or aerobic activities are suitable for the body. Any type of physical activity is beneficial and will enhance your life. But what exactly does cardio training do? Here we’ll discuss the benefits of this type of training.
Burns Fat
When we take in more calories than we use in energy, our body stores it in the form of fatty tissue. We generally refer to this as fat. Although we need a certain amount of fat as stored energy, too much can be unhealthy. Cardio training is a fat-burning exercise. If weight loss is your goal, cardio training is an excellent choice.
Strengthens Heart
Cardio training will help to improve blood flow. Improved blood flow helps to remove fatty deposits which could accumulate in the vessels and arteries. As a result, better blood circulation could reduce the risks of heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases. In addition, cardio workouts will improve your cardiovascular endurance, increasing the ability to supply the body with oxygen.
Better Lung Capacity
Cardiovascular workouts will help to increase your lung capacity. During vigorous exercise, you’ll need more oxygen than you do during times of rest. Continued aerobic activity will increase your lung’s ability to absorb oxygen, improving your respiratory system.
Improved Sleep
You may fall asleep faster and get better sleep after a day of aerobic activity. There are many reasons for this, the most apparent being that physical activity has tired your body and needs sleep to rebuild and repair. Regular cardio training could be the answer if you have trouble falling and staying asleep.
Increases Bone Density
Cardio training can help to maintain and sometimes increase bone density. Although you may not benefit from increased bone density from a brisk walk, more vigorous cardio activities will do the trick, like jogging or hiking.
Relieves Depression and Anxiety
Regular cardio training can combat stress and lessen or relieve emotional issues like depression and anxiety. For example, a vigorous jog or other intense aerobic activity can elevate the serotonin level in the brain. Similarly, regular cardio training can improve self-confidence by boosting your endorphins.
Endorphins can help to make you feel better, which is where the term “runner’s high” comes from. These “feel-good” neurotransmitters can also help to improve your concentration.
Lowers Cholesterol and Blood Pressure
Moderate cardio training can help to alleviate the problems associated with high cholesterol and high blood pressure. By lowering both, you’ll reduce the risk of heart disease. This is where a good cardio workout comes in.
Aerobic activities help your body lower fatty LDL, usually called “bad cholesterol.” In addition, by improving your heart’s strength, it’ll be able to function more efficiently and help keep your blood pressure at a healthy level.
What Is Strength Training?
Strength training aims to increase muscle strength by triggering the muscle against weight or force. The most common form of strength training is lifting weights or using fitness equipment for resistance. Making your muscles work harder to overcome resistance or weight will cause the tiny muscle fibers to tear. This damage to the fibers will cause your body to rebuild them stronger and thicker.
Although a small amount of cardio training can be involved with exercising for strength, its primary function is to build muscle and strength. Strength training isn’t limited to using gym equipment. Exercises such as push-ups or sit-ups are also great examples.
What Are the Benefits of Strength Training?
Strength training or any other type of exercise is good for the body. But what are the main benefits of this type of training? Here we’ll outline what you can expect from a regular workout routine focused on strength or resistance training.
Muscle Strength
One of the most significant benefits of strength training is improved muscle strength. This factor is probably the most common goal for this type of training. Increasing the resistance on your muscles with more weight or adding more repetitions to your workout will have the same effect.
Both types of exercise will, over time, make you stronger. With increased muscle strength also comes a leaner, more fit body.
Improved Flexibility, Balance, and Stamina
With a regular strength training routine, you’ll see benefits other than increased muscle size and strength. With weight training, you not only use your muscles, but other parts of your body, such as your joints, tendons, and connective tissue.
By increasing overall body strength, with time, you’ll also experience improved flexibility, mobility, and balance. In addition, with your entire body becoming stronger, your stamina will increase, making activities that used to tire you quickly less strenuous.
Weight Loss
Although not the most efficient way to shed some pounds, strength training could aid in helping you achieve a healthier weight. With this type of training, you’re constantly breaking down the fibers of your muscles. It will require energy for your body to repair them and build them back stronger.
Lowered Risk of Injury
A stronger body makes you less likely to experience injuries due to overextending yourself or body weakness. As a result, you’ll be stronger, have better balance, and be able to handle tasks that were once challenging more easily. In addition, a healthier body is more immune to injury from daily activities.
Improved Overall Mental Health
With strength training, you’ll increase muscle mass over time, and your entire body’s appearance should improve. However, the benefits of this type of training aren’t solely physical. You’ll feel an improved sense of well-being as you accomplish your strength training goals.
In addition, improvements to feelings of self-confidence and body image could decrease depression or anxiety. Finally, regular exercise is good for your overall mental health.
Manage Your Blood Sugar Levels Better
Strength training could lower your chances of developing diabetes or help those with it manage it much better. Increasing skeletal muscles can assist in reducing blood sugar levels.
While strength training, your body will remove sugars from the glucose in your blood by sending it to the cells in your muscles for much-needed energy. An increase in muscle mass can help to maintain blood sugar levels better.
Which Is Better, Cardio or Strength Training?
Few would call it a bad thing when we commit to a healthier lifestyle by adding exercise to our weekly routine. There are numerous benefits to both cardio and strength training. The choice of which type of exercise routine to follow will depend on your reason for exercising.
If your main goal is to lose weight and shed some unwanted pounds, then a cardio workout is probably for you. Not only will you lose some weight, but you’ll also improve your cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
Strength training is the fastest way to reach those goals for those who mainly want to increase muscle mass or strength. With this type of exercise, you’ll not only get stronger, but you may also improve your overall quality of life.
Both Cardio and Strength Training Have Many Common Benefits
Depending on your goals, cardio and strength training focus on different areas of physical fitness. Cardio training primarily benefits your heart and lungs, while those strength training will increase muscle mass. Both of these training methods have some cross-over benefits. Just two benefits are improved mental health and a healthier and fit body.