Cardio VS Strength Training

An     Energy Bulletin

Which one would you choose to get the results YOU want?

There are many different ways to get your body into shape. Most of
these methods of exercise are classified into two broad groups,
Cardiovascular (cardio) Training and Strength Training. Cardio and
strength training are very different yet closely related activities.

Cardio or endurance based (aerobic) training in such forms as
walking, running, bike riding or swimming, to name the more popular
varieties, can assist you by; burning extra calories for weight loss,
improving heart function, reducing cholesterol, improving recovery
after exercise, reducing your risk of diabetes and other diseases as
well as enhancing your ability to deal with stress, which we all of
course suffer from time to time.

Strength training also comes in a variety of forms. Free weights and
body weight training such as push ups and lunges are two of the more
popular styles of resistance training, while boxing and wrestling
styled sports, although less popular, will have similar resistance based
activities.

Strength training is used of course to assist the body in building lean
muscle. This building of muscle can have many different benefits to
your health and sporting performance such as; developing strength,
enhancing immune function, maintaining or improving muscle mass,
increasing bone density, improving movement function and joint
stability as well as increasing your metabolic rate or energy burned
which correlates to improved body composition. I.e. looking better
naked in a mirror, very important ;o)

What a lot of people don't realise however is that sometimes these
two different aspects of conditioning and exercise can have opposing
and sometimes adverse effects on the body. Prolonged endurance
training for example can actually depress the immune system, reduce
muscle mass, thereby decreasing metabolism, as well as possibly
causing a range of skeletal and joint imbalances through the high
repetition of movement that accompanies such sports as running or
cycling. (I have yet to meet a runner without at least a few niggling
injuries)

So when clients ask me which is the better method of exercise for their
particular circumstance, be it weight loss or sports performance, I'll
always answer, "Both of course".

Any great fitness program will have a good blend of cardio and
resistance training.

Where cardio may reduce muscle mass, a strong resistance style
program will increase it and  while resistance training is great for
building your biceps, a cardioprogram will do the same thing for
your heart.

A question that I often hear asked is "Cardiovascular exercise on
machines, such as treadmills and exercise bikes, burns more calories
than resistance training, so is it just a waste of gym time to add
strength training to your workout if you want to lose weight?"

The simple answer is "No."

Working your muscles as well as your heart and lungs can improve
your health and help you drop clothes size or improve your fitness
much faster than cardio on its own.

Research has shown time and again that regular resistance training
can increase your Basal Metabolic Rate (energy burned at rest) by
up to 15%.

That means your training a lot smarter!

As with anything in our lives, it is important to find the balance
that works for you. Find time for both resistance and cardio
training and you'll discover that your results will come far more
quickly and you'll be much more likely to maintain those hard
earned gains.


duncan