.png){kind=logo}
When you decide to start your journey towards a healthy lifestyle and optimal fitness, you may feel confused about what types of exercises to focus on next:
Is cardio the best option for burning fat and improving heart health?
Or is resistance and strength training the best choice for building a strong and healthy body?
The answer is not simple, because each type of exercise provides different benefits that affect the body in different ways
.png)
Cardio exercises focus on burning calories, promoting heart health, and improving and developing endurance, while strength training, also known as weight training or resistance training, is designed to boost metabolic rate and increase muscle mass.
The question is, which one is better❕❔
The answer is unavoidable, as it depends on your personal goals, are you looking to improve your fitness, increase your physical strength, lose weight fast or build muscle?
In this article, I'll help you decide, by discovering the difference between cardio and strength or resistance training, and I'll give you the best tips for combining the two to achieve the best results!
Difference between cardio and strength training - How does each type affect your body?
Cardio:
Exercises that promote cardiovascular health and increase your heart rate. These include cycling, running, swimming, brisk walking, and HIIT
Benefits of cardio:
- Burn calories, help with weight loss
- Improve physical endurance and increase overall fitness
- Improving heart health, as well as reducing the risk of heart disease
- Reduce stress and improve mood by releasing endorphins
Strength training:
Strength training, also known as weightlifting or resistance training, aims to promote physical strength and muscle development using weights, dumbbells, bodyweight exercises such as push-ups, squats and many other exercises.
Benefits of strength training:
- Improve your metabolic rate as mentioned above, which helps burn fat even after exercise.
- Osteoporosis prevention and strengthening
- Building muscle and increasing muscle mass and strength
- Increase overall strength and improve body shape
Which is better for burning fat?
Many people have the misconception that cardio is best for weight loss, but what many people don't realize is that resistance or strength training is a good and effective way to burn fat.
Benchmarking the two
| Factor | Strength Training | Cardio Training |
|---|---|---|
| Calories burned during exercice |
Moderate | High |
| Calories burned after exercice | High | Low |
| Muscle stimulation | High | Low |
| Increase in metabolic rate | High impact | Low impact |
| Heart health improvement | Moderate | High |
- If your goal is to increase muscle mass and burn fat, strength training is the best long-term option
- If your goal is to lose weight quickly, cardio is the immediate solution.
Cardio and strength training can definitely be combined, and it's the best way to achieve the best and fastest results
How to balance the two:
- To build muscle: 3-5 strength sessions per week + 2 light cardio sessions
- For weight loss: 3-5 strength sessions per week + 2-3 strength sessions
- For general fitness: A balanced combination of the two
It depends on your goals
- If your goal is to promote heart health and increase cardiovascular endurance, start with cardio
- To promote balance, you can separate your workouts on different days
- If you're looking to burn fat, you can start with strength training and finish with cardio.
The 8 best cardio and strength training exercises:
| Best Cardio Exercices | |
|---|---|
| Running | Burns calories and improves heart health |
| HIIT Workouts | Burn fat quickly and boost fitness |
| Jump Rope | Effective for fat burning |
| Swimming | Low-impact exercise that strengthens the whole body |
| Strength Exercises | Description |
|---|---|
| Push-ups | Strengthen the chest and arms |
| Squats | Target the legs and glutes |
| Pull-ups | Target the back+arms |
| Deadlifts | Strenghten the entire body |
.png)
If you're looking for guidance to start your fitness journey, check out my previous articles:
The key to achieving your fitness goals lies in balancing the two, whether you prefer cardio or strength training, so it's important to try both, depending on your body type and your fitness goals.
Understanding your body will enable you to make sustainable progress without getting bored or fatigued
Don't forget that consistency is one of the most important points you should pay attention to. You can't expect the best results if you only exercise every now and then, but exercise and fitness in general should be part of your routine and lifestyle. Whether you like lifting weights at the gym, running outdoors, or practicing yoga, finding a workout that you enjoy can make all the difference in motivating you to stick with your routine for the long haul.
We shouldn't talk about a fitness routine without talking about proper nutrition, drinking enough water, making sure to consume proteins - carbs - healthy fats...all of which are essential elements that help you maintain your body's functions and achieve the best results. If you are looking for an article or information to help you build the best dietary routine for you, take a look at my article (Here) where you will find everything you need to know about this topic
.png)
Your fitness journey starts here! If you liked the article, don't forget to leave a comment and share your feedback, this encourages us to provide more useful content, and we will be very happy to help you.