Strength Training vs Cardio - The Benefits Of Variety In Your Workout
When it comes to the topics of fitness and weight loss, there is a fair bit of contention over what is the more effective route- cardio, or strength training. Especially for those starting out on their fitness journey, the choice can be an unnecessarily confusing and complicated one.
As with most things in life, balance tends to be key, but understanding the benefits and effects of both disciplines can help you to form the foundation of an effective exercise routine to achieve your workout goals.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Cardio, or aerobic exercise, refers to any activity that focuses on increasing your heart rate, and in turn raising oxygen and blood flow throughout the body. This is usually achieved through rhythmic and repetitive exercise, such as running, cycling, or boxing, to name a few.
Some of the key benefits of consistent aerobic exercise include (3):
- Lower blood pressure and cholesterol (2)
- Improved blood flow and oxygen intake
- Improved overall cardiovascular health
- Blood sugar regulation
- Weight regulation
- Improved sleep
Strength training is exercise aimed at muscle stimulation, with the goal of muscular development and improved physical strength. This is usually achieved through repetitive movements with increased resistance, such as lifting free weights, or using machine weights and resistance bands.
Benefits to be gained from strength training include (1):
- Increased metabolism
- Build muscle
- Increased overall strength
- Prevention of future injuries
- Promotes mobility and flexibility
- Improved bone development
WHAT’S YOUR GOAL?
Depending on the outcome you seek through your fitness journey, you may find it more beneficial to focus on one of these two exercise disciplines over the other.
Understanding how these training forms can help you achieve your goal can make the world of difference when constructing your workout routines. Being able to tailor your workout to best suit your needs will not only maximise your results, but also boost self-esteem and confidence when you find yourself seeing results as quickly as possible.
BURNING CALORIES
Aerobic exercise is a recommended tool for weight management by just about every public health organization (10, 11), with the American Council of Exercise reporting that the average person will burn 11.4 calories per minute of running (12). If you are regularly exercising at a rate that burns more calories than your caloric intake, cardio is an effective method of losing weight and keeping it off.
However, studies have shown that combining cardio work with weight training provides significant improvement to long term weight loss and overall health and fitness, by retaining and building muscle that a solely cardio routine would otherwise degrade (13).
Whilst strength training won’t burn as many calories, the development of muscle mass will help to burn more calories over time. Muscle mass plays a large role in our resting metabolic rate (RMR), which dictates how many calories we burn during periods of rest (14).
Furthermore, strength training can also have calorie burning benefits post exercise. Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or EPOC, is a process which requires stored fats and carbohydrates to be broken down in order to restore muscle health after activity. If you have a higher overall muscle mass, this process of muscle regeneration will take more energy, and therefore require higher quantities of stored fats to be burned (15).
IMPROVING SPEED AND ENDURANCE
Whilst it would seem a rather straightforward concept, improving your running speed and general endurance is not as simple as going for a daily run.
Regular cardio, such as running, will help to strengthen leg muscles and burn calories through aerobic exertion, however, without variety in your cardio, your aerobic capacity will quickly plateau. Variety in cardio will help you to see continued growth in your fitness and endurance. This was highlighted in a 2018 study, where professional runners who incorporated interval training into their regimens saw a 6% speed increase in their average running time in just two weeks (16).
Alternatively, strength training allows for a focus on muscle growth and conditioning, which can improve your stride power and endurance (17). Weight training, particularly targeted to the back muscles and other stabilisers, can also improve running form, which in turn leads to more efficient and healthy running. There is substantial evidence to show that incorporating strength training into a running focussed routine will not only improve muscle structure, but can increase endurance and anaerobic capacity (18).
REDUCING STRESS
One of the most common reasons for frequent exercise is its ability to relieve mental fatigue and tension. Just 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise can help lower blood pressure, and boost serotonin production to help reduce feelings of anxiety and unease (5).
In recent years, there has been increasing evidence supporting exercise as an effective interventional treatment for a variety of mental health concerns, including anxiety and depression.
In a study on the effects of strength training and cardio training on improved anxiety management and stress reduction, it was found that both modalities were highly effective in improving overall mental wellbeing, and reducing feelings of both general and disordered anxiety and distress (4).
INJURY PREVENTION AND PAIN MANAGEMENT
For some people, the fear of causing injury or exacerbating existing pain can be a deterrent from frequent exercise. In truth, however, a well-tailored exercise routine can help in prevention of future injury, and to manage existing pains.
Regular cardio has the ability to regulate weight and lower blood pressure, keeping your body in shape and at peak performance. There have even been studies that show targeted cardio can improve balance and agility, reducing the likelihood of falls (6).
Adversely, without the conditioning benefits of strength training, the repetitive impact of many cardio activities can put large amounts of pressure on muscles, joints, and ligaments, potentially leading to injury.
Strength training and muscle conditioning, creating stability through exercise, is a common part of many musculoskeletal injury prevention programs (7). Weight training teaches your muscles how to be reactive to certain muscle movements, and strengthening stabilizers, mobilizers, and load transfer muscles helps your body to naturally lower the risk of movement-based injury. One study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that strength training programmes helped to reduce sports injuries by an average of 66% (9). For best results, the ACSM recommends incorporate full body weight training 2-3 days a week (8).
THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
In conclusion, for the best results in your overall health and fitness, a combination of cardio and weight training is the most effective route to success.
A blend of strength and aerobic focus will help you improve your cardiovascular health and see greater fat loss, whilst reducing the muscle-loss associated with a solely cardio regimen.
The best way to begin incorporating strength training into your routine is to consult professional trainers who can create a programme and offer guidance to best get you to your fitness goals.
You can book a consultation with one of our specialist performance coaches HERE today.
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2. Cornelissen, V. A., Verheyden, B., Aubert, A. E., & Fagard, R. H. (2010). Effects of aerobic training intensity on resting, exercise and post-exercise blood pressure, heart rate and heart-rate variability. Journal of human hypertension, 24(3), 175–182. https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2009.51
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