Is it more important to do strength training or should cardio be your focus. That’s actually a trick question, since you need both. You also need workouts that improve your balance and flexibility. Exercise isn’t an either or proposition. You can do all types of exercises in your workout. One thing to remember, especially for strength training, is that your muscles need a day or two of rest if you’re trying to build muscle tissue. Strength training makes microtears in the tissue and when those tears heal, it builds muscle tissue.
Strength training is important, particularly as you age.
If you’ve done the right type of strength training all your life, when you reach seventy, you’ll have the same muscle mass as someone in their 20s. You don’t have to lose muscle mass, but if you don’t workout, it happens. Strength training improves the quality of your life and helps you live longer independently. It helps prevent injury and can prevent loss of both muscle and bone density.
Strength training is important, but so is cardio.
If you’ve ever felt you needed a rest or couldn’t catch your breath after walking up a flight of stairs, you understand why cardio is important. Cardio, like strength training, burns calories, helps you sleep well at night and can improve your mood by burning off stress hormones and replacing them with endorphins. Cardio also is important for the heart muscle, aids in appetite control, helps control blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes. It improves your aerobic capacity, so you’ll have greater energy.
There’s a saying that weight training changes your shape, while cardio changes your size.
In other words, you need both. You also need flexibility—range of motion—and balance training to avoid injury. Luckily, some exercises are combinations of the two. If you’re walking, you’re doing cardio, but also weight bearing exercises that build leg strength. Many exercises build flexibility and balance as they build muscle and endurance. Varying your workout not only ensures you’ll get all four types of exercise, it also ensures you’ll work all muscles, avoid weight plateauing and make exercise more interesting so you don’t get bored.
- Turning your strength training into a HIIT—high intensity interval training—workout can provide both strength training and aerobic training. The same is true of interval training for strength.
- You don’t have to lift weights to get strength training. Bodyweight training, resistance bands and even yoga or Pilates offer some strength training features. Running isn’t the only cardio available either. One form of cardio many people love is dancing.
- Doing everyday tasks can improve your strength and cardio fitness. Park further from the store and carry your groceries without a cart or take the steps instead of the elevator.
- No matter what exercise program you choose, make sure it has all four elements, cardio, strength, flexibility and balance. You need all forms to be your healthiest.
For more information, contact us today at A Strong Life