Weight Training Vs Cardiovascular Exercise
Weight training and cardiovascular training are both crucial parts of a fitness regime.
Although other components of fitness exist, the debate remains on whether cardiovascular exercise or weight training is more valuable for us.
The truth is both have benefits and each element needs to be incorporated into our busy routines of life.
Weight training has several health benefits.
Research shows people who have more muscle will burn more calories when they are at rest.
This is a great reason to start weight training.
Research also shows lifting weights will help reduce our risk of osteoporosis.
Since lifting weights not only helps to build strong muscles but it also helps to build our bone strength.
Resistance training will help keep our bone mass since it is a weight bearing exercise.
This is an important fact especially for women since they are more prone to weak bones as they age.
Weight lifting will also help increase our resting metabolic rate.
This is defined as the number of calories we burn while we are at rest when we are completely inactive.
This is important when we are looking for fat loss.
Our bodies will aide to burn calories more efficiently when we hold more muscle.
Another benefit of weight training includes improving our posture and it may help our balance.
Our posture can become worse over time due to our jobs.
An example is a career that might be considered sedentary such as sitting at a computer for ten hours per day.
It is easy to develop poor posture by sitting at a computer.
Resistance training the proper way will help to improve our posture by strengthening the appropriate postural muscles.
When our muscles are stronger, our balance often improves since the muscles around our joints have more strength.
Older people often fall because balance and strength are lost with age.
We need to counteract this by adding resistance training.
Cardiovascular conditioning also has many health benefits.
Besides a caloric burn, research shows it can lower high blood pressure and increase our good cholesterol also known as our HDL.
An example for me was having blood work done last year at a doctor's visit.
My good cholesterol was not too low but could have been higher.
Fortunately, my total cholesterol was very low.
I decided to increase the amount of cardio during a week over the course of a year to see if this would help make a difference.
I went back this year and my good cholesterol was up about 10 points.
In this case the higher the number, the better it is.
My blood pressure was normal and did not change.
I believe the aerobic exercise helped my good cholesterol in a positive way.
Steady state exercise such as running or walking when we keep our heart rate the same is a good way to burn calories but might not be the best for fat loss.
The latest research shows varying our heart rate such as interval training is a better for fat loss.
Aerobic exercise will help lower our heart rate over the long run so our heart will work more efficiently.
The lower the heart rate is the more conditioned our bodies are.
Marathon runners have a very low heart rate since they are so conditioned aerobically.
Both aerobic training and weight training need to be included in our fitness regimen.
When we are limited in time it is possible to do both.
We can combine these two by performing a strength exercise quickly followed by a cardiovascular exercise.
An example may be performing a weighted squat followed by jumping jacks for 60 seconds.
This can be repeated several times to not only build strength but increase our heart rates for a caloric burn.
By combining strength training and aerobic conditioning, it may be possible to reap the benefits of both.
The key is keeping our heart rates elevated during the workout to ensure the intensity level is high enough.
It is important to include both cardiovascular exercise and weight training in our lives to stay healthy.
Many people neglect one component or both but they are each equally important for overall health.
We need to take charge of our health and make the right decisions for a healthy lifestyle.
We can consult with our doctors and fitness professionals for appropriate advice before beginning an exercise program.
Although other components of fitness exist, the debate remains on whether cardiovascular exercise or weight training is more valuable for us.
The truth is both have benefits and each element needs to be incorporated into our busy routines of life.
Weight training has several health benefits.
Research shows people who have more muscle will burn more calories when they are at rest.
This is a great reason to start weight training.
Research also shows lifting weights will help reduce our risk of osteoporosis.
Since lifting weights not only helps to build strong muscles but it also helps to build our bone strength.
Resistance training will help keep our bone mass since it is a weight bearing exercise.
This is an important fact especially for women since they are more prone to weak bones as they age.
Weight lifting will also help increase our resting metabolic rate.
This is defined as the number of calories we burn while we are at rest when we are completely inactive.
This is important when we are looking for fat loss.
Our bodies will aide to burn calories more efficiently when we hold more muscle.
Another benefit of weight training includes improving our posture and it may help our balance.
Our posture can become worse over time due to our jobs.
An example is a career that might be considered sedentary such as sitting at a computer for ten hours per day.
It is easy to develop poor posture by sitting at a computer.
Resistance training the proper way will help to improve our posture by strengthening the appropriate postural muscles.
When our muscles are stronger, our balance often improves since the muscles around our joints have more strength.
Older people often fall because balance and strength are lost with age.
We need to counteract this by adding resistance training.
Cardiovascular conditioning also has many health benefits.
Besides a caloric burn, research shows it can lower high blood pressure and increase our good cholesterol also known as our HDL.
An example for me was having blood work done last year at a doctor's visit.
My good cholesterol was not too low but could have been higher.
Fortunately, my total cholesterol was very low.
I decided to increase the amount of cardio during a week over the course of a year to see if this would help make a difference.
I went back this year and my good cholesterol was up about 10 points.
In this case the higher the number, the better it is.
My blood pressure was normal and did not change.
I believe the aerobic exercise helped my good cholesterol in a positive way.
Steady state exercise such as running or walking when we keep our heart rate the same is a good way to burn calories but might not be the best for fat loss.
The latest research shows varying our heart rate such as interval training is a better for fat loss.
Aerobic exercise will help lower our heart rate over the long run so our heart will work more efficiently.
The lower the heart rate is the more conditioned our bodies are.
Marathon runners have a very low heart rate since they are so conditioned aerobically.
Both aerobic training and weight training need to be included in our fitness regimen.
When we are limited in time it is possible to do both.
We can combine these two by performing a strength exercise quickly followed by a cardiovascular exercise.
An example may be performing a weighted squat followed by jumping jacks for 60 seconds.
This can be repeated several times to not only build strength but increase our heart rates for a caloric burn.
By combining strength training and aerobic conditioning, it may be possible to reap the benefits of both.
The key is keeping our heart rates elevated during the workout to ensure the intensity level is high enough.
It is important to include both cardiovascular exercise and weight training in our lives to stay healthy.
Many people neglect one component or both but they are each equally important for overall health.
We need to take charge of our health and make the right decisions for a healthy lifestyle.
We can consult with our doctors and fitness professionals for appropriate advice before beginning an exercise program.
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