When it comes to the fitness world, one of the arguments you are sure to defend on cardio v strength training. This debate can get particularly confusing if you are a woman trying to work towards your health and fitness goals. Do you stick with a cardio workout heart-pounding, sweat-inducing pace or do turn to strength training for muscle-building and the sleekly defined body of your dreams? Mate This blog will take a deep dive into cardio vs resistance training so you can decide which one is best for your goals.
Cardio versus Weight Training: Making the Right Selection
Cardio Training
It refers to aerobic exercise that raises your heart rate for an extended period. Cardio: Any form of movement that drives your heart rate to upstart the day with an added energy boost- walking, running, jogging, cycling, laps swimming aerobic classes, etc. Cardiovascular exercise is a buzzword to describe workouts that help strengthen your heart, lungs and blood vessels.
Strength Training
Resistance training, which we also call strength training as you all may be aware the exercises of increasing muscle strength and endurance is resistance or weight training. These could be activities like weightlifting, bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, and or using some sort of machine that adds a certain amount of weight to the lift (ALSO counts as strength training). Strength Training focuses on increasing muscle mass, but also improving muscular endurance and physical strength in general.
Benefits of Cardio for Women
Better Heart Health
Cardio is great for heart/cardiac health Cardiovascular exercise: If the limbs have muscles so does the Heart it too being a muscle, needs to be worked out (like any other) to keep efficient-strong healthy hearts pump blood more effectively guessing oxygen. This can reduce blood pressure, protect the health of your cardiovascular system and support many other parts of this critical system in general. Calorie burn: Cardio does a body good for weight loss, as well. So, running or cycling it could be high-intensity interval training which turns up for a quick period being the best option to lose some calories by all those who want they have lose weight.
Greater Stamina and Endurance
They also enhance endurance and stamina by heightening the ability of a body to maintain prolonged physical activity. This improves other performance of daily work and in every workout.
Mental Health Benefits
Studies have shown that practicing 30-60 minutes of moderate cardio activity just a few days per week is sufficient to counteract the symptoms of depression and anxiety. Cardio Workouts – cardio workouts release endorphins for feel-good hormones and happiness.
The Secret of Strength Training for Women
Gains in Muscle Mass and Strength
No other form of training can give you the same level of results in muscle hypertrophy and strength gains as compared to strength training. This is especially critical for women as muscle mass faster their metabolism and can help to keep healthy weight levels.
Improved Bone Density
Resistance training is also very good for the density of one’s bones, which will decrease your chances of suffering from osteoporosis in women who know the risk as they grow older. Building a properly functioning muscular system that will stimulate bone growth ensures the same can be said about your skeletal structure.
Enhanced Body Composition
Cardio is good for weight loss, but strength training helps with body composition. Strength training is what can help women get a leaner, stronger body by increasing muscle mass and reducing or always holding off more of the body fat.
Better Functional Fitness
A person can begin to lift weights for strength training; this will improve their everyday abilities. Whether it be lifting groceries, or playing with children; improved strength and stability make a daily task that much more safer and feasible.
Disadvantages of Cardio vs Strength Training
Drawbacks of Cardio
It is not muscle loss: Over-exercising, poor nutrition and fitness lead to this statement. Which in return can cause your body to lower its metabolic rate, making it all the harder for you to lose weight. Overuse injuries-therefore frequently participating in any high-impact cardio activities such as running will more than likely cause many an overuse injury, ie shin splints or stress factors. Cardio is only one side of weight loss and being skinny could be an issue(irony); if you lack the weight that strength training gives.
Why strength training has some drawbacks
Caloric Burn: Strength training is lower in caloric burn per session than even a short high-intensity cardio workout. This leads to slower-looking weight loss.
Intimidation: Many novices may be intimidated by the strength training. The gym can be a tricky place to learn the correct form and equipment uses without any help.
Recovery Time- For strength training, enough recovery time between workouts is needed to allow muscle tissue reconstruction and growth periods. However, overtraining can be very hard on the body and cause fatigue or injuries.
Cardio And Weight Training Combo
Women will benefit from doing a combination of cardio and strength training as both exercise types have their own pros and cons. Here’s why:
Balanced Fitness
An all-around fitness routine includes both cardio and strength training. Cardiovascular health and endurance as well whereas strength training helps with muscle mass, bone density, and body composition.
Optimal Weight Management
You want to do a little cardio and then some strength training because you are managing your weight. While cardio burns calories during the workout, strength training can increase resting metabolism and more calories burn at rest.
Improved Mental and Physical Health
Doing both types of exercise can yield a well-rounded approach to keeping your mind and body healthy. Cardio getting you the endorphin release, and lifting giving you a sense of strength makes for an effective combination in support of your overall well-being.
Designing a Well-Rounded Workout Plan
For those ladies out there that are in need of a balanced workout plan that has both cardio and strength training, here is how you can do it.
Set Clear Goals
Before developing your workout regimen, it is important to outline what you are looking to achieve as this depends on the fitness goals. Are you going to build muscle lose weight, are you going for endurance or do want not to have back pain anymore? Static goals will help you test out the right equilibrium of cardio vs. strength tone training for your unique body makeup.
Schedule Workouts
Make an effort to do both cardio and strength training every week You could, for instance, split those up to do cardio on Monday Wednesday and Friday; and strength training on Tuesday Thursday, and Saturday. This leaves enough time for recovery between strength training workouts.
Vary Intensity and Duration
Change up your workout frequency and duration (volume), to mix things up, and take away the potential of plateaus. For variety, include steady-state HIIT for cardio and use free weights machines and bodyweight exercises to keep changing the way your muscles work.
Listen to Your Body
Take notes on how your body is responding to what you are doing. If you are excessively tired and pains, then perhaps it is best to step back a bit. Sleep and rest are the key components of any good fitness program.
Get professional help
So, if you are new to this or even need assistance knowing the amount of cardio and weight training exercises that will be best for you; get hold of a fitness professional You can also work with a personal trainer so they could create the training plan for you and advance your form and technique as well.
Conclusion
Overlooking the fact that both methods have their specific unique benefits, doing a balance of cardio and strength training – as often said by any fitness professionals you ask for advice about how to lose weight – should be incorporated into your life. For females, a blend of cardio and strength training would generally be the best protocol to add to your exercise routine. Cardio is great for cardiovascular health and weight loss while building muscles; increases muscle mass, and helps improve bone density leading to better body composition.
By comparing the pros and cons of both style types, an all-encompassing workout program can be developed so women looking to reach any given fitness objective have a strong base in which they can achieve their physical goals while living healthier lifestyles with increasing levels of intensity. Harness the power of cardio and strength training to take control of your fitness.