Strength Training vs. Cardio.

Strength Training vs. Cardio.

In this corner, fighting in the blue trunks, Strength Training.
In this corner, fighting in the red trunks, Cardio.

The never ending battle.

Allright, fellas, let’s have a clean fight.

That’s how it is. Strength Training or Cardio. Ultimately, you do what’s right for you and your training regime. But first, let’s look at the tale of the tape here. Both are great exercises. Both make you feel great (well, it depends…). And, both are essential for training. But again, they differ when it comes to what you are training for.

Miriam Nelson, author of “Strong Women Stay Slim” says “You are probably burning more calories when you are actually moving a heavy weight than when you are doing aerobic exercise. But you are taking breaks, so over 30 minutes the actual number of calories burned doing strength training will be less.” (Cardio vs. Weights: The Battle Is Over, by Laura S. Jones, special to The Washington Post).

So, what to do? Well, (A) you could just NOT take breaks but you don’t want to burn yourself out and possibly bonk (bonk describes a condition caused by the depletion of glycogen stores in the liver and muscles, which manifests itself by sudden fatigue and loss of energy. Wikipedia).

Or (B), if you train, say five days a week, do straight cardio twice and strength training three times. This way you get a good mix of both. This is a good approach if time is of the essence.

But, regular aerobic exercise causes your lungs to process more oxygen with less effort; your heart to pump more blood with fewer beats; and the blood supply directed to your muscles to increase. As a result, by performing cardiovascular exercises, you are increasing your body’s endurance and efficiency.

And what are the results of that? Weight loss, reducing stress, and increased stamina are excellent benefits.

 The wonderful website Livestrong.com has this to say about the epic battle – “Strength training is a critical component of any program than emphasizes long-term fat loss,” said Alwyn Cosgrove, co-author of the book “The New Rules of Lifting.” Think of it like this: Muscles are “thirsty” from a metabolic perspective. The more muscle you have, the more fuel you are constantly burning. This is the advantage strength training offers if your goal is to lean out. A treadmill or elliptical trainer is often seen as the quick fix to shed body fat, and they are certainly useful if your goal is to improve cardiovascular health, endurance or simply to burn some extra calories, but strength training is a powerful ally.”

So, who wins? Well, neither. They are both great, they both have excellent benefits and both can help. So, mix it up. Do a little of both and watch your training improve.