To support your healthy lifestyle, exercise needs to be part of your life not only to lose weight or maintain a weight loss but also to improve your health. Exercise is a mindset that celebrates what your body can do and not as a punishment for a food choice you made or a drudgery to lose weight.
By knowing the benefits of both cardio (aerobics conditioning) and strength training, the habits that regular exercisers have and how to become motivated to exercise during those times that you don’t want to will help you to create a positive mindset toward exercise.
10 Benefits to Cardio and Strength Training
The benefits to both cardio and strength training are many. For maximum weight loss, weight maintenance and overall good health, cardio, and strength training go hand-in-hand. Each of them provides benefits to you physically, mentally and emotionally. I’ve listed 10 benefits you’ll get from both cardio and strength training.
IMPROVES HEART HEALTH
The word “cardio” is short for “cardiovascular,” also known as aerobics conditioning, that mean the circulatory system of your heart and blood vessels. Cardio is good for your heart, lungs, and circulatory system, and the release of endorphins that can help you cope with stress.
CARDIO BURNS CALORIES
If you’re wanting to lose weight, you probably know that you need to increase your cardio. Cardio exercise burns calories. Studies show that cardio is the best exercise for weight loss. Know what your heart rate zone and ideal heart rate range is before doing cardio.
PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL
Cardio and strength training reduces belly fat and promotes brain growth, and prevents stress, interrupts anxiety, regulates depression and provides much better sleep.
IMPROVE BONE HEALTH
A combination of cardio and strength training can lead to stronger bones which can greatly reduce the risk of Osteoporosis.
HEART AND BREATHING
Cardio stimulates your heart and breathing rates to beat at a higher rate than normal and to be sustained during an exercise session. Examples are running, fast walking, biking, or an aerobic class (Zumba). Aerobic is the heart pumping exercise that makes your lungs take in more oxygen to keep you moving.
IMPROVEMENTS IN STRENGTH AND BODY MECHANICS
Strength training (resistance training) makes you stronger and fitter because it strengthens and tones muscles by contracting them against a resisting force. The benefits are more toned muscles, your balance and coordination will improve, and reduce your risk of falling which is important as you get older.
ASSIST WITH DISEASE PREVENTION
Strength training plays a role in the prevention of diseases such as arthritis, Osteoporosis, and Type 2 Diabetes.
METABOLISM
Strength training can boost your metabolism significantly — that can really jumpstart a weight loss plan.
CHOLESTEROL
It has been shown that strength training can reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol level.
CIRCULATION
Strength training improves circulation and pumps blood to the heart. When done in a circuit style with less than 15 seconds of rest between sets, strength training will provide an aerobic effect. This training works double duty with the benefits of aerobics conditioning and muscle toning in one workout.