Cardio or Strength training?

Which one is more important?

Cardio training involves running, swimming, cycling, jumping rope, stair climbing etc.

While strength training involves dead-lifts, lunges, push-ups, squats etc.

What's the buzz with Cardio? Cardio helps lose calories faster, hence effective for weight loss. It makes you physically fit by making your heart and lungs stronger by getting your heart rate up. Thus your heart doesn’t need to work hard to pump blood. It also reduces risk of heart attack, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Whats the deal with Strength training?

Strength training on the other hand helps building muscle strength, muscle mass and helps to preserve bone density. It boosts your metabolism. You will burn calories while you are working out and also when you are resting. Both men and women undergo age-related muscle and bone loss. Women have a higher rate of bone loss than men. Strength training has the ability to combat weakness, fragility and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.

Thus in order to achieve a complete routine we have to aim for both cardio and strength training consistently every week. With cardio we can keep our heart and lungs younger and with strength training we protect losing our bones and muscles.

So which do you prefer? Cardio training, Strength training or both?

Eat. Exercise. Explore.

Love and Hugs,

Smriti