Both cardio and strength training are highly essential for a gym-rat lifestyle. The main difference between strength training and cardio is that the first is made up of exercises designed to build strength whereas the second is made up of exercises aimed at increasing your heart rate.
Cardio and strength training are both beneficial. Find the right balance between cardio and strength training for the best results!
1. Burning Calories
Cardio is the best go-to when it comes to burning calories and reducing body mass, but it doesn’t just help you lose weight. Cardio training also results in burning a lot of muscle mass along with the fat which isn’t ideal.
Meanwhile, strength training is the opposite. You can build muscle mass through strength training and it doesn’t burn as many calories in return. You’re going to need the calories for energy!
2. Improving Lifestyle
If you’re into training for the sake of looking good, there are still so many benefits to training other than physique. You can improve your quality of life by exercising. Cardio exercise helps your blood pressure, strengthens your heart and helps with osteoporosis, for example. Even low-impact cardio exercises like swimming are great for your joints!
As you grow older, it’s also important to take care of your back. Muscle training is vital, which means that you especially have to focus on your core. By regularly training via strength exercises, you help minimise future problems that you might have with your back along with stopping a build-up of abdominal fat.
3. Combatting Stress
You’d think cardio and strength training are only beneficial for fitness but the benefits of both are endless, one of them being, your mental health!
Spending 15 to 20 minutes a day doing cardio exercises can help you stop thinking for a bit and focus on the present. You’d start to see results in your change of mood.
And if you’ve got an office job in which you have to sit all day, a few cardio exercises will help the blood flow to your muscles as well as reduce stiffness and aching.
High-intensity strength workouts can help if you’re experiencing high levels of stress. Consistently lifting heavy objects helps to vent out any frustrations that you may be having and instead, clear your head.
Be creative with your exercises. Schedule a slot during your day dedicated to training and mix up your exercises with both cardio and strength training. Don’t repeat the same exercises – make it interesting for yourself!
So, it’s important to include both cardio and strength training in your sessions at the gym and make sure that they’re balanced out. That’s why YOU should visit our gym Cynergi Health & Fitness Club in St. Julian’s to book your spot at our facilities to train – you might even want to try out a few sessions with a personal trainer!