Cardio or Strength Training Exercise

In general, exercise is quite beneficial in maintaining good health, no matter the type of exercise you choose to adopt. According to Hippocrates, “in order to remain healthy, the entire day should be devoted exclusively to ways and means of increasing one’s strength and staying healthy, and the best way to do so is through physical exercise”. Regular exercise has the following benefits: reduction in some type of cancer, type 2 diabetes, depression, mortality, and other health issues. Exercise also improves weight management, quality of life, cognitive ability, and physical functions^1–8.

Although physical exercise is generally helpful in maintaining healthy body and mind, the debate has been what type of exercise is the best, cardio or strength training. In truth, cardio exercise and strength training offer significant health benefits, but they impact the body in different ways. Let’s explore these two types of exercise and their unique advantages.

Cardio Exercise

Currently, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the world, and it is predicted by American Heart Association that by 2030 there will be 9.9% increase in cardiovascular disease⁷. Notwithstanding all these reports, cardio or aerobic exercise plays a vital role in controlling the prevalence of cardiovascular disease. Cardio exercise is any activity that increases your heart rate and breathing rate for an extended period. A long-time cardio exercise will result in better oxygen delivery to muscles and improved endurance⁹. Cardio exercise includes running, dancing, swimming, cycling, rowing, high-intensity interval training, and brisk walking.

Benefits of Cardio Exercise

1. Improved cardiovascular health: Cardio exercise strengthens the heart and improves circulation.
2. Lower blood pressure: Regular cardio can help reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
3. Better metabolic health: It improves cholesterol levels, glucose metabolism, and insulin sensitivity.
4. Weight management: Cardio exercise burns calories and helps maintain a healthy body weight.
5. Enhanced mood: It releases endorphins, which can improve mood and reduce stress.

Strength Training

Strength training involves exercises that use resistance to build muscle strength, size, endurance, and improve bone density. It includes weightlifting, resistance band workouts, push-ups, pull-ups, squats, Pilates, and certain types of Yoga.

Benefits of Strength Training

1. Increased muscle mass: Resistance exercises stimulate muscle growth and prevent age-related muscle loss.
2. Improved bone density: Weight-bearing exercises help strengthen bones, reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
3. Enhanced metabolism: More muscle mass increases your resting metabolic rate.
4. Better functional fitness: It improves balance, coordination, and the ability to perform daily activities.
5. Reduced risk of injury: Stronger muscles and joints are less prone to injury.

Comparison Between Cardio and Strength Training

Primary Focus: Cardio exercise focuses on endurance and cardiovascular health, while strength training focuses on improving muscle mass and strength.

Calorie Burn: Cardio burns more calories during workout, while strength training burns calories over a long period of time after workout.

Effect on Metabolism: Cardio has a temporary boost on metabolism, while strength training has a long-term effect on metabolism.

Impact on Body Composition: Cardio leads to fat loss, while strength training results in both fat loss and muscle gain.

Injury Prevention: Cardio improves overall fitness, while strength training strengthens muscles and joints.

Summary

Both cardio exercise and strength training offer unique and important health benefits. However, for optimal health, a combination of both types of exercise is recommended because this leads to synergistic effects. A study showed in very old participants (85+ years) that combination of cardio and strength training improved participants’ cognitive ability⁶. Do not restrict yourself to a particular exercise regimen. Variety is the spice of life. However, remember to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new exercise regimen, especially if you have arthritis or other health conditions.

References

1.         Shanb, A. A. & Youssef, E. F. The impact of adding weight-bearing exercise versus nonweight bearing programs to the medical treatment of elderly patients with osteoporosis. J Family Community Med 21, 176–181 (2014).

2.        Tardon, A. et al. Leisure-time physical activity and lung cancer: a meta-analysis. Cancer Causes Control 16, 389–397 (2005).

3.        Friedenreich, C. M. & Cust, A. E. Physical activity and breast cancer risk: Impact of timing, type and dose of activity and population subgroup effects. Br J Sports Med 42, 636–647 (2008).

4.        Bucksch, J. & Helmert, U. Leisure time sports activity and all-cause mortality in West Germany (1984-1998). J Public Health (Bangkok) 12, 351–358 (2004).

5.        Orozco, L. J. et al. Exercise or Exercise and Diet for Preventing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2008). doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003054.pub3.

6.        Ho, B. D. et al. Associations between physical exercise type, fluid intelligence, executive function, and processing speed in the oldest-old (85 +). Geroscience 46, 491–503 (2024).

7.        Agarwal, S. K. Cardiovascular benefits of exercise. Int J Gen Med 5, 541–545 (2012).

8.        Pontes-Silva, A. & Lopes, A. L. Aerobic, resistance, or combined exercise training and its outcomes on cardiovascular risk profile in overweight or obese adults via a CardioRACE trial: a gap. Eur Heart J 45, 2456–2457 (2024).

9.        Hughes, D. C., Ellefsen, S. & Baar, K. Adaptations to endurance and strength training. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 8, (2018).