Cardio vs Weights by Alister Murray MAAESS AEP
In all the years I have been practicing as an Exercise Physiologists, one question I get asked a lot is; What’s better, cardio or weights? Let’s look a little deeper into this debate.
First of all cardio (Aerobic) training is a totally different form of exercise than weight (Anaerobic) training so its like comparing apples and oranges. Cardio training can broadly be considered as exercise that requires a constant delivery of oxygen to be used as fuel; this is why it’s classified as aerobic (in the presence of oxygen). On the other hand, weight training is a type of exercise that fits into the anaerobic classification, which means that the fuel is delivered by other means than oxygen. Both types of training are important for healthy body function.
Cardio training is great for:
increasing stamina and endurance, promoting blood circulation, weight loss, improving metabolism and reducing risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol; the list goes on and on.
Weight training is great for:
increasing muscular strength and tone, increasing bone density (very important as we age), improving stamina, weight management, and reducing the risk of joint problems and injuries; again, the list goes on.
As you can see, both forms of training are equally important for normal body function and health. The secret is to get the right mix for your body type, health needs and goals.
Many of us enjoy one form of exercise or the other. Some like lifting weights, while others prefer cardio activities like running, cycling and swimming. Unfortunately one form alone does not meet all the requirements that our body demands so we need to get the right mix whilst maintaining our motivation and enjoyment in exercise.
The general health recommendations for each training type are:
Cardio – at least 30mins, 4-5 times per week
Weights – at least 30mins, 2-3 times per week
Considering this recommendation, in an ideal world we would train for at least 30mins each day and alternate our workouts between weights and cardio. With the pressures of modern day life this can be hard to achieve (and sustain) so which one should we choose to do and when? The answer will be different for everyone, as you need to consider your overall health needs, goals, motivation and ability. Given that both are vital for health and we all struggle to find time and motivation for exercise, perhaps the question should be; Can we do both at the same time? The answer is an emphatic yes.
You may have heard or read that you shouldn’t train cardio in the same session as weights. This is definitely not the case. Sure, certain training goals or health issues may dictate the need for only one form of training per session but for most of us, if the sessions are designed well then you can get enormous benefits from training both forms of exercise at once.
By combining weights and cardio in the one session, you can receive the wide range of benefits that both forms offer alone. One common way of combining the two is called circuit training. This is where you complete a sequence of exercises (cardio and weights) to a prescribed set of repetitions or duration. It’s a fantastic way of burning calories and improving your stamina, endurance overall fitness.
Another way is to complete a portion of the two forms back to back during a single session. This is most commonly done in gym environments when people do 20-30mins of weights followed by 30-40mins of cardio. Again, this is a great way to get the benefits of both forms but it also allows you to get the separate benefits from each form because of the way they are isolated during the session. For most people this is a great way to mix both forms of exercise and receive maximum benefit from the time they spend exercising.
So the long and short of it is that both forms of training need to be performed over the course of the week in order for us to maintain optimal health. Considering our hectic lifestyles, motivation, and health needs, one of the most effective ways to achieve this is combining the two together.
If you want to attain the best results possible then speak to an Exercise Physiologist about how to integrate a successful mixed session into your weekly exercise schedule.
To help you even further, The Lab is also running a brand new program which is specifically designed for you to get the most out of both forms of training whilst getting you in shape for summer. Its called Express Fitness and it’s a simple and effective way to get a complete workout on a Saturday morning. The program runs once per week for 10 weeks and starts on Saturday 17th of October at 8am. Call us today to book your place.