Whether you’re trying to lose weight or increase your fitness levels, there is usually one question that keeps coming up – should you do cardio or use weights?
As the two most popular types of exercise, cardio and strength training are often pitted against each other in the quest for the perfect exercise regime.
So, which one is the right one for you?
Here are some things to know about both types of exercise.
Calories
When it comes to burning calories, both types of exercise are super effective, but in different ways.
Cardio burns more calories in a session.
Strength training burns more calories every day.
This is because the muscle built during strength training burns more calories while it’s at rest. Strength training also helps to boost your metabolism over time.
Benefits
Cardio is ideal for training the heart, lungs, and the rest of your cardiovascular system. It also supports brain health, blood sugar and mobility and well as increasing your lifespan.
On the other hand, strength training helps to build and maintain muscle mass which usually declines as we age. This supports the bones and improves cardiovascular health while helping the body to maintain a healthy weight. In turn, this helps us to stay independent as we age.
What’s the score?
Both types of exercise are crucial for maintaining good bone density, muscle mass, cardiovascular health and brain health. Depending on what you are hoping to achieve, however, you may want to incorporate one more than the other.
For race training – opt for cardio.
To burn body fat – opt for weights.
To build muscle – opt for weights.
To be more active – opt for both.
To reduce the risk of disease – opt for either.
To build strong bones – opt for weights.
To reduce stress – opt for cardio.
For limited exercise times – opt for weights.
To maintain good overall health and to encourage better sleeping habits, try to incorporate a HIIT routine several times a week as this uses both types of exercise which will mean you’ll see all of the benefits rather than just a few.
If you would like to find out more about how REM-Fit Sleep Monitoring technology or Zeeq Smart Pillows can help you to get a better night’s rest, please get in touch with our experienced, knowledgeable staff by calling 020 8731 0020 or email us via sales@rem-fit.co.uk.
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