Cardio VS Weights: which one you should do?

Introduction

Everyone has different fitness goals. Some people want to lose weight, while others have the desire to building muscles and get ripped. However, there is a difference between weight loss and fat loss. The reason is weight loss can be a result of water loss, decreased bone density and reduced muscle mass. On the other hand, fat loss is the pure amount of fat reduced from the body and that’s why fat loss is often slow and difficult. Same is the case for building muscle as it takes more time and effort as compared to just getting fat.

There are tons of articles on the internet that will tell you whether you should do cardio or weight training to lose fat. But there are some points that you should consider before choosing the right approach. This article will help you dig deeper into the concepts and benefits of cardio and weight training, it will also help you select the appropriate method for your fitness goals.

Cardio

Cardio means cardiovascular conditioning. The name is given because it is an aerobic activity which uses oxygen to increase the heart rate and breathing that helps strengthening the cardiovascular system (heart and blood vessels). The most common forms of cardio are running, sprinting, jogging, cycling and swimming, just to name a few. Cardio improves heart health, stamina, endurance, blood pressure and cholesterol. It also allows you to burn more calories and reduce weight faster.

Weight or Resistance Training

Strength training, weight training or resistance training whichever you like. It’s a form of anerobic exercise that involves weight like barbells, dumbbells, body weight, kettlebells and weight training machines. It breaks down glucose for energy and allows to use more energy in less time. The most common benefit of weight training is increased muscle mass, improved bone density, toned body and overall attractive body shape.

Cardio or Weights?

It’s an old argument that whether you should do cardio or weight training. The truth is, it depends on your fitness goals. For example, if you have a lot of excess weight and you just want to reduce the extra pounds, cardio is for you. On other hand, if you have a little excess fat and want to become ripped, go for weight training. But what about the combination? It is a known fact that cardio reduces more calories when you are working out but your body returns to homeostasis after a few hours. On the contrary, weight training burns less calories during the workout but your body takes much more time returning to homeostasis. Weight training also increases the resting metabolic rate that in turns accelerate fat loss.

At this stage, it seems like both have the same calorie burning capacity which is true to some extent. But other benefits of cardio and weight training make them more specific as per the desired fitness goals. However, if you want to stay toned and reduce fat at the same time, try combining cardio with weights. Doing cardio and weight four to five times a week can make a big difference to your overall body size, cardiovascular health, bone density, stamina and endurance.

Weights First or Cardio?

It’s a difficult question because you will see people saying we should do cardio first as it warms up the body and prepares us for the upcoming workouts. On contrast, you will also find people arguing that cardio should be done after weights. However, both approaches are correct. The only difference is that cardio after weight training can help you burn a few more calories that can ultimately help you lose fat faster. But if you are doing both activities for fitness, choice of sequence is yours.

Key Takeaways

It doesn’t matter enough whether we do cardio or weight training. What matters the most is we should exercise daily and make it a habit. 30 minutes of cardio or strength training four to five days a week can make a big difference to our health overtime. If you can combine both activities and perform them at least five days a week for 30 to 45 minutes, it will be a win-win situation.