People get confused when they hear different advice about fitness goals. Some say cardio is best, while others argue for weight lifting. Cardio increases heart rate, burns calories, and works out the whole body. Weight lifting strengthens muscles, burns calories even after training, and sculpts the body to an incredible shape.

So what is better out of cardio vs weight training?

Put simply, both cardio and weight lifting are as good as eachother. It all depends on how hard your train to reach your fitness goals. A light jog around the block every now and then is no different to lifting a very light weight that you can barely feel. The best advice would be try and incorporate both.

Let’s discuss both types of fitness to get a better understanding of each:

Cardio

Cardio, short for cardiovascular exercise, refers to any activity that increases your heart rate and gets your blood pumping. It is an essential component of a well-rounded fitness routine and has numerous benefits for the body and mind.

Engaging in regular cardio exercises offers a multitude of benefits for cardiovascular health. By incorporating aerobic exercises into your routine, you can significantly improve your heart health and overall well-being.

One of the primary advantages of cardio workouts is the enhancement of heart function. These exercises increase your heart rate and strengthen the muscles responsible for pumping blood throughout your body.

This results in improved circulation and oxygenation of tissues, promoting a healthier cardiovascular system.

Additionally, engaging in cardio activities helps to increase endurance levels. Regular exercise stimulates the growth of new blood vessels and improves the efficiency with which oxygen is delivered to working muscles.

As a result, you will find yourself able to engage in physical activities for longer durations without feeling fatigued. Moreover, participating in regular cardio workouts plays a crucial role in reducing the risk of developing heart disease. Engaging in these exercises helps to lower blood pressure levels and reduce LDL cholesterol (commonly known as “bad” cholesterol).

By maintaining healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels through consistent aerobic exercise, you can significantly decrease the likelihood of developing cardiovascular conditions.

The amount of calories burned during cardio can range anywhere between 250 – 800 calories per hour. It all depends on the type of exercise and the level of intensity. An hour on a treadmill at a walking pace will burn around 250 calories, and jogging will burn around 550 calories.

While there are many different types of cardio exercises to choose from, an intense class like kickboxing or Muay Thai is considered the toughest, which can burn up to 900 calories per hour.

Its a full body workout which leaves you trenched in sweat. It has little rest between rounds, maximising fitness, pushing your body to the extreme. A class will also include strength training using powerful punches and kicks, press ups and squats, giving a full body workout. However, as fit and strong as you will become, with a particular diet, any weight may wash away from you, making it hard to increase muscle mass.

Weight Lifting

Weight training offers a multitude of benefits for individuals seeking to improve their physical and mental well-being. By incorporating regular weight training into your fitness routine, you can experience significant improvements in strength and muscle growth. Not only does weight training help you build lean muscle mass, but it also aids in weight loss by boosting your metabolism and increasing calorie burn.

Moreover, engaging in weight-bearing exercises promotes healthy bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. The stress placed on the bones during weightlifting stimulates bone remodeling and strengthens their structure over time.

Beyond the physical advantages, weight training has a positive impact on mental health as well. It releases endorphins that elevate mood and reduce stress levels. The sense of accomplishment gained from progressing in your lifting abilities can boost self-confidence and improve body image.

In conclusion, incorporating weight training into your fitness regimen provides a wide range of benefits including increased strength and muscle growth, enhanced bone density, improved mental health, and effective weight management. So why wait? Start reaping these rewards by embracing the power of weight training today!

Cardio Before or After Weights?

If you are going to a fitness gym, it is better the do weight training first to use utalise your full strength and get the most reps with the biggest weights.

Cardio vs weights to lose weight

Experts have suggested that an hour of kickboxing can burn upto 900 calories per hour. Whereas, depending on your own bodyweight, weight lifting can burn around 350 calories per hour. Howver, weightlifting, elevated the participants’ overall basal metabolic rate (BMR) for up to 48 hours.

Conclusion

Doing any form of exercise can only be positive which brings lots of health benefits. However, cardio offers more health benefits overall compared to weight lifting.

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