One thing that we all have in common when we walk into the gym is that we want to feel that we are working out in the best way to reach our goals whether they may be increasing strength or more geared towards fat loss. The big debate is always between resistance training and cardio. Resistance training which is an exercise method that contracts your muscles in order to build muscle. Cardio is a training method that decreases your inflammatory signaling and the fatty tissue which helps the body prevent from storing too much fat as long as you are sticking to a healthy dose of cardio.
So cardio or weights, which is more effective?
Both styles of training have their advantages. Below is a list of the benefits for each training style both resistance training and cardio.
Benefits of cardiovascular exercise:
- Improves heart health and how efficient your heart is able to work under pressure.
- Helps regulate your appetite. While this can differ from person to person cardio can have the effect of decreasing your appetite by changing the levels of hormones that drive your state of hunger.
- Aids in fat loss. A minute for minute cardiovascular exercise burns more calories than weight training due to the continuous nature of intensity, which helps you to burn fat.
- Protects your immune system. Exercise allows immune cells to perform effectively. It increases blood flow, reduces stress and inflammation, and strengthens antibodies.
Benefits of resistance training:
- Builds muscle. Training with weights places more resistance on your muscles meaning the tissue is broken down more quickly. Which triggers the bodies response to heal and repair the tissue. Growing muscle in the process while also building strength and endurance.
- Boost metabolism and fat loss. Resistance training helps increased lean muscle mass which will increase your metabolic rate, which equals more calories burned. While with cardio more calories are burned in the moment during the exercise, resistance training will continue to burn calories all day long.
- Helps improve the quality of your sleep. One of the many functions of sleep are to conserve energy and repair tissues in the body. So the more time you spend in the gym, the more rest your body needs.
- Relieve stress. Working out reduces stress by releasing endorphins, which are chemicals produced in the brain during times of pain and stress
