Cardio or Strength... or both?
Cardio is king? Strength is superior?
Which one actually wears the crown?
Truth be told, I’ve wavered on both sides of the fence over the past 2 decades. As a recovering “cardio junkie”, I’ve learned the many benefits that strength-training offers me, now more than ever.
But there was a time, I actually pulled back from cardio, afraid it would create too much of a cortisol spike or ruin my strength gains… silly I know.
What I’ve come to appreciate now is a re-born love of cardio conditioning.
Let me explain…
Over the past couple of months, I’ve integrated more cardio into my fitness routine. Nothing crazy or extreme, just a few short sessions of cardio. Sometimes it’s an interval run or an incline walk, while other times it’s hitting the rower or bike just for variety.
Here are some of my aha- moments I had, as I initially sucked wind with every minute as my lungs worked hard to pump oxygen to my working muscles…
Cardio is not easy… duh!
In fact when you haven’t consistently done it in a while, it’s very uncomfortable to say the least! You may plan to hit some cardio for 30min but after 15, you may wanna quit. Very normal.
Our cardio capacity can improve quite quickly…yess!
Of course this is relative to the time it usually takes to build muscle. Improvements in our cardio capacity can happen within weeks if we stick to it consistently. Muscle, on the other hand, takes time (months & years) to build and requires progressive overload, proper recovery, nutrition and a set of blessed genetics doesn’t hurt either;)
Cardio doesn’t take up as much mental focus… a “no-brainer”!
Well, at least not as much as strength training does in my POV. When we weight train, our brain needs to focus on so many things.. the position of our body, the tempo of the lift, weight selection used, the execution, rest periods, our mind-muscle connection and so much more.
But when you run, bike, climb or row, off you go… buh-bye! Not as much thinking is required (assuming you know how to do those activities) Your mind can wander, you can watch an episode of wtv on your iPad or you can listen to a podcast and still get in your cardio training. Of course, if you’re doing track splits or intervals, a little more thought is involved… like “holy cow this is hard!" and “how many more seconds to go?” etc. but that’s pretty much the extent if it.
Cardio leaves us with potent post-workout “feels”… ahhh!
One of the biggest differences I experienced was the endorphin kick post workout. After a strength-training session, I typically feel good, strong, empowered with a dash of “grrr.” ( I trust you know what I mean here 😬) But after my cardio training, I felt endorphins that were just different… yes I was more sweaty for sure but I definitely felt more energized and rejuvenated and was sharper mentally too. It simply felt good!
Cardio can help with fat loss… but beware.
So yes, you will burn more calories in a cardio session than in a strength one… even though that actual number is likely much less than your Apple watch tells you. And yes, if fat loss is a goal, adding some cardio can help you along that journey. But there is a caveat… the more cardio you do, the more efficient your body becomes. This is fantastic if you’re training for a race or want to shave off your time when doing cycling sprints. But in the case of fat loss… it’s basically the law of diminishing returns… the more effort, the less your body will respond when it comes to caloric expenditure.
So, you can definitely use cardio as a fat loss tool, but don’t rely solely on it as a means to an end. Because you’ll reach a dead end instead and feel frustration in the process.
My two cents📍
Cardio and strength are equally important and should be part of any training program. Strength training builds and preserves precious lean muscle mass… it’s what we need as we age, hands down. But heart health is essential too and improves our heart’s ability to pump oxygenated blood to our working muscles.
If you’re gonna do some extra cardio, make sure it’s something you actually enjoy, whether that’s a walk, a ride, a cardio class or anything else that has you feel a little breathless.
By doing some cardio, we add years to our life. By strength-training we add quality to those years!
Do you do both cardio and strength?
Which do you prefer and why?
Feedback in the comments or message me… I’d love to know!
Coach Lisa 💪
