Pipestone Flyer
Vol 15. Issue 10, Leduc - Wetaskiwin Pipestone Flyer
Here is a very common question I get asked frequently! What is better Cardio or Resistance Training?
Cardio is short for cardiovascular exercise, it is any movement that gets your heart rate up and increases blood circulation throughout the body. Experts recommend a minimum of 25 minutes to 60 minutes of cardio training per session. There should be a minimum of three sessions per week and a maximum of five.
The benefits of cardio exercise are weight loss, more energy and reduces the risk of heart disease. The kinds of exercise that are associated with cardiovascular workouts are things like fast walking, jogging and biking. Resistance training is the common term for various types of strength building exercises that rely on the use of resistance to promote muscle growth.
How often should we do resistance training? Well it depends on you really, it can be anywhere from a minimum of one session per week to a maximum of four, always allow a day for recovery. During resistance training, micro-tears occur to the muscle fibers which means they need to rest and repair. For the best results, train on alternate days.
Benefits of resistance training are increased strength, reduced body fat and increased bone mineral density. The kind of exercises that are associated with resistance training are lifting weights or body weight and resistance machines.
Now, which is better Cardio or Resistance Training? As you may noticed they both are equally important to us, you need them both to live a healthy active lifestyle.
Nikki Dugas is the owner of Take Off Fitness and a regular contributor to The Leduc – Wetaskiwin Pipestone Flyer