Fitness gurus and gymgoers still find it difficult to answer whether cardio or weight training which one is better. Whether cardio is a strong contender for weight loss or weightlifting brings more positive results. As both of these exercise regimes are extremely helpful, there are some tweaks and loopholes where one can commonly miss out.
For a brief introduction, cardiovascular exercises or commonly abbreviated to “Cardio”, is a set of high order physical activities performed simultaneously. These activities can vary from spinning, running, swimming, walking, hiking, aerobics classes, dancing, and even kickboxing.
On the other hand, weight lifting is regular weightlifting exercising where one needs to lift a particular set of weights, as per his body and height ratio. Starting from a lower set, a person can increase or decrease the weights. This set of exercises is mainly done within a gym with the proper set of equipment.
As the above two sounds perfect for every belly-person whose main aim is to look slim fit and active, there are some grey areas where these two curricular activities may differ. And that is where you can choose to step in and see which exercise routine suits you fine.
So, to share some light, we will be comparing which activity does bring better results on different categories, Let’s begin.
1. Cardio Burn More Calories
Studies show that having a similar duration for both weight training or cardio, the amount of calorie burnt is more in the latter part. While it can differ from person to person who will have different BMIs (Body Mass Index), research shows that you’ll burn more calories per session of cardio than weight training.
2. Weightlifting Gives Boost to Metabolism
According to experts, although weightlifting may not burn enough calories as compared to cardio, it has some extra benefits as well. Weightlifting exercises can give one’s resting metabolism a boost which results in a higher BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) of that individual.
A BMR is a rate at which calories are burnt during rest. As your body feels relaxed after the workout, it starts to heal and cools down the muscles. Also, Weight training can help one to achieve their goals when it comes to aesthetics. It strengthens and shapes our muscles and gives us a good posture.
3. High-Intensity Interval Training Provides Similar Benefits to Cardio in Less Time
Despite these two strong contenders, several other exercises can bring a lot much difference in a short period. One of the most powerful regimes you can choose is the HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) session.
A typical HIIT workout takes about 10 to 30 minutes. You can use HIIT with a variety of different exercises, including sprinting, biking, jump roping, or other body-weight exercises. A recent study was done by PubMed Central on HIIT, weight training, running, and biking was done, all for 30 minutes.
The results were surprising that among all of them, HIIT workout burned 25–30% more calories than the other forms of exercise. These forms of exercise are much beneficial if you perform them for 30 minutes a day or 150 minutes a week. This will be enough to bring positive changes that you crave.
4. High-Intensity Cardio Can Cause A Downfall
Many people ought to think that a more calorie burn out means faster fat cutting. But when you dig deep, you may find that a high-intensity exercise regime such as a HIIT burns carbohydrates for fuel rather than fat. This, in turn, can deviate your body from the results.
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) suggests that to tackle any such energy cutter, you must choose a mix exercise routine, and maintaining it regularly can bring a nurturing and combined result for the fat losers.
Weight training exercise can lead you to make muscles. But when it is added with a specific activity regime, such as cardio, can bring an overall improvement to your body composition. While they may have some unseen changes at initial, a combination of the two could bring long-term success.
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