Many people who want to get in better shape ask themselves the classic question: Should I prioritize strength training or cardio training? Both forms of exercise have great benefits – but they affect the body in different ways.
Strength training builds muscle, increases resting metabolic rate, and protects against muscle loss with age. Cardiovascular training strengthens the heart, improves oxygen uptake, and improves endurance.
Research shows that a combination of the two has the best effect on health, energy, and longevity. But where you should focus your efforts depends on your goal, the time you have, and how you like to exercise.
Strength training and cardio training affect the body in completely different ways – but complement each other perfectly. When you lift weights, you inflict small, controlled injuries on your muscles.
The body repairs them, and the result is stronger muscles, increased bone density and a higher metabolism. Exercises like squats, deadlifts and bench presses activate large muscle groups at the same time and provide the most effect per session.
Cardio training, on the other hand, trains your heart, lungs, and circulation. It improves your body's ability to use oxygen and energy efficiently. Over time, you'll gain more capillaries (small blood vessels), more mitochondria (the body's "energy engines"), and better heart health.
In short:
The best news? You don't have to choose. A good balance between strength and conditioning provides the greatest health benefits. Strength training helps you maintain muscle mass and metabolism as you age.
It reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, because muscles store glucose and increase insulin sensitivity. Cardiovascular training lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, and protects against cardiovascular disease.
Both contribute to stronger bones, better sleep, higher energy and lower stress levels. So if you combine them, you get better shape, better health and a better quality of life.
Strength training builds muscle – and muscle burns calories, even when you’re at rest. Each extra pound of muscle can increase your resting calorie burn by 50–100 calories per day. After a strength workout, your body continues to use energy for several hours to repair and rebuild muscle.
Cardio training burns the most calories while you exercise. A running or cycling session can burn between 300 and 600 calories, depending on the intensity and duration.
Therefore, strength training provides a longer-term burn, while cardio provides a faster calorie burn right there and then. When you combine them, you get both short-term and long-term results – stronger muscles, lower body fat, and better shape.
The choice depends on your goal:
As you get older, strength training becomes even more important. You naturally lose muscle mass with age (called sarcopenia), but strength training can slow and even reverse the process.
At the same time, cardio keeps your heart strong and your brain sharp – research shows that regular endurance training can reduce the risk of dementia and depression. So it's not just about how you look, but how you feel, move and age well.
Strength training and cardio training are two sides of the same coin. One makes you strong and robust, the other makes you resilient and energetic, and together they create a body that functions optimally, both now and in the long term.
At Yolo Coaching & Training, we recommend a balanced approach: train variedly, build strength, breathe deeply, and let your body work for you, not against you. The goal is not to choose one over the other, but to find the combination that makes you thrive, perform, and grow.
