A physical showdown between strength training and cardio

When you compare cardio workouts to strength training, you have dumbbells in one corner of the ring and a jump rope in the other corner, but which would be the real winner in this dilemma? When it comes to getting the body type you want and deserve, what kind of program should an individual choose with strength training or cardio?

To solve the strength training vs. cardio dilemma, research experts set out to pit the two against each other in a head-to-head battle. Of course, it is also up to the person whether they want to improve, burn calories or run the fastest mile ever, but experts have selected which program according to the wishes and needs of the person they should devote themselves to.

The advantage of cardiovascular training is that calorie for calorie it has the advantage as a person can burn up to ten calories per minute lifting weights or twelve calories per minute running or biking.

The advantage of strength training is that lifting weights gives the individual the metabolic spike they need for an hour after training as their body is trying to help their muscles recover. As a result, the individual can burn an additional twenty-five percent of the calories that he just burned during his strength session. This means that if people burned two hundred calories lifting weights, then overall it’s more like two hundred and fifty calories.

However, if the individual were to lift heavier weights or rest no longer than thirty seconds between sets, they can kill even more. Also, for every three pounds of muscle a person builds, they will burn an additional one hundred and twenty calories a day, since muscle requires more energy to maintain.

The advantage of cardiovascular training in the head-clearing effects of swimming or playing tennis appear faster. For example, fifteen minutes of aerobic activity two to three times a week can significantly reduce anxiety about it. When the individual participates in this type of cardiovascular activity three to five days a week, he can cut his fatigue level in half. Cardiovascular exercise has been found to raise serotonin levels in the brain, which is a key neurotransmitter involved in improving the symptoms of depression.

The advantage of strength training remains a big question, as scientists have not shown any promising results on the mood-altering effects of weight lifting. However, more research is needed to determine the intensity and duration needed to match the cardiovascular benefits.

The Cardio Exercise Advantage Sports psychologists have been studying the effect of aerobic activity on self-confidence for decades, but they keep coming to the same conclusion, which is that runners, cyclists, swimmers, and other athletes have high levels of of confidence because of the sense of accomplishment they feel every time they cross the finish line, regardless of where they are.

The edge of strength training when you think you look sexy immediately after a workout, well, it’s not your imagination. Blood rushes to your muscles, causing them to swell and look more toned, as a result, you’ll feel more confident because you’ve just put off a lot of pounds.

In 2006, researchers at McMaster University in Ontario tested subjects’ body image on how they felt about others looking at them and how satisfied they were with their own appearance before and after twelve weeks of strength training. The women in the group achieved significant improvements and were particularly influenced by the physical results of increasing the amount lifted.