Strength Training vs Cardio Training
There’s a common misconception that many believe to be true - that cardiovascular training kills your weight training gains.
The “gym bro” culture is powerful, but it might not suit you.
Strength training and cardio are not mutually exclusive, and science supports including both in a well-rounded fitness programme.
In this blog, we’ll explore each training modality, why you need to do both, and how to do it without hurting your progress. Of course, this should come with a disclaimer that it depends on your goals. If your goal is to compete on a bodybuilding stage, maybe this isn’t for you. This blog is for everyday athletes who are neglecting cardio training and leaving too much on the table in terms of overall fitness and health.
Benefits of Strength Training
Strength training should be a staple part of everyone’s training routine. The advantages are undeniably impactful.
This isn’t a blog on the benefits of strength training, so I’ve identified the three biggest benefits from my experience:
Muscle Mass and Strength: The most apparent benefit of strength training is promoting muscle growth and improving body composition, enhancing strength and appearance.
Injury Prevention: I’ve had one minor injury in 20 months of consistent hard training. With over 1,500 miles of running covered in that time, I attribute my lack of injuries to the work at the gym. A review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine analysed six studies on the impact of strength training. The results showed that strength training programmes reduce sports injuries by an average of 66% and more than halved the risk of sports injury (Lauersen, Andersen, and Andersen, 2022).
Mental Health: Although it takes a lot of effort to get out of bed in the morning and into the gym, there is something special about throwing weights around. Movement truly is medicine - strength training boosts mental health by releasing endorphins, improving mood, and reducing stress and anxiety.
Benefits of Cardio Training
Cardio training provides numerous benefits, such as:
Heart Health: Cardio exercises improve cardiovascular endurance, helping your heart pump blood more efficiently and reducing the risk of heart disease.
Weight Management: Regular cardio helps burn calories, making it an effective tool for managing weight.
Mental Health: Cardio releases endorphins, reduces stress, and improves sleep, enhancing overall mental well-being.
Why Both Are Important
I mentioned earlier that bodybuilders are one of the most vocal communities online. So-called “hybrid” athletes are a close second. While the message aligns with what I’ve discussed, it should be considered common sense rather than just a fitness trend.
Combining strength and cardio training targets different physiological systems, ensuring comprehensive fitness. My argument is that “Hybrid athlete” is just a cool-sounding label for something that most athletes should already be practising.
In a 2004 study by Mikel Izquierdo and colleagues where they compared the effects of three groups who completed three different training programmes - endurance training alone, endurance training alone, and a combined resistance and endurance training - found that prolonged low-frequency combined resistance and endurance training leads to gains in:
maximal dynamic strength
power-load characteristics of the leg and arm extensors muscles
cardiovascular fitness (Izquierdo, et al., 2004)
This isn’t the only study that proved this true, either. You can read more about the physiological responses to resistance and cardiovascular training here.
Incorporating both types of training also contributes to longevity by reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Dr. Mike Israetel talked about this in detail on a recent episode of Chris Williamson’s Modern Wisdom podcast
Nutrition Tips
This can’t be a blog on training without acknowledging the importance of nutrition. Proper nutrition is essential to get the maximum benefits from weight training and cardiovascular training.
You need to fuel for each workout appropriately, recover after the workout by replenishing the calories burnt, and consume calories intra-workout if required.
The general advice is to consume a balance of each macronutrient (carbohydrates, fats, and protein). There is a lot of contradicting advice out there. Low-carb is best. High-carb is best. Fasting is best. Carnivore is best. Vegan is best. It’s all noise.
The best diet is one that works for you, supports your training goals, and provides the nutrients your body needs.
Some suggestions for pre and post-workout nutrition might be:
Pre-Workout: A balanced meal with carbohydrates and protein about 1-2 hours before exercise provides energy and supports muscle function.
Post-Workout: Consuming protein and carbohydrates shortly after exercise helps muscle recovery and replenishes glycogen stores.
How to Combine Strength and Cardio Training
You shouldn’t expect to achieve maximal gains in every area of fitness simultaneously. No one has ever broken the marathon and deadlift record in the same year, and it's unlikely anyone will. Instead, using periodisation in your training plan is essential to balance the benefits of both strength and cardio training.
Alternate Days
One effective strategy is alternating between strength and cardio sessions on different days. For instance:
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: Strength training focusing on different muscle groups each day (e.g., upper body on Monday, lower body on Wednesday, and a full-body session on Friday).
Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday: Cardio workouts, varying from slow aerobic runs to interval training.
This approach allows each system to recover while still maintaining consistent training, reducing the risk of overtraining and injury.
Periodisation
Periodisation involves cycling through different training phases to optimise performance and prevent burnout. Here's a simple example:
Strength-Focused Phase (6 weeks): Emphasise strength training with heavier weights and lower reps. Cardio can be light and less frequent, such as 2-3 low-intensity sessions per week.
Endurance-Focused Phase (6 weeks): Shift to higher cardio volume, like longer runs or bike rides, while maintaining a basic strength routine with lighter weights and higher reps to preserve muscle mass.
Mixed Phase (6 weeks): Balance strength and cardio equally, ensuring neither aspect is neglected, such as 3 sessions of each per week, with moderate intensity and volume.
Goal Consideration
Tailor your training routine based on specific goals:
For fat loss: Combine high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with strength training to maximise calorie burn. For instance, do HIIT sessions on non-strength days or as a finisher after strength workouts.
For building muscle: Focus on heavy lifting with compound exercises, like squats and deadlifts, and keep cardio to light or moderate intensity to avoid interference with muscle recovery and growth.
For improving endurance: Prioritise longer, steady-state cardio sessions and reduce the volume of strength training to prevent excessive fatigue.
Measure Success
You’ll never know if combining strength and cardio training works for you unless you try it. Even then, you won’t know the results without measuring key metrics. Use metrics like:
The weights lifted and the number of repetitions
Distances, times, and heart rates
Body fat percentage and muscle mass
Regularly measuring these variables opens up a new world of discipline and commitment - it did for me. You can adjust your training to ensure continued progress and prevent stagnation.
Conclusion
A well-rounded fitness routine incorporating both strength and cardio training is essential for achieving a wide range of health benefits. By embracing both forms of exercise, you can improve your physical fitness, boost mental well-being, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and enhance overall performance in daily activities. Integrating strength and cardio is a proven approach.
Start today, set clear goals, and tailor your training plan to unlock your full fitness potential.
