The Benefits of Strength Training and Cardio Exercises

There has always been a debate for decades over whether cardio training or strength training is better for you. The reality is you need both. Your body will not depend on just a single branch of exercise to work. Cardio and strength workouts come with their own set of benefits, and each supports the other and enhances your overall fitness performance. It is suggested that adults perform at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity daily, and engage in strength training at least twice per week. These recommendations from the American Heart Association suffice for 30 minutes per day, or 150 minutes per week, of physical related activity which can be easy as going for a run around the block and hitting the gym with some weights.

Benefits of strength training
Weight training builds big muscle and helps to strengthen the connective tissues in your body, and that goes far towards injury prevention. Not only will it help with everyday chores and aging bodies but you'll also improve your posture, balance, and stability. Weight training helps shape your body and metabolizes fat faster. Following strength training, your metabolism remains higher for an elongated period of time (unlike cardio which halts as soon as your heart rate drops), in return burning more calories after your workout. Furthermore muscle expends more energy to maintain than fat does, so in return you'll burn more calories while at rest by adding some muscle to your frame.

Benefits of cardio training
Cardio training improves your body's ability to process and use a higher content of oxygen, increases your lungs capacity, and improves your overall fitness level to help you live longer and have a healthier heart. Even when the top body builders started to train they began to recognize the high level of importance of adding cardiovascular training into their workouts aiding them in increased blood-flow to the muscles as well as speeding the muscle breakdown healing process and recovery through workouts. Cardio training elevates your heart rate in the short term, with benefits like lower blood pressure and a decreased resting heart rate, which results in less effort for the heart and any future diseases.

A properly designed and rounded workout routine comes with an abundance of mental and physical benefits. Exercise releases endorphin's under stress, which helps aid stress, tension and anxiety, as well as increasing blood flow to the brain, to help you function at higher levels. Risks of illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and certain types of cancer can be decreased by performing healthy related activities. Exercise helps maintain muscle mass and strengthen bone density, both of which decline as we age. Staying active will not only give us a better way of life but a longer and healthier one.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Albert_Quintana

Read More

Cardio Exercises for Newbies

There are countless cardio exercises you can use to achieve the results you desire. In this article I will explain some of the best workouts for accelerating fat loss, and keeping it off for good.

Warning: these exercises are high-intensity and will require this thing called "hard-work". Some people seem to have forgotten what that is! If you want real cardio results, you need to WORK HARD.

Okay, enough of the motivational speech... let's get started. Make sure you always dynamic stretch before these explosive exercises to avoid any unnecessary injury.

Sprint Training

Sprints are the most effective high-intensity cardio training exercise you can use. This explosive exercise rapidly destroys fat, and helps you build lean muscle in the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core.

The best part of sprints is that an entire routine will only take about 15 minutes to complete, as opposed to a 60 minute long distance run.

There are many variaitons of the sprint including traditional sprints, interval sprints, hill sprints, and resistance sprints.

Plyometrics

Plyos are an excellent way to burn fat, build lean muscle, and spice up your routine. These exercises are designed to strengthen fast twitch muscle fibers, and thus increase athleticism and explosiveness.

Some of the most popular exercises include platform jumps, depth-jumps, weighted explosions, jump rope, granny tosses, and horizontal explosions.

Agility's

Most people assume agility training is only for athletes. However, agility's are actually an excellent high-intensity cardio technique. These explosive exercises are designed to increase foot speed and non-linear quickness. Some of the best agility training techniques include ladder drills, cone drills, and hurdles.

Bodyweight Circuits

Yes, believe it or not, bodyweight exercises are actually a great way to improve anaerobic endurance. You will simply combine about 4-5 different bodyweight exercises and turn them into a circuit. Perform each exercise consecutively without any rest. Finish the entire circuit and then repeat it about 3-4 times. This is very challenging, but very rewarding.

Bodyweight exercises will increase full body strength, improve lean muscle mass, and rapidly decrease fat. Some effective exercises you can use within your circuit include squat variations, push-up variations, planks, and mountain climbers.

There are many high-intensity cardio training options you can choose from! These exercises are a great way to spice up your routine and ensure that your body is constantly being challenged. If you're just a beginner then I recommend you start with sprints. This will allow you to build a solid foundation for more advanced cardio exercises in the future. What's the next step? GET STARTED!

I hope this article helpful. For more cardio exercises, visit http://www.cardiotrainingfreak.com/cardio-exercises-for-fat-loss/ now.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nathan_E_Gotch

Read More