What about weightlifting?

Weightlifting or weight training strengthens the muscles by lifting weights. When overall muscle strength increases, also the support of the body increases: muscles are namely connected to each other and they are the ones who hold up the skeleton. So, what are the benefits of weightlifting? As we already mentioned stronger connective tissue and greater joint stability, increased metabolism, better coordination and balance if working with free weights, decreased body fat and greater lean muscle mass, stronger bones and reduced risk of osteoporosis.

Many researches show the age-reversal effect of weightlifting training: people performing only moderate weight training demonstrated muscle mass, cardiovascular fitness, coordination and bone density comparable to those who were 20 years younger than them. Reason for that was partly because the increased growth of hormone secretion.

What is better?

There is no better. Every smart exerciser knows the optimum lies in both – cardiovascular and strength exercise. Both 'methods' are essential for developing healthiest body possible. They namely target different systems: cardiovascular exercise strengthens lung, vessels and heart, while weight training uses the stamina of cardiovascular exercise to build muscles that support skeleton and organs.

What is the best combination?

Some say it is best to keep cardiovascular and strength exercise separate, so you can pay attention to each type of training, while others claim it would be best to combine them. So, why not combine? Mostly because when combining the two in the same workout it is more likely that whatever you do second will suffer since you have the most energy at the beginning of your workout, except if you're doing both types of exercise in shorter intervals, which is often unpractical.

When considering the integration of cardio and weight lifting into your fitness routine, it's crucial to take several factors into account. First and foremost, if you have the flexibility in your schedule, try to perform cardio and strength training on alternating days. This approach helps prevent undue fatigue, ensuring you can give your best to both types of workouts. However, if you must combine them in a single session, it's generally advisable to engage in cardio after your weight lifting. Doing so ensures that you channel your energy and muscle strength into effective resistance training before moving on to cardiovascular exercises.

Ones who support that method claim it is best to do cardiovascular exercise one day and strength exercises another day. You can do that way or combine cardiovascular and strength exercise at different times on the same day, which gives opportunity to rest before doing the second activity. Another option would be doing cardio and strength exercises during the same workout session or simply exercising a combination.

Beginning every workout with a proper warm-up cannot be stressed enough. It preps your body, boosts circulation, and significantly reduces injury risks. Furthermore, to fuel your workouts and support muscle recovery, maintaining adequate hydration and following a balanced diet are paramount. Remember, it's during rest that your muscles recover, repair, and grow, so don't skip those all-important rest days. Every so often, refresh your workout routine to steer clear of monotony and to keep challenging your body, preventing those frustrating plateaus.

Some people claim best combination of cardiovascular and strength exercise is swimming, which is represented as ultimate aerobic conditioner as well as muscle builder. Because of water environment muscles concentrate more on working than on supporting your body. Besides it is not easy at all to swim all those laps. Try it- you'll see. If deciding for swimming it is best to combine different styles of swimming: freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke... And then rotate the strokes so your muscles are continually surprised and challenged.

Read More: Best Weightlifting Exercises For Women

In conclusion

Smart exerciser knows there is no better and there is no choosing between cardiovascular exercise and weight training. The best programmes incorporate both cardiovascular and weightlifting since only this way maximum development and body strength can be achieved.