Cardio Training vs Weight Training: What You Need to Know

The gym can be an intimidating place. It is filled with fit people lifting heavier weights than you can lift or running for what seems to be an eternity. There are many different types of training. Cardio training, weight lifting, and strength training are a few different forms of exercise. Determining the best workout strategy before you start working out can enhance your results.

What Results do You Expect?

Determining what you are looking to achieve from your exercise drastically changes the exercises that would work best for you. A workout routine for someone who is looking to lose weight is very different from one for someone who wants to gain muscle. Knowing what your goals are, is the best way to determine your workout routine.

Weight Loss Exercise

The idea behind training for weight loss is to increase your metabolism and heart rate. When paired with a low-calorie diet, a high-intensity workout will help you shed those unwanted pounds. The two best types of weight loss workouts are endurance and high-intensity training. While endurance training is intensive, it is also time-consuming. For those of you who do not wish to spend hours a day in the gym, a high-intensity workout is probably for you. Here is an idea of excellent weight loss workouts:

High-Intensity Cardio Training: High-intensity cardio training elevates your heart rate and keeps it elevated for hours after your workout. An elevated heart rate increases the number of calories your body burns
Low-Intensity Cardio Training: Low-intensity cardio training takes longer but achieves the same effect of high-intensity cardio.
Weight Training: Weight training can also be beneficial in weight loss. Every extra pound of muscle you can add burns 30-50 extra calories every day. Even if you start with bodyweight exercises(pushups, situps, etc.), you will speed up your results.

Muscle Building Exercises

If you are looking to add muscle to your already toned physique, the formula is a little bit different. Achieving this goal will require a higher calorie intake and an intense workout schedule. The idea is to turn extra caloric intake into extra muscle. These are the best exercises if you’re looking to put on muscle.

Full Body Workouts: Training every muscle group every time you step into the gym is a good way to start gaining muscle. Many people work out one muscle group a day, giving the other muscles time to rest. This isn’t the best strategy when it comes to gaining muscle.
Legs Legs Legs: Working out your legs may seem like a silly idea when you want to build muscle on your upper body. Squatting works out multiple muscle groups. Therefore, squatting releases more testosterone. The more testosterone that is coursing through your veins, the easier your workout will be. Never skip leg day.
Interval Cardio: While it may seem counter-intuitive, interval cardio can help build muscle in your legs. All the evidence you need is to take a look at a world class sprinter. Sprinters have some of the BMI of any professional athlete. They achieve this by using high-intensity short duration cardio workouts. Try adding sprints to your routine if you are looking to put on a few pounds of muscle, just don’t overdue it.

Toning Exercise

You may just be looking to turn some of your excess pounds into muscle without getting huge. If this is the case, then the formula is similar to someone that is attempting to lose weight. Mixing high-intensity cardio training with high-intensity weight training is probably the best bet for you. Here are some of the best exercises for toning:

High-Intensity Cardio: Again, sprinting is a great way to shed fat and gain muscle at the same time.
Low Weight Training: You may want to pick up the heavy weights, but that isn’t a good idea. Heavy weights seem like a good idea but they will surely add bulky muscle. Low weight exercises are a great weigh to gain muscle without adding to much muscle mass.