One of the things I hear most is whether to focus on strength training or cardio. Sadly, many people think like this. It’s one or the other, but you honestly don’t have to choose.
Strength training and cardio each has its own purpose for the body, and when combined it creates a balanced workout that supports your fitness and life goals. It helps you in how you move, feel, and age.
What Does Strength Training Do? (besides build muscles)
There tends to be a misunderstanding as to what strength training does. A lot of people picture weightlifters or bodybuilders lifting super heavy weights, however, the core of strength training is about teaching your body how to support itself.
Yes, strength training helps to build muscle, but you’re also strengthening your joints, improving your posture, and creating stability (balance). As we get older, this becomes super important because muscle mass naturally starts to decrease and balancing feels harder than it used to.
Strength training improves both of these things and helps your body to feel stronger. For example, it can help you carry your groceries, getting up from the floor, and moving without pain. Strength training also helps to boost your metabolism over time and supports bone health, which is important for long-term independence.
When I think of strength training, I view it as the roots of a tree. When the roots are strong, then the rest of the tree feels stronger, balanced, and grounded.
What About Cardio?
Cardio’s primary focus is on your heart, lungs, and circulation. Doing cardio is what helps you to walk up a flight of stairs without losing your breath, run after your kids or grandkids, or to just move through your day with more energy.
Cardio encompasses so many exercises, not just long runs or intense workouts. Things like walking, cycling, soccer, swimming, dancing, HiiT, and some intense strength workouts can all count as cardio. The possibilities are endless! The main goal is to challenge your cardiovascular system (gently if you’re just starting off) so it becomes more efficient over time.
Not only does it have physical benefits, but it also has amazing benefits for mental health (just like strength training). Cardio helps to regulate stress, improve your mood, and it supports your overall health—especially during busy or overwhelming times.
Why Choosing One Without the Other Falls Short
This makes a lot of sense.
When someone chooses to do only cardio, they usually start to feel weaker over time. Parts of the body may ache (i.e. the joints in runners), the posture may suffer (i.e. cyclers), and plateaus become very common. However, if you focus solely on strength training, it can leave you feeling strong but easily fatigued.
One helps you to be able to move, and the other one gives to the energy to do so.
They’re not competing against each other. They are BFF’s!!
Why Do They Both Matter for Long-Term Health
When you combine strength training and cardio, it helps to support longevity. It helps you stay mobile, active, and balanced. Combining strength training and cardio supports health for many years from now.
This balance between the two becomes even more important if you’re:
- Sitting a lot due to your job
- Healing from an injury or surgery
- Dealing with hormonal changes
- Wanting to prevent aches and pains
- Looking to build strength without burning out
The goal is not to tire yourself out. It’s to build a body that feels balanced and supported.
How to Combine the Two
You don’t need to complicate and overthink it.
If you’re a beginner, start with 2-3 days of strength training each week, and then add a day of walking or light cardio. The trick is to find something that you like. Some people enjoy circuit-style workouts (like HiiT or Crossfit) that raise the heart rate while building strength. Others prefer separating the two (This is me!). Both approaches work. Some great examples are:
- Running
- Dancing
- Walking (or speed/incline walking)
- Sports
- Swimming
- Step-aerobics (I loooove this one!)
The possibilities are endless! What matters most is being consistent and choosing an exercise that you can commit to.
The Final Note
You are a tree, and strength training is the roots. It helps your body to become stable, balanced, and strong. Cardio is what helps the tree sway when there’s a storm, meaning that it keeps you moving efficiently. Without cardio, you’ll have a tree that looks strong, but struggles to move and without strength training, the tree will lack the strength it needs to keep it rooted during storms. Both of these in union and balance help the tree to stay rooted, strong, and pliable.
When you include both, you’re not just exercising—you’re helping to prevent muscle loss, improve your metabolism, and maintain bone density.
If you’re unsure how to balance cardio and strength training in a way that works for you and your life, then that’s where thoughtful, individualized training makes all the difference.
Reach out to us, we are here to help!
Grounding Fitness, LLC 