Should You Swap Cardio Exercises For Strength Training?

A report has stated that young people are switching their training styles away from cardio to strength training. But getting fit in the gym need never be a case of either/or, as you can include plenty of both.

The BBC has reported that Gen Z has demonstrated a marked change in its exercise habits. According to data from Sport England:

- Participation in cardio activities such as running, fitness classes, swimming and interval sessions has declined

- Participation in strength-building exercises in the gym, including weight training and the use of exercise machines, has increased

- Compared to its last survey nine years ago, more young adults are using gyms

Why Are Young People Doing More Strength Training And Less Cardio?

Speaking to the BBC, Dr Andrew Scott from the University of Portsmouth commented: “Gyms offer broader types of exercise, like resistance training, which can improve body composition and shape more quickly than aerobic exercise training”.

He added that social media influencers have also been having an impact on changing training habits.

However, the fact that gyms can offer more strength training doesn’t mean that is all that young people should do, a point that applies just as much if you have a home gym.

The fact is, there are many elements to fitness and you can include all of them in your routine.

Yes, weight training and other strength exercises are great if you want to build up your muscles. The influencers are not wrong about this, even if not all of them will give the best advice about how to get there.

Do You Have To Choose Between Cardio And Strength Exercises?

However, this does not have to come at the expense of cardio training. There is no reason not to include both.

That is why it makes sense to have equipment like a foldable weight-lifting bench. On the one hand, this means you have a tailor-made bench to help you build up your strength by lifting weights.

However, the foldable element is just as important. Instead of it being a free-standing feature of your home gym taking up room in a limited space, the fact that it is foldable enables you to maximise the room you have and use it for other exercises, which can include cardio.

The key point is to understand that while strength training may give you visible muscles that will look impressive both on social media and in real life, you need cardio exercises too.

Among the central benefits of cardio exercises are:

- It improves blood flow and will decrease your chances of suffering a stroke, especially as you get older

- Reduced stress

- Better skin thanks to increased blood flow

- Better blood flow from cardio will make muscles work more efficiently

- It helps you to lose weight

- It increases your energy

- It helps you to sleep better

- It strengthens the immune system 

- It improves sexual function

- It enhances your mood 

This is a very long list and they highlight why cardio should always be part of your training regime.

How Can You Establish A Balanced All-round Exercise Programme?

By having folding equipment, you can make the most of your space and have a mixture of equipment for different purposes. You can have your barbells, dumbbells and other items for strength exercises, while also using cardio exercise devices like an assault bike.

The next step to take is to set up a training regime that mixes and matches the different kinds of exercises. You might have sessions that start with cardio and then move on to weights, for example.

Alternatively, you could concentrate on particular exercises on certain days. We have all heard the term ‘leg day’, and this would be an extension of that principle.

If you look at the physiques of many top sports stars, you can see that they have each balanced their training in different ways.

Cyclists, for example, don’t pack much muscle, but their cardio training will be extensive and their physical performance in this area extraordinary.

A sprinter, however, will benefit from cardio, but will also have lots of muscle and will have done lots of strengthening work to generate explosive power.

Indeed, time spent on one type of exercise is not time spent on another, but while that may mean that you don’t build up your muscles quite so quickly (as you don’t want to train too long due to the risk of injury), you will benefit more in the long run.

Getting fit takes time, but it is better not to take shortcuts by leaving out an important aspect of an exercise regime that can help you enjoy the benefits of all-round greater strength and fitness.