Which is More Beneficial – Weight Lifting or Aerobic-Cardio Exercise?
There has been a decades-long discussion between those who advocate lifting weights as a workout and those who advocate some form of aerobic exercise. Which is better? Which is more beneficial? Which one will help you live longer?
Those questions assume it one or the other. They also assume that all forms of weight lifting are the same. And they assume that all forms of aerobic exercise are the same. Neither is true.
Let’s Sort This Out
First of all, any of these exercises are way better than doing nothing to maintain your fitness level.
Weight Lifting
Does weight lifting increase your muscle strength? Yes. Of course.
Does it also increase aerobic fitness? Yes – a little. It also depends on the number of repetitions of each exercise you do. Doing many repetitions with weights that are less than the maximum you can lift helps to develop more aerobic fitness.
Many gyms also have aerobic exercise machines of various types – stair climbers, treadmills, etc. Using those machines develops aerobic capacity a lot faster and more completely than doing only weight lifting.
Various Aerobic Activities
Do running, swimming, bicycling, treadmills, and other aerobic activities increase aerobic fitness? Yes – a lot.
Do aerobic exercises increase muscle strength? Sometimes. It depends on which activity you engage in. As you would expect, swimming increases upper body strength much more than running. Bicycling increases leg strength more than running, assuming you are riding up and down hills. Bicycling on flat ground takes less leg strength. Plus, you can coast on flat ground.
Conclusion
Both weight lifting and some forms of cardio exercise can be used to build muscle and increase aerobic capacity. The most important thing is to choose the form of exercise that you will do most regularly. Add the opposite type occasionally.
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