Have you been drawn into the belief that cardio kills muscle gains? This myth has been confusing fitness enthusiasts across the world, and it's time to set the record straight. The truth is that strength training and cardio form a powerful combination that will benefit your body and overall well-being. Integrating cardio into your strength routine might be the missing ingredient that takes your fitness journey to the next level.
Cardiovascular exercise, or aerobic exercise, is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. It contributes to heart health, burns calories and builds endurance. If your goal is a well-rounded fitness routine and you've been skipping cardio, it's time to pivot and discover the advantages of mixing up your workouts.
Cardio and Muscle Gain
If you're worried that cardio is killing your gains, let's look at the science. Research has found that combining aerobic, another term for cardio, and strength training in the same session doesn't compromise muscle hypertrophy or maximal strength development. Muscle hypertrophy is the increase in muscle fiber size, helping the muscle grow bigger and thicker.
Benefits of Combining Strength Training and Cardio
An article published in 2024 extensively researched whether cardio or strength training is better for overall health. The findings showed that neither was better than the other. Rather, the study found that both forms of training are essential components of a well-rounded routine, offering a powerful combination of complementary health benefits.
Variety
Combining cardio and strength training can make your workouts more varied and engaging, which can help you stay motivated.
Reduce the Risk of Injury and Muscle Soreness
Combining strength training and cardio strengthens and stabilizes muscles, improving balance and coordination, which can reduce the risk of injury. Varied exercise can also improve posture and body mechanics. Strength training gives the body a break from repetitive cardio movements, reducing the risk of muscular injuries caused by overuse. Light cardio between strength training sets may help improve blood flow and reduce muscle soreness.
Improve Overall Fitness and Well-Being
Exercise can lower the risk of coronary heart disease, lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of diabetes, among other health benefits. Strength training and cardio create a well-balanced workout routine that can help you reach fitness goals with stronger muscles, a healthier heart and improved endurance. Cardio can also help clear your mind and ease anxiety, while strength training can make you feel powerful and focused. Both forms of exercise can reduce stress and uplift your mood.
How to Balance Strength Training and Cardio
Every individual's body is different. You shouldn't copy and paste the exact same exercise routine into your life just because it works for someone else. Factors like age, gender, fitness level, access to equipment, work schedules, fitness goals and so many others affect how you design your fitness routine. Here are some exercise-related components to consider:
Frequency
If you're just starting your fitness journey, begin with two or three sessions a week — one cardio, one strength, and a mixed session if you choose to do a third day. If you're already strength training four times a week, swap out one or two of those sessions for cardio. You could also add an extra cardio session to your schedule or combine cardio into all your strength training workouts if variety keeps you motivated. Find what feels good, and remember to schedule rest.
Timing
The best time to do your workouts depends on your schedule and preferences. If you want to run outdoors, you might have to go for a run during the week, according to the weather forecast. For swimmers who don't have a pool, you may have to plan your swim based on which day your schedule allows you to get to the gym. These variables are part of why having home gym equipment is so beneficial. If you have your cardio and strength equipment at home, you know you won't have to miss a workout based on logistics like weather or gym hours.
Routine
Here is an example of combined workouts if you're doing four one-hour training sessions split in half between strength and cardio per week:
- Day 1: Upper body and core strength training and rowing machine
- Day 2: Leg strength training and running on a treadmill
- Day 3: Active rest day with light stretching or yoga
- Day 4: Core strength training and swimming
- Day 5: Full body strength training with weights
- Day 6: Active rest day with walking
- Day 7: Rest day
This is a fairly rigorous training schedule, so make sure you create a plan that is suited to your body and fitness level.
How to Use Exercise Equipment for Combined Training
If you're dedicated to enhancing your fitness, it's time to build the ultimate home gym and experience the endless possibilities it creates. For a well-rounded fitness routine, you'll want to invest in equipment that meets your cardio and strength training needs. Here are some ways you can use common equipment for both cardio and strength training:
- Treadmill: While you might know treadmills as exclusively cardiovascular exercise machines, they can also be used to strengthen the lower body. You can perform walking lunges at a low speed or add a resistance band to your legs for strength training. When it comes to choosing the right treadmill, consider your budget, living space and goals. If you're limited for space, consider exploring folding treadmills that can be packed away.
- Exercise bike: Exercise bikes have adjustable settings and a low impact on your joints. Increasing the resistance lets you add strength training to your cycling session. While they are primarily for cardio, doing high-resistance intervals and standing intervals can significantly increase the strength of your leg muscles.
- Rowing machine: To balance out the lower body work of running and cycling, use a rowing machine to tone and strengthen your arms and core. These machines offer a full-body workout, and if you increase the resistance, you can focus on strengthening as well as cardio.
- Kettlebells: The more you learn about the versatility of kettlebells, the more you'll want some at home. They're fantastic for workouts that combine cardio, strength and even flexibility. Kettlebell swings and other explosive movements can elevate your heart rate and burn calories, while kettlebell thrusters are effective for full-body strengthening.
- Resistance bands: You can level up multiple forms of training with resistance bands. Use them during strength training sessions to increase the challenge and add to strength and muscle gains. For cardio sessions, they let you add difficulty to jump squats, burpees and other exercises.
Explore Exercise Equipment for Your Dream Home Gym
Now that we've debunked the myth that cardio kills gains, you may want to restructure your fitness schedule. Combining or alternating cardio sessions and strength training might be exactly what your body needs to achieve your goals. Experiment with striking the right balance of cardio and strength training until you find a combination that feels good. Pay attention to your body as well as the possible changes in your mental and emotional state as you work toward the optimal, balanced workout routine.
If you want to take your fitness journey to the next level, invest in equipment so you can exercise at home. The Treadmill Factory has an extensive selection of gym, fitness and exercise gear from reputable brands. Our highly trained team can help you find the right equipment for your needs. Whether your business is kitting out a communal gym space or you're designing a home gym, our quality equipment can bring your vision to life.
Browse our products online or find a fitness store near you if you want inspiration for your home gym. Our team is dedicated to enhancing people's fitness journeys, so please call us toll-free at (888) 469-3031 or contact us online if you have any questions.
