Strength or cardio? Which training is more effective and which one goes first

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In the world of fitness they are clear:

is overrated.

Why then are we obsessed with burning the treadmill running, sweating profusely on the elliptical, and

ourselves in

sessions ?

Because we think that this way we will subtract more calories.

While if we go to the weights room, we will tone the body and make the muscle grow.

Although it is true, between black and white there is always a gray scale.

Although strength training is surrounded by a lot of mythology, especially among women, it is the

for fat loss goals, professional trainers explain.

"At a biological level it is much

. Why? First, you can do it in less time and, second, the results will be more intense. Also, with strength what we do is build muscle mass and that muscle mass it is more expensive to maintain. That is why we generate an acceleration of metabolism", explains Daniel Martínez, from David Lloyd Club Turó Barcelona.

When this happens, as we have already explained in ZEN, we continue to burn up to 48 hours after doing sports: "For work

loss, weight loss, and cardiovascular and pulmonary health, I would choose strength work if we could only choose one ", ditch the instructor.

Not in vain, numerous studies point in this direction and, if we think of caves, traditionally human beings have moved heavy loads.

With a more sedentary lifestyle these days, therefore, working on strength is more important than ever.

BENEFITS OF STRENGTH TRAINING

For Óscar Ballesteros,

of O2 Centro Wellness Manuel Becerra, in Madrid, the increase in muscle mass is related to multiple improvements in health:

• "It decreases the risk of appearing cancer,

  osteoporosis

  and joint pathologies."

• "Improve and

  shorten the recovery times

  of any clinical process, improve posture and prevent discomfort."

• "On a psychological level,

  it generates endorphins

  , improves personal security by feeling better physically and increases tolerance levels for high efforts."

And the cardio?

• Improves the body at

  the metabolic level

  .

  "Mainly, the respiratory and circulatory systems are benefited by increasing the levels of tolerance to efforts and recovering better and before them."

• "It prevents

  cardiovascular diseases such

  as heart attacks or ischemic diseases, helps reduce bad cholesterol in the blood and improves energy synthesis processes. For this, it is important to work cardio at different intensities," he recommends.

AGE AND PHYSICAL CONDITION

One of the reasons that CrossFit is so fashionable is because in its training it combines constantly varied high-intensity exercises.Javi Martínez

Is strength training for everyone?

Martínez is resounding in the yes.

What's more, the younger we are, the easier it is to gain muscle mass, he asserts: "As the years go by, we enter the process of sarcopenia, a

Therefore, it is essential to have had reserves of strength work when you are young to be able to maintain them when you are older".

What if I start at an advanced age?

Is all lost?

"It's never too late. Strength work produces a gain in muscle mass, therefore, it is important, above all, for a health issue" rather than for looking physically good, clarifies David Lloyd's trainer.

And he adds: "As you get

you should do to maintain strong bones and good postural and body hygiene."

STRENGTH RESISTANCE OR POWER

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Of course, always adapting the exercises to the physical condition of each person, or their possible limitations or injuries.

"The strength with the body is going to generate more resistance work for us, as we are moving without additional weight. We have to go to higher repetitions, because you are working with your own weight and you are not adding loads."

If we add bars or dumbbells, says the instructor, we would go to a strength of

.

The type of work is different and the result will be too.

"I would advise

training for a more balanced result, some push-ups with your own body and we would add

[push to work pectorals], for example, to combine strength exercises with resistance exercises."

WHICH GOES FIRST?

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These theories have evolved a lot and have changed in recent years, explains Martínez.

"The latest trends recommend a mix:

.

Here a high intensity HIIT circuit stands out.

"While you are doing toning and strength exercises, which can be with your own weight or added as bars,

or other gym equipment, you work in circuits and also cardiovascular, which for me is ideal. Rest times would be short so that we can also speed up our cardiovascular metabolism through our toning and strength work".

Another classic example is a

CrossFit

On the other hand, if we are going to work separately, Martínez is in favor of strength first and then cardiovascular: "So that you focus on the strength part and, theoretically, once you have activated the metabolism, start the cardio so that you can burn the adipose tissue. It begins to burn after 30 minutes of activation. If you already have it facilitated with strength work, then cardiovascular helps us

".

Óscar Ballesteros also agrees: "For the general public, strength always comes first because it will require more conscious training with greater control and this can only be achieved by being rested and energized."

There are infinite combinations, but one that could be very valid, according to Martínez, is three days of training a week, with only one of pushing strength.

"We 're talking

[leg, back, chest], and all the exercises are pushing."

The second day we could work cardio to rest from strength work, combining

, elliptical, stairs or rope if there is no injury, as if we wanted to do series exercises, Martínez prescribes.

On the third day we would do traction exercises, activating the dorsal exercises, pulldowns, oars, deadlifts... "All those exercises that are to attract an element to us to activate the muscles."

And, of course, rest is also important to recover the muscles.

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