Monthly Archives: December 2014

Putting Cardio over Strength Training? That’s a Mistake

As a personal trainer, you are well aware that it is best to combine strength training along with cardio workouts to lose weight efficiently and more effectively. A combination of both tends to bring about better results in terms of fitness, weight loss and enhanced blood sugar levels. As a personal trainer your aim should be to include both in the fitness regime for your clients but in the event of time constraints, it is better to put strength training over cardio.

An Ideal Fitness Plan

The best fitness plan designed by Chula Vista fitness instructors would include both strength training and cardio. You should explain to your clients how these two different modes of exercise help you in different ways to lose weight effectively. If time is the main issue you must try to convince your clients to fit in both wisely either by doing each workout for shorter duration or doing each workout occasionally may be for example, doing each once a week.

San Diego Personal trainers also chalk out workouts that combine both cardio and strength training efficiently thus, you can effectively fit in both the modes of exercise. Some strength training exercises can be used to double as cardio. Recently the American council on Exercise has undertaken a study that revealed that kettlebell exercises are able to burn as much as 20 calories per minute which is actually equivalent to running at a pace of 6 minute per mile.

Chula Vista fitness instructors

Emphasis on Strength Training Not Cardio if Time is a Factor

If time is the main issue you must emphasize on strength training as that should be your top priority. Strength training can effectively build lean muscle mass that is helpful in increasing your metabolism and decreasing your fat. Hence, the more muscle you are able to build it would result in burning of more calories daily even at rest.

As one grows older he tends to lose muscles. That is why your metabolism slows down with age. Cardio is considered to be the undisputed calorie burning king. Cardio exercises are said to elevate metabolism but the effect wears off within a few hours but the metabolic boost derived from strength exercises lasts even till the next day.

Strength Training for Maintaining Good Health

Cardio does impressively boost calorie burn but does very little for muscles. It is understood that around 30% of the weight lost is attributed to muscle loss if you do not include strength training in your fitness regime. It is definitely going to affect your health adversely as good strength as well as muscle tone is necessary for functional living and to maintain good health.

By including moderate strength training in your fitness program the muscle loss would be restricted to 3 to 5 per cent of total weight loss. Strength training is effective in preserving balance, bone density and many such important aspects of your health. Therefore, it would be a mistake if you put cardio over strength training.

Strength Training Over Cardio

Strength training helps in creating shape that you desire. For well-toned arms and a more shapely body or attractive vital statistics, cardio exercises like walking would be ineffective, but strength training workouts such as squats and pushups would be far more effective in sculpting your body. As a personal trainer you should make sure that your client would get cardio effect from wisely chosen strength training exercises, in case of time constraint. If the focus is on multiple muscle groups or the big muscles such as the legs, the heart rate will definitely go up. You could suggest a circuit or even minimizing rest in between sets to pump up the heart rate.