This is one of those age old arguments that fitness people have. Which is better? Is it cardio? Is it weight training? I don't know if "better" is really the right word. These are two different disciplines that train two different systems in your body. One trains more the muscles and creates greater muscle density while the other trains your cardio-vascular system. However. given that your body has multiple systems that work in concert together to make you an amazing and functioning person, I do not think it is fair to isolate these disciplines. Many times, when we choose our training methods, it comes down to personal preference. What do I want to do and what do I like to do?
That is a fair question also. If you do not like what you are doing you most likely will not do it. However, like most things in life, I would say you would benefit from a balanced approach. Balance is a key in making you more effective and efficient. You can do both, and still get the benefits of both, without sacrificing your goals or your enjoyment. How is this possible? It is because there are endless choices for activities that can lead to both.
You would be amazed at how many activities can lead to cardio-vascular fitness and increased strength (and size and tone, if those are also your goals).It just comes back to making choices and knowing what your choices are. I am a big believer in fitness and I believe we can fit some kind of fitness routine into anything that we do without much trouble if we are simply willing to adjust.
For example, I love the gym and how it gives me an intense workout. There are lots of machines and gadgets and it is endless fun for me there. However, I cannot always get there and do a 2 hour workout. Does that mean my workout for the day is ruined? No. Not at all. There are options I can do for many situations in between doing nothing and doing 2 hours at the gym. Many people make the excuse "I have no time". There is usually always at least 10 minutes somewhere where you can do even push-ups, sit-ups, and air squats. Let's just be honest about things here. However, those may be boring for some people. I totally get it.
There are both cardio and weight training options that exist outside of the gym. Let's just look at some of the basic ones first.
If you are a person that is not active at all, it will not take much to create a cardio or weight training plan. Any type of extended movement and any type of resistance can function as cardio or weight training just about. We can explore some options for people in various scenarios and see how these might apply.
Let's say you have new parents, and the new baby, job, and life in general are just intense. There seems to be no time anywhere. Whether you want resistance training or cardio training, there are options. Let's go to the extreme where there is not gym equipment and maybe just 10-30 minutes in any given day for activities. The baby goes down for a nap and you have 15-30 minutes to do a workout before the little one is awake again. Here is a chance to have a preselected play list of zumba videos on youtube where there are probably many options for routines between 10-20 minutes long. Put it on and dance away! That is, if zumba is your thing, dance away! Maybe you prefer strength training versus cardio. No problem. There are quick 4 exercises, like a 4 set circuit of calisthenics can take you 20 minutes and leave you pretty exhausted as well, and you have also trained strength! There again are many options on YouTube if you are at a loss for what to do exactly. If you have some money, you can hire trainer to help you design a plan to fit into your time constraints also, but that requires money, as opposed to YouTube which is free if you just have a cell phone.
If you are saying, "Well, 10 or 20 minutes just is not enough time to do anything," my response would be a saying I have. "Something is better than nothing." Also, there is plenty of research out there that has shown even 10 minutes of exercise has many benefits. The benefits only increase as you can add minutes to it as well.
Let's take another example. You are a busy executive and you are on the run all day long. The only thing you have is 10 or 20 minutes at the beginning or end of the day to fit something in, and you want to increase strength and muscle without sacrificing your schedule. I say you can do this, with the caveat of do not expect to look like a body builder if you only have 10 minutes a day. However, if your goal is strength and toning, then, definitely, we can make it happen if you are willing to do the work. Once again there are lot of choices that can happen within a 10-20 minute time span that increase strength and muscle fitness. There are people out there that specialize in this type of training, and muscle shredding routines are crammed into a 10 minute span. One of my favorite guys, Frank Medrano, has many routines that require no weights. What's more, if you are the executive or worker type that has some money to spend on fitness, you can get some help designing the workout with a trainer that specializes in this type of situation. There are options.
Let's look at a third, more extreme, scenario. Let's say you only have 15 minutes three days per week. That is pretty extreme, but event then, you can get something done. Do not underestimate the power of exercise. Exercise on any level can be very beneficial. Even at 15 minutes and only three days per week, you can get a lot done. It all depends on how you set it up. If you are a complete beginner, you build slowly. For example, 15 minute walks with push ups and sit ups every 5 minutes. That is a great way to start until you can build to a jog. Maybe you are experienced in the area of fitness and want a routine. There are so many routines that can be fit into 15 minutes and yield great results, particularly if it is a circuit type of routine. You don't even need weights. Often times all you need is a chair and some floor space. The possibilities really are nearly endless.
Let's explore some scenarios where a long gym session, or a long run, or a long bike ride, are just not options. What are some alternatives and why those alternatives are beneficial. I will use myself as an example. I am a consistent gym-goer. I love to use the gym, usually 1-3 days per week. I get 1 or 2 hour workouts in, and I get so much done, and they have lots of equipment and options for doing so many things. Obviously if everyone had the money and time for fitness sessions like that, we all would be Olympic level athletes! However, the reality is, I have a job, family, chores, and more to handle every day, and every week. I juggle my gym goals with what I have available. Some people may need to write down some, or all of it, to keep track. For me, I have a goal in my mind, and I try to assess each day what I am able to do, and then what I have already done for the week. It's pretty casual in that sense.
Let's say I have a good week, and I get to the gym both on Saturday and Sunday (my days off). I have a goal of working out at home at least 1 or 2 days more during the week, depending on my schedule. I want to either maintain or increase my fitness level. Home workouts are usually only 30-60 minutes. I know with that rotating schedule I will get in a lot of workouts week to week. I have my gym routines and I have my home routines. I go into the week and the workouts with the idea that something is better than nothing. I rarely get to do everything I want in any given workout, but I do get a lot done.
Substitutions sometimes are necessary. My wife and I recently traveled to the mountains and were on a get-away. We went hiking through the snow, down into a ravine, to experience a waterfall in winter. Now, the workout itself was not the most challenging. We were in jackets and boots. it was maybe an hour or so of light, slow, walking up and down a fairly steep hill. Was it the ideal workout? No. However, it is part of the reason I do workout, so I can be able to climb hills and ravines and see things like this in nature. It was a workout of a sort, and I was not just sitting all day without exercise. I did not get to a workout that day. I had the intention, but at the same time I still had the chance to exercise and I was ok with that substitution that day. Once in awhile you have to substitute one activity for another.
As far as cardio vs. weights goes, I offer this insight. Do the balanced approach. If you are an athlete, then adjust it for your goals. They are both good and both helpful, but for the average person, I think we need both. I am a martial artist and I coach track and field. I still go with the balanced approach. If you are a body builder, for example, you may want to go more with weights than cardio. If you are a marathoner, you may do more cardio than weights. But, for us average people, do both. Balance it. You find it greatly beneficial.
I don't mean to be cliche, but Nike kind of has it right when they say in their slogan "Just do it." Just get out and do it. Something. Put together the will and the drive and just go do the activity.
Enjoy your activity or workout and keep training!
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