Cardio or Resistance Training?

It's not news that exercise is good for your health. Ok, but is cardio enough? We know that cardio is good for our lungs and heart because they are muscles, and making them work makes them stronger. And we pretty much know that building muscle improves physical performance, movement control, functional independence, cognitive abilities, and self-esteem. Are there other health benefits to strength (resistance) training?

In an article in Current Sports Medicine Reports, Wayne Westcott, PhD lists several specific improvements that can result from just ten weeks of resistance training.

• Increase resting metabolism by up to 7%.

• Reduce fat weight by up to 4 lbs.

• Assist prevention and management of type 2 diabetes by decreasing visceral fat, reducing HbA_1c, increasing the density of glucose transporter type 4, and improving insulin sensitivity.

• Enhance cardiovascular health, by reducing resting blood pressure, decreasing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides, and increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

• Promote bone development, with studies showing 1% to 3% increase in bone mineral density.

• Reduce low back pain and ease discomfort associated with arthritis and fibromyalgia.

• Has been shown to reverse specific aging factors in skeletal muscle.

So cardio is good, but consider adding some resistance work (weights, bands, body weight, etc.) a few times a week. Bottom line, life is better when we feel better.