Your heart is pounding. Sweat is dripping from your face. The music is blasting in your ears as you crush another mile on the treadmill.
There are a lot of different opinions out there about what type of exercise is best. When many people think about starting an exercise routine, their brain goes to adding more cardio into their life, like running, jogging, biking or dancing. It's a common belief that cardio exercises are all you need for a good workout routine — but this isn't necessarily true.
If you think endless hours of cardio alone will give you the workout or health you want, you might want to think again.
Why Isn't Cardio Enough?
Cardio or aerobic exercises are a great way to get your heart rate up — and come with many positive health benefits. With time, you aren't just getting faster, you can also improve your overall heart health, including lowering your blood pressure, lowering your cholesterol and improving your heart’s efficiency.
Despite all of these benefits, it overlooks an important part of your body and your health — your muscles.
According to Andrew Brough, PT, DPT, CSCS, Physical Therapist at Chester County Hospital, doing activities that work out your muscles has many different names. "You may have heard it called strength training, weight training, muscle-strengthening, or even resistance training," says Brough. "All of these are referring to the same kind of physical activities that focus on improving your muscles and strength."
Weight training offers many benefits that cardio alone cannot provide. It helps build muscle mass which can lead to increased strength. This strength can help you lift heavier weights, but it can also help you with everyday activities like picking up your grandchildren or carrying groceries around the house.
"With strength training, you're not just giving a boost to your muscles, but your bones too," Brough points out. "You can improve your bone density and build more flexibility in your joints with weight training exercises."
What Kind of Weight Training Can I Do?
Now, when you hear the phrase strength training, you might picture bodybuilders bench-pressing hundreds of pounds. But strength training isn't just for muscled athletes trying to push a car. Strength training should be a key part of everyone's physical fitness routine each week.
Weight training should help strengthen all of the different parts of your body, including all of your major muscle groups from top to bottom including arms, shoulders, chest, back, hips, abdomen and legs.
Some strength training exercises can be done without equipment — meaning you're using your body weight for resistance. This can include exercises like sit-ups, push-ups, lunges, or squats. You can use hand weights, resistance bands or other exercise equipment for weight training, too.
If the idea of doing a push-up seems overwhelming, don't panic. Building strength doesn't happen overnight, and you can work your way up to bigger exercises. Start with 5-pound hand weights and slowly build up how much you can lift. Or try doing a push-up while standing with your hands against a wall, and gradually increase how steep the angle is until you can do a push-up on the floor.
If you're not sure how much weight lifting would be good for you based on your current health or physical fitness level — talk to your Chester County Hospital primary care provider who can give you personalized advice based on your individual needs and goals.
How Can I Create a Well-Rounded Workout Routine?
Creating a well-rounded workout routine can help you get the most out of your physical activity and meet your health goals.
A good routine should include:
- Cardio/aerobic activities such as walking, running or dancing
- Strength training exercises like weight lifting or bodyweight exercises
- Flexibility movements such as yoga or stretching
- Balance activities like tai chi or pilates
You don't have to do all of these exercises every day, but you should aim to do a little of everything over the course of a week. In general, adults should get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and 2 days of strength training.
Building and maintaining a well-rounded fitness routine means you can pay attention to all the different parts of your body — instead of overusing one. While cardio might be your go-to workout, there are many health benefits of adding weight training to the mix.
Want to Add More Weight Training to Your Fitness Routine?
Talk to your Chester County Hospital physical therapist or primary care provider, who can provide support and guidance as you start — or continue — your exercise routine.