With obesity now affecting as many as 72 million Americans, according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, exercise has never been more important in creating a healthy and long life. A balanced exercise routine is generally split up into two main categories--cardiovascular exercise, or cardio/aerobics, and strength training/anaerobic exercise. Each type provides its own unique benefits.
Recommendations
The CDC has laid out specific guidelines for adults in both cardiovascular exercise and strength training. These guidelines say all healthy adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderately intense aerobic activity -- such as walking briskly, jogging or biking -- each week. On top of this goal, the CDC recommends at least two days a week of strength training on nonconsecutive days, targeting each of the major muscle groups, such as the abdomen, back, legs, hips, shoulders, chest and arms.
Benefits of Cardio
Cardio exercise is any exercise that increases your heart rate and use of energy. Cardio provides a multitude of benefits, including calorie burning for weight loss or weight maintenance, and helps with the prevention of multiple diseases and other health issues, including heart disease/heart attack, diabetes, stroke, hip fractures and even some forms of cancer, suggests the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Cardiovascular exercise not only burns calories, but also strengthens the heart and lung muscles.
Benefits of Strength Training
Strength training provides some cardiovascular benefits, but carries even more benefits for your muscles and bones. When you strength-train through methods such as resistance exercises -- e.g. push-ups and pull-ups -- free weights or weight machines, you place pressure on the muscles, causing hypertrophy, or the increase in size of your muscles. This increase in muscle not only provides exterior benefits to your appearance, but also helps provide the support your body needs internally to function. Strength training also helps strengthen your bones, which is especially important as you grow older and are more prone to diseases such as osteoporosis, suggests the Mayo Clinic.
Safety
As with any exercise routine, before taking part in any cardio or strength training exercise routine, schedule an appointment with your doctor to ensure you don't have any limitations that can make certain exercises dangerous to your health. Always listen to your body. If you feel pain, dizziness, light-headedness or nausea, bring down the intensity or weight of your exercise, or completely stop doing the exercise.
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