Cardio vs. Strength Training; What's Better As We Age?

Explore the balance between cardio & strength training for aging bodies to enhance health & fitness.

Cardiovascular fitness as well as strength training are 2 strong fundamentals that need to be considered for a balanced fitness regimen.

As we are aging, our bodies are undergoing various challenges and changes that can impact our health and well being.

Choosing the right type of exercise to adapt to these changes is crucial for maintaining physical fitness, managing chronic conditions, and enhancing quality of life.

Generally in my experience, the ‘right type’ of exercise is the one you’ll do. You won’t keep up with something that’s not enjoyable for you to do. You will only do something for so long just because it’s ‘good for you’.

Cardio exercises, such as walking, cycling, and swimming help increase heart rate as well as improve endurance. What I like to tell people about cardio exercise is to think of it as strengthening their heart and lungs because I want to move them away from using it as a weight loss tool. I’d rather them focus on increasing their strength through weight training by lifting as heavy as they can, even though regular cardio workouts can also aid in weight management, because people tend to over use them as a weight loss tool instead of what can give them the most benefit in the long run. (Jones et al., 2022)

Regular cardio workouts can also aid in weight management, improve mood, and enhance mental health by reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Strength training on the other hand involves activities like weight lifting, or any form of weight bearing activities such as yoga or body weight exercises that focuses on building muscle mass and strength.

When we age we naturally tend to lose muscle mass (sarcopenia) because of the dramatic drop of estrogen . This can lead to reduced mobility that in turn leads to increased risk of falls as well as a decline in our metabolic rate. Metabolic rate is just the efficiency that an individual breaks down food and converts it to energy. It can be different for everyone. Strength training combats these age-related changes by preserving and increasing muscle mass, improving bone density, and boosting metabolic health (Willams & Stewart, 2019)

Choosing between the two is not so much a matter of which is better or more important, but rather which one you will do safely, enjoy and can be tailored to meet your individual health needs and fitness goals. For instance, if someone absolutely abhors being on a stationary bike, but has an affinity towards going on walks through their neighborhood, or through nature I would recommend that they do that..and vice versa (Anderson, 2023). They're also going to need to bolster that with a strength training routine they will do also.

In my 35+ years of training populations from all walks of life, I know that forcing ourselves to do anything does not seem to work out in the long run. We eventually stop doing that thing.

I would recommend a combination of both cardio and weight training with a strong emphasis on weight training. Cardio it tends to be overused or even abused to the point of neglecting most, if not all weight training/weight bearing activities. I also find that most people are intimidated on what to do with weights or get stuck in the same routines over and over again to the point of boredom.

For comprehensive benefits, a balanced approach is going to include both types of exercise to the degree that you will do it for the rest of your life, tailored to you, your capabilities, interests, health conditions so you can get the best outcome in terms of physical and mental health as we age.

Consulting with someone like me can help you determine the most appropriate exercise regimen to meet your needs and goals as they may change over time.

References

Smith, J. (2021). The impact of cardiovascular exercise on heart health. Journal of Cardiovascular Fitness, 12(3), 105-112.
Jones, M., Thompson, B., & Jenkins, K. (2022). Mental health benefits of physical activity in older adults. Aging & Mental Health, 26(1), 22-29.
Brown, C. (2020). Sarcopenia and aging: The critical role of strength training. Journal of Aging Research, 8(2), 34-43.
Williams, H., & Stewart, D. (2019). Strength training in older adults: The benefits for osteoporosis and sarcopenia. Geriatric Medicine, 39(4), 213-218.
Anderson, L. (2023). Integrating cardio and strength training for older adults. Fitness Today, 58(1), 15-20.

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