Cardio vs. Strength For Seniors
Is It Better To Do Cardio or Strength For Seniors?
In this article, you will find which is better, Cardio or Strength Training for seniors. Should the seniors do cardio or strength training, or both?
Is It Better To Do Cardio or Strength For Seniors?
Which Is Better For Older Adults – Cardio or Strength Training
Short answer: It depends on your goals.
Your fitness & health goals are the two most important determining factors. But for optimum overall well-being, you should do both aerobic exercise (Cardio) and resistance training (Strength).
Cardio Exercise
Cardio means any physical activity that increases your breathing & heart rate. For example, jogging or cycling are cardio activities. These types of activities benefit & improve your heart, lungs, and the functioning of the rest of your cardiovascular system.
That’s not all! Cardio further helps regulate blood sugar, improve brain health, and maintain a healthy weight & mobility.
Due to all the above wide-ranged benefits, doing regular cardio exercises can help you live a longer, active life (Source: A June 2017 study published in Progress in Cardiovascular Disease
Helpful Related Post: Cardio vs. Strength – Which You Should Do First
Resistance Exercise (Strength Training)
Strength training is also important for seniors, especially as they age. As we get older, we lose muscle & bone mass. That leads to frailty & many other health issues. By doing strength training, you can build muscle tissues & retain/improve bone mass. Not only it makes your body strong, but it will also help maintain your weight within a healthy range and also contribute to enhancing overall cardiovascular health. According to the Mayo Clinic, it enables you to maintain strong bones even in old age and improves the quality of your life, keeping you fit and independent longer.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, American adults should aim for two & half to five hours per week of moderate-intensity cardio exercise and two days a week of strength training involving all major muscle groups.
However, if you are a beginner, starting slowly with smaller/lighter bouts (say 5-20 minutes at a time) and gradually working towards longer/intensive sessions is better. For example, go for short walks, and do some bodyweight exercises such as chair squats and wall pushups. And then, as you gain strength & endurance, increase intensity & timing.
The key is to do what suits your own body best consistently. Challenge yourself & increase intensity & timings progressively.
Helpful Article: Cardio or Weight Training For Fat Loss
To start with, keep a goal of just feeling more energetic and able to do functional physical routine activities with greater ease. It will work as a great motivator. As you feel better, you will like to do more. And as you go along, push yourself into mild discomfort. That’s the secret!
About Author: Renu Bakshi, AKA Fitness Buffhq, is ISSA Certified Elite Trainer. He
passed Personal Fitness Trainer Course, Nutrition Health Coach course & Specialist Exercise Therapy course from ISSA, USA obtaining + 97% marks. He shares his experience and knowledge about nutrition and effective workouts to get you in the best shape of your life, no matter how old you may be. The author says: “For me, age is just a number!”
