Is Cardio Or Strength Training Better For Heart Health? Here's What The Research Says
Basically everyone has heard that cardio is good for your heart. And you've likely seen headlines about how strength training supports longevity. If this conflicting advice has left you feeling confused and wondering which to prioritize, you're not alone.
A comprehensive review published in Medicine Plus1 analyzed decades of research on physical activity and cardiovascular health to answer this very question.Their takeaway was that combining both types of exercise might actually being the key to living longer. Keep reading for more about their findings, and how to structure your weekly workouts for optimal heart health.
What cardio does for your heart
Aerobic exercise is the classic heart-health prescription for good reason. It improves cardiorespiratory fitness, lowers blood pressure, and improves how your body metabolizes glucose and lipids.
The relationship between cardio exercise and its benefits follow what researchers call an L-shaped curve. This mean benefits increase rapidly at first, then plateau, so even small bursts of cardio can make a difference. According to the review, just 5 to 10 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous activity can significantly reduce cardiovascular risk.
And if you're someone who can only fit cardio workouts in on the weekends, there's good news for you. People who concentrate their activity into one or two days see similar cardiovascular benefits to those who spread it throughout the week.
What strength training does for your heart
Strength training improves body composition, enhances insulin sensitivity, and preserves lean muscle mass, which are all things become increasingly important as you age.
The relationship between strength training and its benefits is J-shaped, not L-shaped. Similarly, benefits increase up to a point, then level off. But very high volumes of strength training may show diminishing returns, unlike cardio exercise.
The sweet spot for strength training for cardiovascular health appears to be around 40 to 60 minutes per week. That's roughly two 20- to 30-minute sessions, which is manageable for most people to fit into their week.
The case for combining strength & cardio
When researchers dove into how these different types of exercise affect cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, the numbers showed a clear answer.
Aerobic exercise alone was associated with a 29% reduction in cardiovascular disease mortality. Strength training alone showed an 18% reduction. But people who did both saw a 46% reduction in CVD mortality compared to those who were inactive.
The combination appears to offer protective benefits that neither modality can achieve on its own, with the review pointing to complementary benefit mechanisms as an explanation.
Aerobic exercise primarily targets cardiorespiratory fitness and metabolic pathways. Strength training addresses body composition, muscle preservation, and insulin sensitivity. Together, they cover more physiological ground than either can alone.
How to structure your routine
This research has lots of advice on how to optimize your workout routine for heart health. Here are the top tips:
- Aim for 150-225 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week: Find something you enjoying doing consistently. Think activities like walking, cycling, running, swimming, boxing.
- Push your cardio harder for short periods: While 0-75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity was found to be beneficial, we know that sprinkling in harder pushes is a proven way to get longevity-boosting VO2 max benefits.
- Add two strength training sessions per week: Aim for at least 60 minutes total a week. Bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, or weights all count.
- Don't stress about daily consistency: Remember that the cardiovascular benefits of weekend workouts are similar to spreading activity throughout the week, so don't stress if that's the only thing that fits into your schedule.
- Start small if you're new to exercise: Even 5 to 10 minutes of moderate activity per day can reduce cardiovascular risk.
The takeaway
If you've been treating cardio and strength training as an either/or decision, this research offers a compelling reason to rethink that approach. The combination delivers cardiovascular benefits that neither can achieve alone, and the time investment is more manageable than you might think.
If you can work two to three cardio sessions plus two strength sessions per week, you will be optimal range for longevity. And your heart will thank you.