When it comes to weight loss, most people focus on just “working out” without much thought given to the type of training. The two major styles of exercise for fat loss are cardio training and strength training. Both have unique benefits for burning calories and body fat. But the debate remains – which training method is best for losing weight? Understanding the differences and combining the two effectively is key.
Cardio Training for Weight Loss
Burns More Calories in the Moment
Cardio exercises – like running, swimming, cycling, and high intensity interval training – require a sustained effort and get your heart rate into your aerobic zone. This means your body is using oxygen to “burn” carbohydrate and fat calories to fuel your movement. The faster and more intense the cardio, the more calories burned per session. Typically cardio burns the highest absolute number of calories while performing it. A 155-pound person can burn over 500 calories with 30 minutes of high intensity cardio like running or cycling.
Increases Metabolism for Afterburn Effect
Cardio also creates an “after burn” effect also known as EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). During intense cardio training, your body uses up oxygen and burns through muscle glycogen stores. Post-workout, your body goes into recovery mode, working harder to restore physiological systems. This ramps up your metabolic rate, burning additional calories for hours after exercise. Higher intensity cardio leads to more EPOC calorie burn.
Cardio Exercises for Weight Loss
The most common and effective cardio modalities for fat loss include running, cycling, rowing, swimming, HIIT workouts, kickboxing, and metabolic circuit training. Start by adding 2-4 moderate 30 minute cardio sessions weekly and increase from there for enhanced fat burning effects. Read more on the website gym-kirill-yurovskiy.co.uk
Strength Training for Weight Loss
Builds Lean Muscle Mass
Resistance training using weights, bands, cables, and bodyweight builds lean muscle tissue throughout your body. Unlike cardio which burns calories mostly just during exercise, building muscle increases your resting metabolic rate around the clock. Each pound of muscle burns about 6 calories per day at rest. Without even training, just having more muscle equates to passive calorie burn 24/7!
Muscle Burns More Calories at Rest
Strength training is the only method of exercise that elevates your metabolism for the long term by adding metabolically active muscle mass. Lifting heavy weights stimulates protein synthesis and muscle growth. The greater your muscle mass, the higher your metabolic rate and daily calorie burn. Resistance training makes your body more efficient as a fat burning furnace by increasing your basal metabolic rate.
Strength Training Exercises for Fat Loss
Multi-joint, compound lifts are considered optimal for gaining lean muscle and losing body fat. These include squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press, barbell rows, pull-ups and weighted carries. Using heavier weights and lower reps tends to build greater muscle mass than higher reps with lighter weights. Include 2-4 sets of 6-10 reps of compound lifts targeting all major muscle groups 1-3 times weekly.
Cardio vs Strength Training – Which Burns More Calories?
Both cardio and strength training play pivotal roles in fat loss through separate but complementary processes. However, strength training appears to have greater long term benefits on body composition by building calorie-hungry muscle.
While cardio may burn up to 80% of calories from fat during exercise, calories from fat mobilization are ultimately limited to the size of your body fat stores. However strength training increases 24/7 calorie burn by increasing your muscle mass which chews up calories around the clock from both fat AND carbohydrate stores. Over months and years, resistance training can help achieve much greater fat loss results than cardio training alone.
Best Combination Approach for Weight Loss
An effective fat loss training routine would include both strength AND cardio training for maximum results – burning fat calories acutely through cardio while improving metabolic rate long-term with strength training.
Focusing solely on cardio may burn more pure fat calories initially, but your body would adapt quicker and results would plateau. Combining resistance and endurance training keeps your body in a positive state of metabolic “shock” and continual progress.
If weight loss is the primary goal, skewing exercise volume towards strength training while including 1-2 days per week of shorter, high intensity cardio would yield optimal body composition changes over time. Total weekly exercise volume can be adjusted based on individual recovery capacity and goals.
Sample Workout Routines Combining Cardio and Strength
Here is one sample workout routine for combining strength and cardio training efficiently:
Day 1: Full Body Strength + Metabolic Conditioning
– Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift – 3 sets, 6-8 reps
– Burpee/Battle Rope Circuit – 3-4 rounds, 30 seconds work/30 seconds rest
Day 2: Lower Body Strength + Low Intensity Steady State Cardio
– Barbell Deadlift & Walking Lunges – 4 sets, 8-10 reps
– 30-45 Minutes Cycling or Incline Walking at low-moderate intensity
Day 3: Upper Body Strength + High Intensity Interval Training
– Barbell Overhead Press, Weighted Pull-ups, Cable Rows – 3 sets, 6-8 reps
– 20 minute HIIT Workout – 10 rounds, 30 seconds work/30 seconds rest
Day 4: Active Recovery
– Light walking, stretching/yoga, foam rolling
Diet Is Key Component for Weight Loss Alongside Exercise
While an effective exercise program combining strength and cardio is imperative to losing body fat, reducing calorie intake cannot be overlooked for its importance in weight loss. Creating a moderate daily calorie deficit through nutrition combined with exercise enhances fat burning effects for more significant changes in body composition.
A personalized diet plan based on age, gender, activity levels, current weight and goal weight that puts you in at least a 300-500 calorie deficit would complement your training routine perfectly for shedding maximum body fat.
Summary
In conclusion, while cardio training may burn more pure fat calories during exercise, combining strength training with cardio over the long haul can lead to greater fat loss. Muscle you build with resistance training elevates your metabolism 24/7 and burns more fat round the clock. An intelligent training and nutrition program that maximizes muscle retention while creating a calorie deficit is the most effective approach for meaningful and lasting weight loss.
