Fun and Fitness for the 40-Something

With so many of us overscheduled, it can be hard to squeeze in a workout. So, when you do find the time, what will get you the most bang for the buck—cardio, strength training or a hybrid? The answer seems to depend on your goals.

An article in Women’s Health looks at the question goal-by-goal:

Burning calories: While running or cycling burns slightly more calories per minute, strength training produces a metabolic spike for about an hour after the workout. Minute-for-minute of working out, then, strength training burns the most calories. Plus, you burn an extra 120 calories per day for every three pounds of muscle you build.

Stress management: Research indicates that cardio reduces anxiety and fatigue. The effects of strength training on stress are promising but less clear at this point.

Body image: WH reports that “Runners, cyclists, swimmers, and other athletes have high confidence levels because of the sense of accomplishment they feel each time they cross the finish line — even when they bring up the rear.” But strength training immediately increases blood flow to the muscles, creating a more toned look. And a 2005 study showed strength training improved women’s body images significantly.

Longer life: Strength training helps combat dangerous abdominal fat. Cardio goes farther, though—it fights obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and osteoporosis. Cardio also builds a stronger, healthier heart and can increase the level of “good” cholesterol.

Increased speed: It’s a draw when it comes to increasing speed. Cardio boosts endurance, and strength training improves your power.

Injury prevention: WH concludes that cardio is more likely to produce problems in the joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons—and the cartilage between–-unless you also do strength training.

I can attest to the role of strength training in injury prevention. I don’t enjoy it much, but an orthopedist suggested strength training when I came in with persistent lower leg pain. He said that many runners, especially women, neglect the training. This leads to muscle imbalances that can result in injury.

I resisted the suggestion, mostly because I didn’t want to join a gym. After months of physical therapy, muscle activation techniques and total inactivity failed to heal me, though, I gave in. I’ve been visiting the gym two or three times a week since January, and the improvement in my leg has been truly remarkable. I find it tedious at times (well, most of the time), but I’ll continue strength training because it allows me to run relatively pain-free—not to mention all of the other benefits. My guess is that strength-training (and its even-more-tedious cousin, stretching) only becomes more essential to injury prevention as we age.

This entry was posted on Monday, August 18th, 2008 at 7:22 am and is filed under General Fitness, Health and Wellness, Running. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.