Research shows that balancing strength and cardio workouts is better for your health. By themselves, strength and cardio benefit your health. But when their powers combine, it can pay big dividends.
So, if you're an athlete who only does cardio workouts, it's time to add strength training to your routine. And if you only do strength training, you should add some cardio.
Learn more about the benefits of strength and cardio fitness for overall wellness. Discover healthy exercise habits for adults and how to balance cardio and strength workouts in a routine.
Is There a Difference Between Cardio and Strength Training Benefits?
Many of the benefits of strength and cardio for everyday health overlap, but there are some differences.
Strength vs. cardio benefits
The benefits of aerobic (cardio) exercise include:
- Better heart and lung function.
- Healthier blood vessels.
- Helping with weight control.
- Improved cognitive function.
- Improved mood.
- Improved sleep.
- Lower risk of many diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, and some cancers.
- Stronger bones, muscles, and joints.
The benefits of strength/resistance training include:
- Better bone, joint, and muscle health.
- Helping to manage weight.
- Improved cognitive function.
- Improved mood.
- Improved sleep.
- Lower risk of osteoporosis, falls, and fractures.
- Lower risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and other health conditions.
Both strength training and cardio can help you perform daily activities better. They can also help you live longer.
Other exercises, such as balance and flexibility exercises, can also be beneficial.
Why Should You Combine Strength Training and Cardio Workouts?
Both strength/resistance training and cardio are great on their own. But if you only do one or the other, you're missing out on big benefits. When you combine the two, it benefits your whole body.
Cardio exercises make your lungs and heart work better, helping your body become more efficient. And strength training is crucial for making your body stronger and helping prevent injuries.
A 2026 study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine highlighted the importance of balanced workouts. The study analyzed the impact of cardio and strength training on mortality from:
- All causes
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular disease
- Neurological disease
Both cardio and strength training individually reduced the risk of death from those diseases. But the biggest impact came from the two combined.
Researchers concluded that the findings support recommendations to combine both cardio and strength training.
How Much Cardio Should You Be Doing?
For adults, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends:
- 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity.
- Or 75 to 150 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity.
- Or a combination of the two.
You should spread aerobic activity throughout the week. Higher amounts of weekly aerobic activity have the biggest impact on your health.
Some groups of people, such as older adults, people with certain health conditions, and people with disabilities, may not be able to meet those guidelines. In those cases, it's best to do as much aerobic activity as your body allows. Talk to your medical provider about what's best for you.
How Much Strength Training Should You Be Doing?
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults do at least two muscle-strengthening workouts per week. The workouts should incorporate all muscle groups and be moderate to vigorous intensity.
The British Journal of Sports Medicine study also provided some insight on the amount of time to spend on strength training per week. The study reported that 90 to 119 minutes of strength training per week had the biggest impact on mortality risk.
As with cardio, some people may not be able to meet the guidelines for strength training. Talk with your primary care provider about what's best for you.
Older adults should also incorporate balance exercises into their routines. Balance training can help lower their fall risk.
How Can You Balance Cardio and Strength Training in Your Workouts?
It can seem daunting to overhaul your routine if you're used to doing things only one way. But there are some simple ways to build a balanced workout routine.
For example, you can alternate days — strength training one day, cardio the next. Some workouts, such as circuit training, incorporate both strength and cardio. Or you can do a shorter cardio workout before or after your strength workout.
If building stamina and endurance is the main goal, then do cardio first. If building strength is the goal, then do cardio after.
It can also be difficult for busy adults to fit the amount of recommended weekly activity into their schedules. But even small amounts of physical activity can be beneficial. You can try incorporating micro workouts — also called "exercise snacking" — into your daily routine.
What Are Examples of Cardio Exercises?
Aerobic activities are any type of activity that get your heart beating faster. They typically fall into two classifications, based on the intensity of the exercise (moderate or vigorous).
Moderate-intensity cardio raises your heart rate and makes you breathe faster.
The American Heart Association (AHA) suggests the following moderate-intensity cardio exercises:
- Ballroom or social dancing.
- Bicycling under 10 miles per hour.
- Brisk walking (2.5 miles an hour or faster).
- Doubles tennis.
- Gardening.
- Water aerobics.
Vigorous-intensity cardio requires more effort. Your heart rate and breathing increase more with these activities. The AHA highlights the following examples:
- Aerobic dancing.
- Biking faster than 10 miles per hour.
- Heavy yard work.
- Jumping rope.
- Lap swimming.
- Singles tennis.
- Strenuous hiking (uphill or with a heavy backpack).
- Running.
What Are Examples of Strength Training?
Strength training is any type of exercise in which you use your muscles to counteract resistance. You can use equipment like free weights, weight machines, or resistance bands. You can also just use your body weight.
Examples of strength-training exercises include:
- Bench press.
- Biceps curls.
- Calf raises.
- Chest press.
- Deadlifts.
- Glute bridges.
- Heel raises.
- Leg extensions.
- Leg lifts.
- Lunge exercises.
- Planks.
- Pull-ups.
- Push-ups.
- Row exercises.
- Shoulder press.
- Sit to stand.
- Squats.
Before starting any exercise routine, it's important to talk to your provider. They can give you an idea of how much you can do to prevent injury. They can also give you tips on cardio, strength, balance, and flexibility exercises to try.
