Why You Should Add Resistance Training to Your Cardio Routine

If you're someone who enjoys doing cardio workouts, you might think that you don't need to incorporate any kind of resistance training into your routine. After all, cardio exercises are great for burning calories and improving your cardiovascular health, right?

Well, while it's true that cardio workouts have a lot of benefits, the truth is that incorporating resistance training into your cardio routine can make it even more effective. In this blog post, we'll go over the reasons why you should add resistance training to your cardio routine and how you can do it.

But first, let's take a closer look at what resistance training is and why it's so important.

What is Resistance Training?

Resistance training is a type of exercise that involves using weights or other forms of resistance to build strength, muscle mass, and endurance. This type of training can involve using weights, resistance bands, or even your own body weight to create resistance.

Resistance training can target specific muscle groups and can be customized to fit your fitness goals. Whether you want to build muscle, increase strength, or improve your overall fitness, resistance training can help you achieve your goals.

Why is Resistance Training Important?

Resistance training offers a wide range of benefits that can help you reach your fitness goals faster and more efficiently. Here are just a few of the reasons why resistance training is so important:

Builds Muscle Mass: Resistance training is one of the most effective ways to build muscle mass. When you lift weights or use resistance bands, you create tiny tears in your muscle fibers. When your body repairs these tears, it builds new muscle tissue, which can help you get stronger and more toned.

Increases Strength: Resistance training can also help you increase your overall strength. As you build muscle mass, you'll find that you're able to lift heavier weights and perform more challenging exercises.

Boosts Metabolism: Resistance training can also help boost your metabolism. As you build more muscle mass, your body will burn more calories at rest, which can help you lose weight and maintain a healthy weight over time.

Reduces Risk of Injury: Resistance training can also help reduce your risk of injury. By strengthening your muscles and joints, you'll be less likely to experience strains, sprains, or other types of injuries.

Improves Overall Fitness: Finally, resistance training can help improve your overall fitness. By building strength and endurance, you'll find that you're able to perform other types of exercises more effectively and with greater ease.

Now that we've covered why resistance training is so important, let's take a look at how you can add it to your cardio routine.

How to Add Resistance Training to Your Cardio Routine

Start Slowly: If you're new to resistance training, it's important to start slowly and gradually build up your strength and endurance. Begin with lighter weights or resistance bands and focus on proper form to avoid injury.

Incorporate Compound Exercises: Compound exercises, such as squats, lunges, and push-ups, can help you build strength and target multiple muscle groups at once. Try incorporating these exercises into your cardio routine for a more effective workout.

Use a Variety of Equipment: Don't be afraid to mix things up and use a variety of equipment when resistance training. Dumbbells, resistance bands, and kettlebells can all be effective tools for building strength and endurance.

Increase Weight or Resistance Over Time: As you get stronger, gradually increase the amount of weight or resistance that you're using. This will help you continue to challenge yourself and make progress towards your fitness goals.

Alternate Days: To avoid overtraining, try alternating between cardio and resistance training days. This will give your muscles time to recover and help prevent injury.

Examples of Resistance Training Exercises to Add to Your Cardio

Now that you know how to incorporate resistance training into your cardio routine, let's take a look at some specific exercises that you can try:

1. Squats: Squats are a great exercise for building lower body strength. Begin by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed forward. Slowly lower your body down as if you're sitting back into a chair, keeping your knees over your ankles. Push through your heels to stand back up and repeat.

2. Lunges: Lunges are another great lower body exercise that can help build strength and improve balance. Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart. Step forward with one foot and lower your body down until your front knee is bent at a 90-degree angle. Push back up to standing and repeat on the other side.

3. Push-Ups: Push-ups are a classic upper body exercise that can help build strength in your chest, arms, and shoulders. Begin in a plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower your body down, keeping your elbows close to your sides. Push back up to the starting position and repeat.

4. Dumbbell Rows: Dumbbell rows are a great exercise for targeting your back muscles. Begin by holding a dumbbell in one hand and placing your opposite hand and knee on a bench or sturdy surface. Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body. Lower back down and repeat on the other side.

5. Kettlebell Swings: Kettlebell swings are a full-body exercise that can help build strength and improve cardiovascular endurance. Begin by holding a kettlebell with both hands and standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Swing the kettlebell between your legs, then use your hips and legs to drive it up to shoulder height. Lower back down and repeat.

Incorporating resistance training into your cardio routine can help you achieve your fitness goals faster and more efficiently. By building strength, improving endurance, and boosting your metabolism, resistance training can help you take your workouts to the next level. Start slowly, use a variety of exercises and equipment, and gradually increase the weight or resistance over time to see the best results.

Resistance training is a great way to complement your cardio workout and achieve your fitness goals faster. Fortunately, it's easy to incorporate resistance training into your cardio routine, no matter what type of machine you're using. Here are some tips for adding resistance activities to five popular cardio machines:

1. Treadmill Running: Treadmill running is a great way to burn calories and improve cardiovascular endurance, but it's not typically associated with resistance training. However, you can easily add resistance training to your treadmill workout by incorporating interval training. Start by warming up at a moderate pace for 5-10 minutes, then increase the speed and incline to a challenging level for 1-2 minutes. After each interval, slow down to a recovery pace for 1-2 minutes before repeating the cycle. This type of interval training will help you build endurance and strength at the same time.

2. Treadmill Power Walking: Power walking on a treadmill is another effective way to get your heart rate up and burn calories. To incorporate resistance training into your power walking routine, consider wearing ankle weights or using hand weights. Ankle weights can add resistance to your leg muscles, while hand weights can help tone your upper body. However, be sure to start with light weights and gradually increase the weight over time to avoid injury.

3. Indoor Cycling: Indoor cycling is a popular low-impact cardio workout that can help build endurance and strengthen your lower body. To add resistance training to your indoor cycling routine, consider incorporating hill climbs or sprints. Hill climbs involve increasing the resistance on your bike and pedaling at a slower pace, while sprints involve decreasing the resistance and pedaling at a faster pace. Both types of intervals can help you build leg strength and improve your cardiovascular fitness.

4. Elliptical Machine: The elliptical machine is a great low-impact cardio workout that can help tone your legs and glutes. To add resistance training to your elliptical workout, consider using the machine's resistance settings or incorporating hand weights. By increasing the resistance on the machine, you can challenge your leg muscles and build strength over time. Using hand weights can also help tone your upper body and add a new level of intensity to your workout.

5. Rowing Machine: The rowing machine is a full-body cardio workout that can help improve your strength and endurance. To add resistance training to your rowing workout, consider using the machine's resistance settings or incorporating dumbbells. By increasing the resistance on the machine, you can challenge your leg and back muscles and build strength over time. Using dumbbells can also help tone your upper body and add a new level of intensity to your workout.

Incorporating resistance training into your cardio routine can help you achieve your fitness goals faster and more efficiently. By challenging your muscles and improving your endurance, you can take your workouts to the next level and see the results you want. Be sure to start slowly, use proper form, and listen to your body to avoid injury.

In addition to the five popular cardio machines discussed earlier, there are several other machines that can benefit from resistance training. Here are some tips for adding resistance activities to four additional cardio machines:

1. Air Bike: An air bike is a great way to get your heart rate up and work your upper body at the same time. To add resistance training to your air bike workout, consider incorporating interval training with upper body exercises. Start by warming up for 5-10 minutes at a moderate pace, then increase the resistance on the bike and pedal as hard as you can for 30 seconds. After each interval, hop off the bike and perform 10-15 reps of an upper body exercise, such as push-ups or tricep dips, before returning to the bike. This type of interval training can help build upper body strength while improving your cardiovascular fitness.
2. Recumbent Bike: A recumbent bike is a low-impact cardio workout that can be easier on your joints than other cardio machines. To add resistance training to your recumbent bike workout, consider incorporating intervals with leg exercises. Start by warming up for 5-10 minutes at a moderate pace, then increase the resistance on the bike and pedal as hard as you can for 30 seconds. After each interval, hop off the bike and perform 10-15 reps of a leg exercise, such as squats or lunges, before returning to the bike. This type of interval training can help build leg strength while improving your cardiovascular fitness.
3. Vertical Climber: A vertical climber is a full-body cardio workout that can help improve your strength and endurance. To add resistance training to your vertical climber workout, consider incorporating interval training with resistance bands. Start by warming up for 5-10 minutes at a moderate pace, then climb as fast as you can for 30 seconds. After each interval, step off the climber and perform 10-15 reps of a resistance band exercise, such as bicep curls or shoulder presses, before returning to the climber. This type of interval training can help build full-body strength while improving your cardiovascular fitness.
4. Bowflex Max Trainer®: The Bowflex Max Trainer® is a hybrid between a stair climber and an elliptical machine that provides a full-body cardio workout. To add resistance training to your Bowflex Max Trainer® workout, consider incorporating interval training with resistance bands or dumbbells. Start by warming up for 5-10 minutes at a moderate pace, then increase the resistance on the machine and pedal as hard as you can for 30 seconds. After each interval, step off the machine and perform 10-15 reps of a resistance band or dumbbell exercise, such as rows or chest presses, before returning to the machine. This type of interval training can help build full-body strength while improving your cardiovascular fitness.

If you're interested in incorporating resistance training into your cardio routine but aren't sure where to start, Fitscope offers online video classes that can help. These classes, known as "bootcamp" workouts, incorporate resistance training with cardio machines to provide a full-body workout. With Fitscope's bootcamp classes, you can take your workouts to the next level and achieve your fitness goals faster and more efficiently.