Strength Training Versus Aerobics - What is the Difference?

If you are looking for a total body workout, you want to combine strength training and aerobics. These are two very different types of exercise but the work together to turn your body into a finely tuned machine. Weight training will tone your muscles, making you stronger while aerobics will make your heart and lungs stronger, giving you more stamina while burning the fat. These two disciplines of exercise work best when you combine them with a sensible, sound nutritional plan. When you combine good nutrition, strength training and aerobics you can get the body you have always wanted.

Strength Training

Strength training is typically weight bearing exercise or resistance training. It does just what the title suggests, it builds strength. Weight lifting and exercise machines are examples of strength training devices. However, pilates and yoga can also be methods of strength training. You don't necessarily have to hold free weights to use a machine to strength train. You can use the weight of your own body to provide resistance and increase your strength.

It is a good practice to strength train one set of muscles (such as the upper body) one day and another set (such as the lower body) the next. Most muscle groups need time to rest and recover after exercise. So while you can work out every day, you should work out different muscle groups each day to give worked muscles time to rest and repair. This will give you optimal results.

Aerobics

Aerobics is a cardio exercise that gets your heart rate up and keeps it up. This can be anything from walking to riding a bike. You can run on a treadmill or take an aerobics class. If it gets your heart rate up, it is an aerobic activity. You generally move a lot during aerobic exercise.

You can do aerobic exercises every day because they do not focus on specific muscle groups. Where strength training makes you strong, aerobics makes you lean. It also strengthens your heart and respiratory system, giving you increased stamina. With regular aerobic exercise, you will find that you can run faster and longer as well as perform better.

Interval Training

Interval training is a combination of weight training and aerobics and is attributed to effective weight loss and conditioning. During interval training, you do your regular weight training, but intersperse with brief spurts of aerobic exercise. For instance, you do a set of curls, then walk on the treadmill for five minutes. Next, you do a bench press and then ride a bike for seven minutes. In short, you do an aerobic activity such as jumping rope, walking on the treadmill, running or riding a bike for short bursts in between each set of weights or nautilis machines.

Interval training is very popular among athletes because it builds stamina and strength. With people who want to lose weight, it can bring about fantastic results. Interval training utilizes the best results of strength training and aerobics.

What is a Total Body Workout?

A total body workout involves both strength training and aerobic exercise so that your entire body is worked. You get the benefits of being stronger as well as having enhanced endurance. A typical total body workout consists of working one muscle group (such as the upper body) for thirty minutes or so a day three times a week - Monday, Wednesday and Friday, then the other muscle group (such as the lower body) for thirty minutes or so three times a week - Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Aerobic activity is practices every day for about thirty minutes. Some workouts differ in times, some go longer and some are shorter, but that is the basic total body workout.

Nutrition

If you are working your body with strength training and aerobics, you need to have the proper nutrition to fuel your body so that is can perform at an optimum level. You should eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean meats. You need a lot of protein to fuel your muscles, muscle growth and loss of fat. The various fruits and vegetables give you the vitamins and minerals that you need. Whole grains like brown rice and quinoa also offer protein, fiber and minerals. If you are training intensively you may find that you need nutritional supplements. This is very common for people who train vigorously.

There are specific differences between strength training and aerobics. Actually, these two types of exercise work together to form a total body workout. When you combine the two you will find that you body is stronger, leaner and have better stamina. If you want to tune your body to an optimal level, strength training and aerobic activity are the way to accomplish it.