Want what's good for your heart? Mix weight lifting and heart-moving workouts.
- Weight Lifting: Cuts heart disease risk by 17%, betters body shape, drops bad fat in the blood, and lifts good fat.
- Heart-moving Workouts: Better blood flow, lowers blood force, makes heart strong, and uses air well.
- Both Together: Putting both together drops the danger of death from heart issues by 40-46%.
Fast Look
| Workout Type | Good for Heart | How To Do It |
|---|---|---|
| Lifting Weights | Lowers fat, betters blood fats, cuts high BP risk | 30-60 minutes, twice a week |
| Cardio | More blood flow, less BP, makes heart strong | 150+ minutes of easy or 75+ minutes of hard/week |
| Mix It Up | Best for heart | Mix both cardio and lifting weights |
Main point: To keep your heart in top shape, mix up running and muscle work. Begin easy, keep at it, and pick fun exercises.
Cardio vs. strength training: What you need to know
How Muscle Work and Heart Runs Help Your Heart
Both muscle work and heart runs are good for your heart, each in their own way to keep heart health up.
How Muscle Work Boosts Heart Health
Muscle work is key in cutting down heart risk. When you do things like lift weights, your body changes in ways that drop risk of heart issues.
One big plus is from better body make-up. For those who weigh too much, this training can raise lean muscle by about 1.8 lbs (0.8 kg), cut body fat by 1.6%, and drop total body fat by about 2.2 lbs (1.0 kg) [1]. These shifts are big because fat, mostly near the belly, is tied close to heart issues.
Muscle work also helps with fat levels in your blood. It can up HDL (the "good" fat) by 2–12 mg/dL, drop total fat by 8 mg/dL, and cut fat bits by 7–13 mg/dL [1]. These swaps cut heart risks big time.
Even out of the gym, the pluses stay. Steady muscle work cuts chance of high blood pressure by 32% and lowers risk of a group of risk signs by 29% [7]. Dr. Beth Frates from Harvard Medical School points this out:
"In one of the long-term studies included in this analysis, researchers found that regular strength training lowered the risk of high blood pressure by 32% and the risk of metabolic syndrome by 29%" [7].
Now, let’s see how cardio is good for your heart.
How Cardio Helps Heart Health
Cardio workouts make your heart work better and stronger. Things like running, biking, or swimming lift how much oxygen your heart uses, how much blood it pumps, how big each pump is, and how fast it beats. All these get better as you work out harder [10].
One quick good thing from cardio is better blood flow. Your blood flow can go up by up to 25% while you work out. This makes your blood paths wider and more bendy. It helps oxygen and food bits get to your muscles and inner parts better [9].
Doing cardio often keeps your blood pressure good. Studies show that if you work out hard 3–5 times a week, you can lower your blood pressure by about 3.4/2.4 mmHg [8]. This drop helps cut down the chance of heart attacks and strokes.
When you do cardio, your heart gets good at pushing more blood. Your top blood pressure number goes up a bit, but the low number stays the same or might drop a bit [10]. Over time, cardio makes it easier for your muscles to pull oxygen from your blood [10].
Kerry J. Stewart, Ed.D., a fitness expert at Johns Hopkins, says cardio is key for a healthy heart:
"Aerobic exercise and resistance training are the most important for heart health. Although flexibility doesn't contribute directly to heart health, it's nevertheless important because it provides a good foundation for performing aerobic and strength exercises more effectively." [5]
Cardio makes long-term changes to your heart. For those with heart issues, doing aerobics boosts VO₂max by 21%, while lifting weights ups it by 17% [1]. As time goes on, steady cardio grows the heart’s muscle size, mainly by making the wall of the heart's pumping room thicker to deal with more blood flow needs [8].
How Exercise Affects Heart Health
Working your body through strength training or cardio helps fight off heart disease risks, though each works in its own way to guard your heart. Let's look at how they manage blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.
Blood Pressure Changes
Cardio moves are great for better blood flow, which can drop both blood pressure and heart rate [5]. Blood pressure often falls lower than its start point after you work out [11], and doing cardio regularly can cut blood pressure by around 5 points [11]. For instance, one study found that swimmers cut their top blood pressure number by an average of 9 points within 12 weeks [12]. Even quick bouts, like three short walks a day, can keep blood pressure jumps at bay [12].
On the other side, strength exercises make blood pressure go up temporarily while you're active but bring down the resting blood pressure over time [11]. One research on adults with high blood pressure and extra weight showed that mixing cardio with strength training dropped their lower blood pressure number by 4 mmHg [6]. These results show how exercise gives both quick and lasting help for heart wellness.
"Exercise can be one tool in our efforts to decrease blood pressure, and I prescribe it for all of the other benefits that go along with it." – J. Sawalla Guseh, MD, Cardiologist, Mass General Brigham [11]
Changes in Blood Fat and Cholesterol
Exercise for the heart shows clear effects on cholesterol levels. A big review of 51 tests showed that this exercise boosted the good cholesterol, HDL, by 4.6%, cut down on triglycerides by 3.7%, and lowered the bad cholesterol, LDL, by 5% [13]. When the heart exercise is very hard, it might even cut down LDL and triglycerides more [13].
Lifting weights also helps make cholesterol better, but doing it with less or mid-level hard work tends to work better than very hard efforts [13]. This kind of move can lower bad cholesterol a lot [5].
"Exercise actually does a lot, because it lowers the LDL cholesterol, but it also raises the HDL cholesterol, so it gives you kind of a one-two punch that way... And the reason why increasing the good cholesterol is such a big deal is that we have no medicine that will increase the good cholesterol. We only have medicines that lower the bad cholesterol. So exercise can actually do something for you that no medicine can." – Dr. Daron Gersch, MD, a family physician with CentraCare Hospital [14]
You should know, people with total cholesterol over 200 mg/dL are about twice as likely to get heart disease as those with less than 180 mg/dL.
Blood Sugar and Insulin Control
Working out does more than fix cholesterol - it also helps keep blood sugar in check. Both strength workouts and cardio make your body deal with blood sugar better, but they do this in different ways. Strength work makes muscles contract and take in glucose without needing insulin.
Studies show that men who don't do strength training are 2.42 times more likely to face insulin resistance than those who work out a bit. More strength training cuts down the chance of insulin resistance even more, by 2.50 times. Also, cardio can bring down HbA1c levels by 0.7 points in people with diabetes, even if they don't lose weight.
| Exercise Type | Blood Sugar Benefits | Best Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | Helps use up glucose and makes muscle that reacts well to insulin | Do it with fair effort, at least 2 days a week |
| Cardio Exercise | Drops blood sugar while active and helps keep it down long-term | Aim for 150 or more minutes a week, keep it steady |
| Both Together | Works better than just one type by itself | Stay active every day, try not to skip more than 2 days in a row |
Mixing lifting weights and doing heart-pumping workouts helps keep blood sugar in check better than just one type [15][16]. For people with type 2 diabetes, using both ways works well to keep blood sugar levels stable [15].
Harvard Health points out:
"Exercise helps control weight, lower blood pressure, lower harmful LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, raise healthy HDL cholesterol, strengthen muscles and bones, reduce anxiety, and improve your general well-being. There are added benefits for people with diabetes: exercise lowers blood glucose levels and boosts your body's sensitivity to insulin, countering insulin resistance." [16]
What's the secret to doing well? Keep at it. Make sure not to skip more than two days of working out. Sticking to this routine keeps your insulin in check and cuts down on heart risks in the future.
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Pick the Best Moves for Who You Are
How old you are, how much you weigh, and your health can help you find out which way to work out is best for your heart. Both moving fast, like running, and muscle work are good, but some people might do better with one, the other, or a mix of both.
Working Out When Older
If you're 65 or up, you need to keep moving, but it can be hard. Working your muscles helps keep them strong and your bones tough, which means you might not fall as much. Doing things that make you breathe hard helps keep your heart and lungs fit and cuts down on sickness [18].
The advice for older people is 150 minutes of not-too-hard moving fast (or 75 minutes of very hard moving) each week, and working on muscles twice a week [20]. But reports say only about 1 in 5 older people and teens really follow these tips [21].
Dr. Aaron Baggish, a heart doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital, says staying fit is key:
"The fitter and more active you are, the longer you'll live and less heart disease you'll have." [19]
Studies prove it, telling us that doing heart or muscle work outs often can lower the chance of heart problems by 30% to 70% [17]. For grown-ups who feel well, things like easy walks mixed with muscle building are a good and safe way to start.
Putting in moves that help with balance and being limber can add to your total fitness [17][20][22]. The plan is to begin easy and slowly make it harder and longer as time goes by [21]. Dr. Baggish also tells us:
"Most of all, remember that something is better than nothing and there is no age when it's too late to start." [19]
Now, let's see how to change up workout plans to help with losing weight.
Getting Fit to Lose Weight
If you want to shed some pounds and keep your heart healthy, mixing cardio with strength work outs is the way to go. Both types of work out help better how you look and feel.
Here’s what facts tell us about losing weight [2]:
- Mixed training: You might lose about 4.4 pounds
- Just cardio training: You could drop about 2.8 pounds
- Only strength training: Little to no weight drop
Yet, strength training is key to keep weight off when you do it with cardio. It likely helps because it boosts how you burn fat, keep muscle, and your body’s fat burning speed. For keeping blood sugar in check, mixing both exercises tops the list, with cardio also adding a lot [2].
Abbi Lane, a teacher at the University of Michigan, says mixing it up is important:
"I think the overall message is that combination training is optimal for reducing heart disease risk. Aerobic and resistance training offer benefits that can be additive or synergistic, so ideally a person will complete both types of exercise. But any type of exercise is better than no exercise, so pick the one you like best if you can't commit to both at any given time." [2]
The key point? Mix both heart-pumping and muscle-building moves in your plan. If you have to pick one, choose what you like best to keep it up.
Losing weight can help your heart, but dealing with high blood pressure might need careful steps.
Move Your Body for High Blood Pressure
If you have high blood pressure, both types of workouts can lower it, but you need to be careful. If your blood pressure is really high (systolic 180 mm Hg or more) or you have had a heart attack, only workout hard under a doctor's watch [11].
For most, the American Heart Association advises 150 minutes of not-too-hard aerobic exercise (or 75 minutes of tough exercise) each week, plus two sessions of muscle work [11].
| Workout Type | Blood Flow Gains | Weekly Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Aerobic Workout | Boosts blood flow, cuts blood pressure, cuts sugar risk [5] | 30 minutes each day, five days a week [5] |
| Strength Building | Makes muscles, cuts fat, may help with fat in blood [5] | Two days apart each week [5] |
| Mixed Workout | Big cut in blood pressure and better overall health [6] | Both types mixed for full gains [6] |
Even small drops in blood pressure can make a large change, cutting the risk of heart disease by 5%, stroke by 8-14%, and death from all causes by 4% [6]. Losing just 5 to 10 pounds can also lead to clear drops in blood pressure [11].
For strength training, pick weights that let you do 8–12 easy lifts, and always start and end with light exercise [11]. Both heart and muscle building workouts help blood flow, making them good for taking care of high blood pressure.
Duck-chul Lee, a teacher of movement study at Iowa State, gives this view:
"If you're bored with aerobic exercise and want variety or you have joint pain that makes running long distances difficult, our study shows you can replace half of your aerobic workout with strength training to get the same cardiovascular benefits. The combined workout also offers some other unique health benefits, like improving your muscles." [3]
Before you begin a new workout plan, talk to your doctor if you have high blood pressure. If they say it's okay, doing both aerobic and strength workouts is good to keep your blood pressure in check, get fit, and help your heart stay strong.
Mix Muscle Work and Heart Work for Top Results
Research shows that putting muscle work with heart work together gives great benefits for heart health. People who mix both in their plans cut their risk of dying by 41%, which is much better than just heart work by itself (32%) or just muscle work (9%) [23]. This duo doesn't just drop health risks, but it also lifts how well you do and heal.
"Our finding that mortality risk appeared to be lowest for those who participated in both types of exercise provides strong support for current recommendations to engage in both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities" [23].
Making a Good Workout Plan
Setting up a weekly workout plan can be easy. The American Heart Association says you should try for 150 minutes of normal cardio or 75 minutes of hard cardio every week, along with two times of strength training [21].
Here's an easy way to plan your week:
| Activity Type | Weekly Aim | What You Can Do |
|---|---|---|
| Light Heart Work | 150 minutes | Fast walk, bike, swim |
| Hard Heart Work | 75 minutes | Jog, run, hard and fast routines |
| Muscle Work | 2 times a week | Weights, bands, use your own body |
You can split up your heart-pump times to fit your plan - quick walks, like a 20-minute fast one, are good too. If you don't like normal heart workouts, try more weight lifts to still help your heart.
After you plan your week of workouts, change how hard you go and make sure to rest to get the best from it.
How Hard to Go and How to Rest
Picking the right level of hard work is key to stay safe and do well. Change your workout types and how hard they are - this uses different parts of your body and helps stop too much wear and tear. For weights, work on big parts of your body with moves like squats, push-ups, and weights moves. You don't have to lift big all the time; strong moves a couple of times a week is plenty.
If you're tight on time, short, hard bursts of work (HIIT) are a fast, strong way to burn off food and get stronger. Make sure to give time between HIIT and weight days to let your body rest. For example, if you push hard on Monday, go easy or take the day off on Tuesday.
Start each sweat time with 5–10 minutes of moving stretches and easy heart work to warm up, and end with holding stretches and slow breaths to cool down. This way helps stop hurts and helps you rest.
"The most important thing is to move. Move as much as you can and as many days a week as you can. Find something that fits into your lifestyle and mix it up" [23].
Daily tasks - like carrying food bags or using the stairs - add up to your activity count.
To help your fitness, certain supplements can help you recover well.
Boosting Exercise with Supplements
While working out is key for heart health, some supplements aid your body to heal and get better at training. Using the right food boost can help you do better.
MASI Longevity Science makes supplements for those who are very active. For example:
- NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide): Raises energy in cells, which is key as we get older and slower.
- Resveratrol: Might help heart health and the body deal with stress from exercise.
- Fisetin and Spermidine: Help the body liven up cells, clean up old cells, and support healthy aging - good things that go with regular workouts.
MASI supplements are made in Germany from high-quality stuff and are tested in Switzerland to check they are pure and safe. They are meant to add to a healthy, active way of life - not take its place.
End: Top Way to Keep Your Heart Well
Studies show that mixing muscle building and heart-pumping workouts is the best for your heart's health. Each kind of workout helps on its own, but using both together makes a stronger shield against heart sickness than just one type alone.
Dr. Anthony Altobelli III, the Head of Heart Care at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, makes this clear:
"What's clear now, however, is that strength training is as important to heart health as aerobic exercise and that a combination of both yields the best heart outcomes with regard to blood pressure, body composition, fitness, strength and metabolism." [4]
Research shows that folks who do two or more sessions a week for building muscle, along with over 150 minutes of hard aerobic workouts, cut down their chance of dying from any cause by half. [24] Today's advice backs this up, saying to aim for 150–300 minutes of normal or 75–150 minutes of strong heart-pumping exercise each week, and to train your muscles on two different days. [4] This mix of actions is proven by science and gives a clear plan to better heart health.
Keith Diaz, an expert on exercise, points out how key it is to keep it up:
"The best exercise is the one you can sustain for life. If you're short on time, vigorous exercise is the most time-efficient. Ten minutes of vigorous exercise is equivalent to 20 minutes of moderate exercise." [24]
