"Cardio is wonderful. Nutrition is vital. Strength training is the master of fat loss."

Chandi Schwab

I love this Quote!And yes, it is coming from a girl that loves to run marathons. From what I have noticed, most hard core runners that run miles and miles a week, are generally thin. But, how realistic and sustainable is it to run hundreds of miles the rest of your life? Especially if you aren't taking the time to strengthen your joints through strength training and plyometrics. It is so so important to keep our bodies strong, especially our joints to support the other physical activities we enjoy to do. Another thing to note is if our bodies get used to the same workout day in and day out it will gradually become less and less effective when it comes to fat loss. So it is important to mix it up and trick our metabolism from time to time. What do I really think the key is though?........kicking it into high gear with both Cardio and Strength Training, other wise known as Circuit Training.

If you are planning on getting into better shape, then many questions may come to mind. Should you dive into cardio exercise by going for a swim? Should you grab some dumbbells and do some strength training? Or, should you mix it up and try circuit training? Learning more about cardio, strength and circuit training may help you decide which one is the best type of exercise for you.

Aerobic Exercise

As you regularly participate in aerobic exercises, such as brisk walking, running, cycling or swimming, your heart becomes stronger and can pump more blood with each beat. This improves its efficiency and helps reduce your risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and stroke. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise on four or more days each week. It recommends working out at a moderate pace, or one that increases your heart rate and breathing while still allowing you to carry on a conversation.

Strength Training

You can choose from hundreds of exercises from when developing your strength training routine. The main focus of your strength training should be to exercise your major muscle groups, including your chest, shoulders, abdomen, back, legs and hips, at least two times each week. You can lift weights, use resistance bands or do exercises that use your own body weight as resistance. Visiting with an experienced exercise specialist or personal trainer may help you learn proper techniques if you are new to strength training.

Circuit Training

Circuit training is a series of exercises that are performed with little or no rest in between them. The circuit could include cardio exercises, strength exercises or both. A popular method of circuit training in gyms is to go from one machine to the next, working from larger muscles to smaller muscles. Circuit training benefits both the muscles and the cardiovascular system. Including strength training in a circuit can strengthen and tone muscles. Circuits are also a good cardio workout because the minimal rest between exercises keeps to heart rate up.

Which is the Best?

According to a Fitness Magazine, circuit training can burn 30 percent more calories than a typical weight workout. The magazine also states that a circuit that combines strength training and cardio can burn 10 calories per minute. It is apparent that circuit training is the best option to improve overall health. However, for fitness enthusiasts who have specific goals, cardio or strength training may be better options. For example, a marathon runner would need to focus more on cardio, and a bodybuilder would need to focus more on strength training. Another benefit of circuit training for the average health-conscious person is that circuit training does not require as much time as other regimens.

The Beauty of it is that you can mix it up! Do what you enjoy! I often times work my arms, legs, and abs all in the same day. I just cruise through different machines or free weights in that order working the different muscle groups and then go on a long run the next day to loosen it all up. Now that the Marathon is behind me I am excited to set new fitness goals and create a new pallet of workouts. Good luck to you all!