When it comes to keeping your heart healthy, exercise is a non-negotiable. But with so many options—running, cycling, lifting, circuit training—the question arises: what kind of exercise does your heart truly need? The debate between cardio and weights is a common one, and while each form of exercise offers unique benefits, the answer isn’t as simple as choosing one over the other.
Let’s explore how cardio and strength training each contribute to heart health—and which one your heart may benefit from most.
Cardio: The Cornerstone of Heart Fitness
Cardiovascular exercise, also known as aerobic exercise, gets your heart rate up and keeps it there. Activities like brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling, and dancing all fall into this category.
Benefits of cardio for heart health:
- Strengthens the heart muscle: Like any other muscle, the heart gets stronger with regular use. Aerobic exercise enhances its ability to pump blood efficiently.
- Improves circulation: Cardio increases the oxygen-carrying capacity of your blood and improves blood vessel flexibility.
- Reduces blood pressure: Regular aerobic exercise helps lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, reducing the strain on the heart.
- Balances cholesterol levels: Cardio boosts HDL (“good”) cholesterol and helps reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides.
- Supports weight management: Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most effective ways to prevent heart disease.
Major health organizations such as the American Heart Association recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week to support cardiovascular health.
Strength Training: A Powerful (and Often Overlooked) Ally
While cardio takes center stage in heart health discussions, resistance training—using weights, machines, resistance bands, or bodyweight—is increasingly recognized for its cardiovascular benefits.
How weight training supports heart health:
- Improves body composition: By building lean muscle and reducing fat, strength training lowers your risk of conditions like obesity and metabolic syndrome.
- Reduces resting blood pressure: Resistance training, especially when done consistently, can help lower blood pressure over time.
- Enhances insulin sensitivity: Better blood sugar control reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes—a major risk factor for heart disease.
- Decreases inflammation: Chronic inflammation is linked to cardiovascular disease, and strength training has been shown to reduce it.
The CDC and American College of Sports Medicine recommend including muscle-strengthening activities at least two days per week for all major muscle groups.
Cardio vs. Weights: Which Wins?
If you’re looking for a clear winner in the “cardio vs. weights” debate for heart health, cardio has the edge—especially for directly improving cardiovascular endurance, lowering blood pressure, and enhancing heart function.
However, strength training offers long-term heart health support by improving overall metabolism, blood sugar levels, and body composition. In fact, research shows that combining both cardio and strength training leads to better heart health outcomes than doing either alone.
The Best Approach: Combine Both
Your heart doesn’t need you to choose between cardio and weights—it thrives on a balanced routine. Here’s how you can combine both effectively:
- 3–5 days of cardio (moderate to vigorous intensity)
- 2–3 days of strength training, targeting all major muscle groups
- Include flexibility and mobility exercises like yoga or stretching to round out your routine and support recovery
Final Thoughts
Your heart is a powerful engine that keeps your body running. To keep it strong, a combination of aerobic exercise and strength training is ideal. Cardio may be the MVP for heart health, but resistance training is the unsung hero that helps prevent the conditions that burden your cardiovascular system.
So, don’t think in terms of “either-or.” When it comes to heart health, cardio and weights aren’t rivals—they’re teammates.
