IS STRENGTH TRAINING OR CARDIO MORE IMPORTANT FOR HEART HEALTH? CARDIOLOGIST EXPLAINS

People who go to the gym often tend to stick to one side of the room: either the section with the cardio machines or the weight-lifting equipment.

Which strategy is smarter for heart health?

Cardiologists want people to know: If you're just doing one type of exercise, you may be missing the benefits of the other.

Cardiologist Tip of the Day: Do a Combination of Cardio Workouts and Strength Training

Dr. Nieca Goldberg, a cardiologist and clinical associate professor at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, recommends including both types of exercise in your routine.

Cardio is more important in terms of blood pressure and cholesterol, she says.

“Strength training also helps decrease your body fat and build muscle,” Goldberg tells TODAY.com.

“So a combination program is better than one alone, and you need to start somewhere.”

Why It Matters

Evidence “strongly suggests” doing aerobic exercise for at least 150 minutes per week reduces total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, while increasing HDL, or good cholesterol, researchers noted.

Aerobic exercise also helps reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension. It strengthens the heart muscle, improving the heart's ability to pump blood to the lungs and the rest of the body, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute notes.

Resistance training reduces body fat, increases muscle mass and can improve traditional heart disease risk factors, including blood pressure, according a scientific statement from the American Heart Association.

Incorporating moderate-level resistance exercise into a well-rounded fitness routine can “significantly reduce” the risk of heart disease and improve overall heart health, the researchers added.

As little as eight weeks of combined training may provide more cardiovascular benefits in people at an increased risk for heart disease than the same amount of aerobic or resistance training alone, a randomized controlled trial found.

But while resistance exercise may be considered as an addition to aerobic exercise, it’s not a substitute for it if you want to get the most heart benefits, another study found.

How to Get Started

Do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, like walking, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, like running, every week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises.

Add two days of muscle-strengthening activity each week on top of that, like lifting weights, using resistance bands or doing bodyweight exercises.

A mix of exercise is associated with longevity so go for a variety of workouts to boost health.

Download the Start TODAY app for workouts tailored to all levels. From 10-minute dance cardio routines to full-body strength challenges, our expert trainers offer exercises for everyone.

TODAY’s Expert Tip of the Day series is all about simple strategies to make life a little easier. Every Monday through Friday, different qualified experts share their best advice on diet, fitness, heart health, mental wellness and more.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com

2026-04-09T12:06:01Z