According to a study led by Duck-chul Lee, a professor of kinesiology at Iowa State University, combining aerobic and resistance exercises can be as effective in reducing the risk of heart disease as an aerobic-only workout regimen. This finding offers an alternative for those who seek variety in their workouts or have joint pain that makes extensive aerobic exercise challenging.
Heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States, has been traditionally countered with aerobic exercises. However, this new study, which involved more than 400 overweight or obese adults with high blood pressure, reveals that a mix of aerobic and resistance training can yield similar cardiovascular benefits.
During the year-long trial, participants were divided into four groups: resistance exercise only, aerobic exercise only, a combination of both, or no exercise. The exercise routines, tailored to each individual’s fitness level and health conditions, were supervised three times a week.
At the conclusion of the study, all groups that exercised showed a significant reduction in body fat compared to the no-exercise group. This reduction is crucial because a 1% decrease in body fat is linked to lower risks of high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and metabolic syndrome.
The findings demonstrated that both the aerobic and combined exercise groups improved in heart disease risk factors like blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and body fat. However, resistance exercise alone did not offer the same heart health benefits. An added advantage of the combined approach was improvements in both aerobic fitness and muscular strength, unlike the singular focus improvements seen in the aerobic-only and resistance-only groups.
This research suggests that blending aerobic and resistance exercises doesn’t necessarily require more time, addressing a common barrier to regular exercise. The study, published in the European Heart Journal on January 17, 2024, opens doors for further exploration into the optimal duration and intensity of resistance training for overweight or obese individuals.
The U.S. physical activity guidelines currently recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise weekly, along with two resistance training sessions, but they don’t specify the duration of these strength training sessions. Lee’s future research aims to determine the “right dose” of resistance exercise for effective health benefits.
For more detailed information, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers guidance on physical activity.
