Regardless of what form of exercise one chooses, the overall benefits can only be compared by equal intensities. For this reason the chosen form of cardio will be high impact running and the chosen form of weight training will be circuit training with max weights. This debate has gone on and will continue to go on with many people on both sides. There are benefits for both areas of exercise, such as calories burned, long term health and on-going weight management; through comparing each area with each exercise type a more informed evaluation can be made.
Many people choose to exercise solely for the reason of burning calories, whether to reduce weight or balance consumption. The basic factors that go into the calculation of calorie burn are body weight and intensity level. According to the health status calorie calculator, a 150 pound person who runs at a speed of 5 minutes per mile for one hour has a calorie burn that would be 576 calories, with an average EPOC burn of 10.5 hours(www.treadmilltrainer.com). Vigorous weight training on the same calculator shows a burn of 413 calories however, it also carries an EPOC burn averaging 24-48 hours after an initial workout(Quick).
An important reason that people choose to exercise is to promote long term health. For the runner the health benefits are clear such as greater cardiovascular health created by cardiovascular demand. Running increases the bodies energy requirement, in turn the body reacts by causing blood vessels to dilate so as to transport gases and nutrients to the bodies cells(www.buzzle.com). This regular dilation creates artery elasticity, thus preventing heart attacks and high blood pressure. In addition to cardiovascular heath running also promotes improved bone and muscle health, thereby helping to prevent osteoporosis(www.buzzle.com). Weight training also has many long term health benefits such as insulin balance which is known to aid in the prevention of diabetes(walker). Like running weight training also creates a blood vessel dilation, thus promoting cardiovascular health so as to prevent heart desease and high blood pressure(walker). Another similarity is that weight training protects the bones by creating muscle growth and is now considered an excellent prevention strategy of osteoporosis(walker).
The one thing that all people on some level are trying to achieve or will be trying to achieve is weight management. Weight management is simply having a balance between the bodies energy consumption and expenditure. Running is a great way to achieve this; it allows for an extra 576 calories with an addition after-burn which can last up to 10.5 hours. Weight training also gives 413 calories , however gives an after-burn of 24-48 hours. The one benefit in weight management that weight training can give is gained muscle mass; every pound of muscle burns on average an extra 50 calories a day, adding to the overall energy balance.
There are many benefits in both cardio and weight training. When all is said and done it really is a personal choice if a person hates running their not going to run, the same goes for weight training. It's very possible that this is the reason that the cardio vs weight lifting debate will never end. They both have very similar benefits and neither stand out above the other. To really achieve these benefits and to push oneself a person simply has to tailor their routine , keep it fun and constantly challenge the body; in many circumstances this will require combining cardio and weight training in some form or another.
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