Regular aerobic exercise that strengthens your heart and lungs is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. Well, the survey results were published online on January 17, 2024. european heart journal Our results suggest that a combination of aerobic exercise and strength training may be equally effective at reducing cardiovascular risk factors. The study involved approximately 400 people (aged 35 to 70) who were classified as overweight or obese and also had high blood pressure. They were randomly assigned to one of four exercise programs. 60 minutes of cardio three times a week, 60 minutes of strength training three times a week, 60 minutes of combined cardio and strength training (30 minutes each) three times a week, or no exercise at all. After 1 year, people in both the aerobics-only and combined exercise groups (but not the strength-training-only group) had significantly lower composite measures of cardiovascular risk factors compared to those who did no exercise. decreased to These risk factors include blood pressure, LDL (bad) cholesterol, blood sugar, and body fat. People who did compound training also improved their strength. What this means is that it can be just as healthy to replace half of your cardio with strength training, without adding exercise time.

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