By Melanie Vovk - Personal Trainer
Are you a cardio junky or do you naturally head to the weight room when entering the gym?
Most of us tend to be one or the other. Only a few divide their time equally between cardio and resistance training.
Why should you do both? Cardiovascular exercise helps you burn fat and calories for weight loss. It makes your heart strong so it doesn't have to work as hard to pump blood. It helps reduce your risk of heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes and some forms of cancer. On top of all that it relieves stress, which is so important as we walk through this challenging time. If you do not have cardio equipment at home, Hit the trails for a brisk walk or run a couple of times a week. Getting fresh air and getting your heart rate up will help you cope with all the craziness of this quarantine time.
Resistance training, is so important for so many reasons. Some of them are, developing muscle tone, maintaining strength as you age, improving posture, mental health, more confidence, and heart health and well-being. It is also important for woman as they get older to prevent osteoporosis.
Whether you prefer to spend your time running, biking or swimming, or pumping iron, the important thing is that you mix it up.
Varying your workout can also keep exercise interesting. It may help you reach your fitness goals a little faster.
Jen Azevedo is a tennis professional, pickleball professional, personal trainer, group exercise instructor, and the general manager of the Paseo Club. She loves the community at the Paseo Club and that it is also a safe and fun place for her daughter. Jen’s favorite activities are joining her tribe for trail races or her partners for tennis matches. Occasionally Jen slows down to relax with a book — she reads over 100 a year!
