A funny thing about those who exercise regularly (if not a tad obsessively if training for a specific race or event! hehe) and their fitness routines is that the world is sort of divided into two categories: the cardio lovers and the weight lifting buffs. I say this only in that everyone tends to enjoy one particular training aspect over the other; but once we recognize that it takes both components to be successful in our sport or to achieve the best overall fitness level we must sort of suck it up and make sure we get enough of both cardio and strength training.

What happens if we rely solely on only one of these training aspects is that we only limit ourselves. If you only do cardio, yes you will burn calories during the activity, build muscle mass to a certain degree depending on what your particular activity is (for instance if you are running lots of miles you will naturally build muscles tissue up in your legs), and your endurance will improve. What you will be lacking is power and added strength which would make you faster; you will also have weaknesses in your core and other muscles not worked which could lead to poor form. Finally as we age we naturally lose muscle mass and if that isn't negated with resistance training you could wind up being what is coined 'skinny fat' where you aren't overweight or even large but you are just a bit soft.

On the flip side, those who only workout in the gym lifting weights are going to have a hard time getting those hard muscles to be visible without some cardio to up their caloric burn and shed body fat. Yes, lifting weights will increase muscle tissue and that will rev up your metabolism but without regular intervals of cardio activity which gets your heart pumping and lungs working you may not see the results you want; fat tissue lies over those muscles and no amount of crunches are going to give you a six pack if there is a roll on top. Lastly, you will not be building up that endurance and cardiovascular fitness which is imperative for a healthy heart.

My background is in running, and to be honest that's where my passion lies and getting to the gym to lift those weights is not my favorite past time but I recognize that it is good for not only overall health but also it will translate into faster times. Like previously noted by gaining more muscle mass in your legs you will have more power which is going to mean you will be able to more forcefully push off the ground and propel yourself forward; doing squats, plyometrics, and other resistance moves will help your speed. By building muscles in your arms and core you will be able to maintain your form as you tire, remain upright, and that will make you more efficient and able to get to that finish line faster. So even if you are a cardio junkie getting in at least two to three days of weight lifting is going to make you leaner, fitter, and faster.

If you are trying to lose weight or get 'cut' and have been relying solely on the bench press to do it you will speed up the process by getting in four to five sessions on the bike, on the treadmill, or in the pool. You could even split up the time by doing half before you start lifting as a warm-up (it is good to do at least five minutes of cardio before lifting regardless as it gets the blood moving) and then the other half as a cool down.

However you incorporate both cradio and strength training into your fitness routine, know that it is okay to be partial to one just so long as you show some exercising love to the other! If you are pressed for time you could actually combine both in a fast paced workout that will keep your heart rate elevated while cycling through some strength moves.