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Cardio vs. Strength

This article is here to help bring attention to some facts surrounding cardio vs. strength training and hopefully motivate you to add strength training to your regular workout routine. First let’s define what is cardio and what is strength training: Cardio is any exercise or movement that focuses on elevating the heart rate by moving the body with activity such as power walking, running, bike riding, as well as stationary body weight exercises like jumping rope or running in place.  This article is here to help bring attention to some facts surrounding cardio vs. strength training and hopefully motivate you to add strength training to your regular workout routine. First, let’s define what is cardio and what is strength training:

Cardio is any exercise or movement that focuses on elevating the heart rate by moving the body with activity such as power walking, running, bike riding, as well as stationary body weight exercises like jumping rope or running in place. 

Strength training is any exercise that uses either your own body weight , added weights or resistance bands to create non-impact tension in muscles.

Squats, deadlifts, pushups, bicep curls, triceps extensions are some examples of strength training . While it is possible to maintain some muscle mass while doing cardio exercises such as running or riding a bike, you will get the most benefit of retaining muscle mass, bone mass, and joint support through strength training also known as resistance training or anerobic exercise.

Aerobic cardio exercise does play an essential role in our health.

It prevents heart disease, stroke, helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels all of which increase your lifespan and improve cognitive performance as well as help your brain mange emotions and maintain positive mental health. It does burn calories and is a useful tool in maintaining a healthy body weight and composition. With that being said, it is important to point out that strength training is vital to our fitness and physical body and it is
essential for retaining muscle mass which decreases by a rate of 3-5% per decade as we age. If your fitness regimen consists only of cardio exercises, you will be missing out on the many essential benefits of strength training.

Muscle atrophy can begin at the age of 25. The definition of muscle atrophy is the wasting, thinning or loss of muscle tissue. Strength training also maintains and increases bone density.

Women begin to lose bone density at a rate of 1% per year after the age of 40 and many women can lose up to 20% of their bone density during the five to seven years following menopause.

Strength training in particular has benefits for our muscles and bones beyond those offered by aerobic exercise. In addition, strength training supports joint health and can help reduce the risk of injury.

How often should you incorporate strength training into your fitness routine?

Research says that you should be strength training at the minimum two days per week. It is recommended to do some type of resistance training three days per week for at least 20-30 minutes to experience the benefits. It is also essential to give yourself at least one solid rest day per week to allow muscle tissue to rebuild and repair. This is because when we train our muscles to fatigue, we are actually creating tiny tears in the muscle tissue which need time to repair and rebuild. Without adequate rest, the muscles will not repair properly which can lead to overuse or injury. You can still take a long walk, do foam rolling, massage, or stretching on your rest days.

What are examples of a resistance training workout besides just lifting weights?

Body weight exercises such as squats, pushups, lunges, etc. are excellent ways to strength train if you do not have access to weight equipment. Using an elevated surface such as a box, block or even steps in your home can help increase the resistance of these exercises without the need for equipment. You can elevate your pushups or modify using a step or box, you can elevate your back leg in a lunge to increase the intensity or use an
elevated surface to step up on. Yoga is also an example of a resistance or strength training workout we don’t traditionally think of as such. Yoga is generally a series of holds and movements that use resistance of the ground to strengthen muscles while using the breath to connect with the movement. In addition, Barre is a form of resistance training. Barre is non-impact, non-aerobic exercise that you will discover to be a very challenging way to train and strengthen your muscles using your own body weight, resistance bands and lighter weights than typical strength training.

The bottom line is yes cardio aerobic exercise can be beneficial for you, but if you’re looking to maintain and improve your body’s overall health and wellness, improve the health of your body composition, bone density, joint mobility and flexibility as well as increasing your metabolism, be sure to
compliment it with regular resistance or strength training workouts in your fitness plan at least 2-3 days per week.

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Kaia Tri is a ten-week triathlon training program with workouts three times a week, which is an optional extra during our spring and summer CORE sessions. We swim, bike, and run, with some cross-training classes too. By being able to set a personal pace, our triathlon training program is suited to beginners tackling their first race and intermediate athletes looking to improve their finish time.

Our mock triathlons run several times to familiarize women with the course route. We finish the season with a Triathlon Training Camp which includes paddle boarding and power workouts. The next day is our exhilarating and fun Triathlon race day for all Kaia Tri women to enjoy working out in a beautiful location. Friends are welcome too!

SANDBAG

Kaia Sandbag combines traditional fitness with unconventional training methods. With sandbags, the weight shifts and moves in an unpredictable fashion. This piece of equipment is integrated into our conditioning & strength building workouts to simultaneously develop strength, power, endurance, mobility, and balance – with an additional emphasis on developing overall core strength and stability.

New to sandbag training? No problem! Beginners are always welcome.

TRX SUSPENSION 

TRX® Suspension Training® body-weight exercise simultaneously develops strength, power, endurance, mobility, durability, balance, flexibility, and core stability. Whether you’re younger or older, out of shape or a pro athlete, injured or at the top of your game, TRX Suspension Training meets you where you are and takes you where you want to go. TRX Suspension Training leverages gravity and the user’s body weight to enable hundreds of exercises that can be instantly scaled for any user to reach any fitness or training goal. The easily-scalable nature of TRX Suspension Training makes it a practical solution wherever you are on the fitness continuum.

Need a little extra boost to keep your body guessing? Our TRX/Cardio class is an excellent complement to any Kaia FIT session. TRX workouts, which can be used by anyone at any level, builds true functional strength and improves flexibility, balance and core stability all at once. Mixed with cardio, the classes give every member the perfect balance of challenge and success.

*TRX classes not available in all areas. Please contact us your local studio.

CROSS-TRAINING

Our trademark Kaia Cross-Training™ classes are a unique mix of cardio, functional movement, and both weighted and non-weighted exercises.

Cross-Training benefits:

Each day brings a new workout. We have an elite group of advanced coaches who infuse each workout with their own flair and focus, meaning you’re never going to repeat a workout, avoid burn-out, and fitness plateaus.

Keeping the body guessing is key to sculpting lean muscle mass. We also have a 3-part modification foundation: Balance (non-impact); Strength (mid-impact) and Kaia (high impact). Each exercise has its own progression so that everyone can feel successful.

As a part of our program, we also offer nutritional guidance to help you make healthy food choices and keep your fitness on track.

What are you waiting for? Join us today!

BARRE

Our barre-based class is a unique combination of postures inspired by ballet, yoga, Pilates and Kaia. Using the barre as a prop to balance, you’ll complete a series of isometric holds combined with high reps of small range movements to elongate and tone your major muscle groups.

In addition to the barre, classes incorporate pilates balls, yoga blocks, and/or resistance bands for increased endurance, challenge and focus. Following each set of holds, you’ll rest and recovery with a short series of stretches and poses to increase flexibility prior to advancing.
Kaia Barre is a low-impact class that perfectly complements our program offerings. Meet us at the barre and try your first class for free!

Participating locations may vary. See the schedule page for more details.

DANCE 

Our dance fitness class is rooted in traditional dance. We use those foundational moves and offer a class that is easy enough for beginners yet challenging enough for the more seasoned dancer. The simplicity of the routines allows you to keep moving with ease. Although this is a workout, it feels more like a dance party with your girlfriends.

RUNNING 

Improve your speed, skill, endurance, stamina, and strength with our Kaia running program. The program works on developing running skills that can increase speed, endurance, and overall fitness. The program is designed for you to run at your pace and and help you see improvements every step of the way.

The Kaia training is a simple, progressive program designed for women of all ages and all fitness levels. Whether you are a walker, jogger, or runner, you will be able to join this program and move at your own pace. Research has shown that even 20 to 30 minutes of running (two to three times per week) is enough to help you lose or maintain weight and improve many other important health markers, i.e. your cholesterol, blood pressure and insulin response.

Don’t be intimidated by the Kaia Run program name, each class will have walkers, joggers and runners. Keep in mind that the first mile is the hardest mile you will ever run. Once you get off the starting block, things only get easier. All you have to do is be patient and disciplined in your training, and that is where Kaia

POWER YOGA

Kaia Yoga combines mind and body with a power yoga and core-strengthening weekly workout with Pilates-style techniques. We focus on balance, strength, and cardiovascular fitness through stretching, strength training and dynamic movement to improve overall fitness levels.

By creating long, lean muscles, Yoga promotes improved coordination, greater flexibility and a fuller range of motion, with a strong body that’s less prone to injury. Yoga keeps the mind centered and reduces stress through positive thoughts and a sense of mindfulness, which also inspires mental strength and confidence.

Yin Yoga, or restorative yoga, is a quiet contemplative practice. It targets the deepest tissues of the body, our connective tissues – ligaments, joints, bones, and the deep fascia networks of the body. Poses are held for 1 minute or more and transitions between poses are gentle and slow. This class is an excellent compliment to our other classes, provides dedicated stretching, and is known to reduce stress and anxiety.

6-WEEK BRIK BOOTCAMP

Our BRIK Bootcamp sessions are offered three times a year and are designed to help you reach your health and fitness potential, and you’re welcome to start anytime!

Our BRIK Bootcamps are six weeks long and feature classes daily.* This programming fits in seamlessly with our regularly scheduled classes, and it’s as easy as 1-2-3:

  1. Register for BRIK Bootcamp HERE (included for Platinum & Gold Memberships)
  2. Book your classes through our branded app and Show Up
  3. Let our expert coaches do the rest!

These sessions offer great results in weight and body fat loss and an increase in strength and cardiovascular endurance. Our nutritional support will boost energy, help you de-bloat, increase sleep quality, and enhance your overall glow.

BRIK Bootcamp includes:

In between BRIK Bootcamp, we offer a variety of classes to meet you at your level! We also have nutrition and fitness challenges, in addition to fun opportunities to spice up your routine. What are you waiting for? Join us today!

CYCLE

Cardio based, calorie torching workout with certified spin instructors. It’s a party on a bike!

Try a Week Free

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