If you have recently made a commitment to getting fit, you may be wondering about the nuances of cardio and strength training. Any balanced fitness routine will have some combination of the two, as each serves a specific purpose when it comes to helping you lose weight and get toned. However, the combination you choose is up to you and depends on the body you are seeking and the fitness goals you would like to accomplish.

Cardiovascular exercise increases your heart rate to reach your target heart rate. Used as a generic guideline, the rate is high enough to promote weight loss but not so high that you will harm yourself from overexertion. As you progress, you will find that you are able to achieve this rate for longer periods of time at which point you will gradually want to increase the intensity to continually challenge your body. If you want to determine your target heart rate, there are many calculators online that will consider your age, gender and weight when determining the heart rate you should work towards.

While exercising, you can manually measure your heart's beats per minute (BPM) by taking your pulse. Measure your pulse for twenty seconds and multiply that number by three to find your BPM. Once you have been exercising for sometime, you will instinctively know your limits. When starting out, however, it is best to keep track. There are also heart rate monitors available today that can monitor your heart rate for you, generally with a chest strap which signals to a watch. Or, many machines today actually monitor your heart rate for you when with certain features included with the machines.

Cardio exercise improves your endurance and burns calories. It can involve anything from running to using an elliptical machine to swimming. As a beginner, engaging in some kind of cardiovascular activity for thirty minutes three to four times a week is recommended. But, you can get creative with it the activity. Try ultimate Frisbee, take a walk or play tag with your kids. There is no "right" way to get cardio training. What is important is that you choose something that will keep you interested in working out since consistency is main factor in improved fitness.

Strength training is a bit more complicated, unfortunately. To do it right, you need to make sure you are working all your muscle groups in equal measure. You wouldn't want big, bulky arms but skinny legs! It is best to consult a personal trainer or find a plan that directs you as to what exercises you should do and how many sets and repetitions. Although this may sound like a hassle, strength training really is wonderful for reinforcing the benefits of cardio exercise. First, muscle will contribute to increased cardio endurance. Secondly, more muscle raises your metabolism at rest so you will burn more calories just by sitting on the couch.

If bulking up is your goal, it is best to split your cardio and strength training to be performed on separate days. When you lift weights, the goal is to push your muscles to failure. Sounds dreadful, right? But when your muscles tear, they rebuild to be even stronger which is how you gain muscle mass. If you devote a workout solely to strength training and put all your energy into lifting, you will find you can do more reps.

However, if you would rather build your endurance, interval training is the way to go. This is also a great way to add variety to your workout to avoid boredom and continually surprise and challenge your body. Interval training is cardio and strength training in one workout. For example, you might hop on the treadmill for ten minutes and then go do some bicep curls for two minutes. You could follow that up with the elliptical machine, and then go do some squats. There are many variations out there, so find one that works for you!