3×2, a method that combines cardio with strength training, has multiple benefits

Melanie Shulman/GDA Nation
In December 2022, famous influencer Kim Kardashian admitted on Goop, a series of lifestyle podcasts hosted by actress Gwyneth Paltrow, that she Physical activity My favorite is weightlifting.

Oddly enough, this practice is often associated with the idea of ​​increasing muscle mass. In this context, professionals healthy They proposed 3×2 Rule This includes three days of weight training and two days of aerobic training per week. But what are the benefits of combining these two disciplines?

Ignacio Valloni, a fitness coach, commented that in this way the body is stimulated and its structure is strengthened. exercise They are essential and work together to enhance results. Therefore, exercising in both ways allows you to not overdo either and take advantage of all the benefits of both,” the coach says.

Popular myths tend to flatter Aerobic activity The argument for lifting weights is that they prevent injuries, body pain, and are more effective when you want to lose weight. However, few people mention the positive effects that lifting weights has on the body not only physically but also mentally.

What produces power work? While it’s a daunting and sometimes underestimated practice, it holds some secrets. Along these lines, Valoni debunks popular belief and explains that lifting weights promotes the loss of adipose tissue, which is the calorie reserve distributed throughout the body that defines muscle. “By exerting power, the metabolism is stimulated because the body uses a lot of energy to perform the exercise, and calorie burning is enhanced,” he details.

However, it is a gradual process. Alejandra Hintze, sports doctor and member of the board of directors of the Argentine Association of Sports Doctors, adds that the ideal is to adapt the training to each person’s level. In this case, he mentions that for those who are just starting out, the ideal is to start with light loads and increase the intensity as the months go by. “If you already have experience, it’s better to alternate heavy weeks with light ones so that the body doesn’t get used to always doing the same thing, and then you can push it to improve,” explains the expert.

This technology has various benefitThe experts consulted mentioned that in addition to burning calories, it also helps maintain muscle mass, promotes flexibility, strengthens balance, joints and bones, and reduces stress and tension.

A study conducted by the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that Practice weight exercises30 to 60 minutes a day can reduce the risk of premature death and heart disease by 10% to 20%

Aerobic exercise tests the cardiorespiratory system: “It stimulates your organs and improves their function,” explains Valoni, adding that it is also responsible for re-oxygenating the body, thus giving it energy.

A report from the Mayo Clinic describes that during this activity, your breathing will be faster and deeper. According to them, this maximizes the amount of oxygen in the blood and makes the heart beat faster, thereby increasing blood flow to the muscles and returning to the lungs. In the process, waste products such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid are eliminated, and endorphins and natural pain relievers are released, promoting a sense of well-being.

Also known asAerobic exercise”, with a variety of exercise styles and intensities: from walking, running, swimming to pedaling. Recently, various alternatives have also emerged, proposing challenging daily workouts, such as HIIT, in which high-intensity exercises are interspersed with rest periods.

A study published by Harvard University in the journal Harvard Health Publishing showed that a person weighing about 180 pounds can burn an average of 324 calories during 30 minutes of intense training on an elliptical machine, 369 when rowing, and 316 when rowing. running.

Now, a Mayo Clinic report shows that one of its advantages is to highlight Reduce stress Mood is also improved due to the reduction of cortisol hormone production. In addition, it can enhance body resistance and breathing ability, reduce the risk of metabolic diseases such as diabetes, because it can reduce insulin and blood sugar levels, enhance heart function, balance blood pressure and lower cholesterol.

But what happens if you exceed your practice range? For Valoni, in the long run, it can lead to loss of muscle mass, disease, wear and tear on joints, and overtraining: “When the body can’t recover, it goes into a state of chronic fatigue and stops progressing,” Valoni points out.

In this line, Combining aerobic exercise with weight-bearing exercisewill not only improve physical condition, but also emotional health, because “doing something difficult or even uncomfortable creates a sense of safety and confidence,” Valoni concluded.