Skip to main content Tom's Guide Tom's Guide Search Tom's Guide View Profile Newsletters Best Picks Entertainment OpenAI announcement Switch 2 Restock Galaxy Z Fold 7 iPhone 17 Air Best laptops Wordle Today Best Mattress Recommended reading Work out less and get better results — a new study says this is exactly how Forget swimming and yoga — according to research, this type of exercise adds years to your life Forget gym machines — study shows this type of exercise is the most effective at building strength, muscle and power 'You can't tone muscle you haven't built' — I'm a personal trainer, and here's why I choose weightlifting before Pilates 12-year study reveals the type of exercise that makes you live longer — it's not cardio Scientists reveal how long you need to lift weights to build muscle — and it’s not what you think Forget running and swimming — this chair workout boosts your metabolism and builds cardiovascular fitness Forget running — new study shows this exercise can burn body fat as much as cardio 24 July 2025 Let's bust some myths around lifting weights When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Shutterstock) The strength versus cardio debate irks me endlessly — and as a personal trainer, I'm asked about it frequently. Which should you prioritize? My answer is always the same: that it entirely depends on what you enjoy doing and your fitness goals. But, a common misconception I come across is that cardio is always superior to resistance training for burning fat. It looks like the research is onside with me, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis (scientific terms that basically mean assessing studies and analyzing data) published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Here’s exactly what the study found. You may like Work out less and get better results — a new study says this is exactly how Forget swimming and yoga — according to research, this type of exercise adds years to your life Forget gym machines — study shows this type of exercise is the most effective at building strength, muscle and power What is the study? The research looked at aerobic exercise, resistance-based training, the combination of both performed concurrently, and the impact on body fat loss and mass. Individuals within the research were considered “metabolically healthy.” They also assessed duration, timing (the same day or different days within a week) and something called “workload matching,” which means equating the workload between all three exercise variables — aerobic, resistance and concurrent training. What are the results? Perhaps surprising for some, the evidence suggests aerobic and concurrent training offer greater fat loss on average, but strength exercise can be just as effective at reducing body fat percentage. For studies that lasted 10 weeks or more, aerobic training did better than resistance training for reducing body mass and fat mass; concurrent training (performing both) reduced significantly more fat mass than just resistance training; no big differences were found between the three modalities for body fat percentage. Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. In studies shorter than 10 weeks, when workloads were matched, similar fat mass, body mass and body fat percentage changes were observed. And this was the same between same-day and different-day concurrent training, when workload or volume was matched. What does all this mean? The review concluded that there were no differences in the percentage of body fat loss (the proportion of your body weight made up of fat) between exercise modes, but aerobic and concurrent training are still more effective than resistance training alone in reducing absolute fat mass (the weight of fat tissue). The evidence suggests aerobic and concurrent training offer greater fat loss on average, but strength exercise can be just as effective at reducing body fat percentage. Significantly, resistance training didn’t impede fat mass loss when added into concurrent training regimes, so adding resistance training to your regime, either on the same day as aerobic exercise or on a different day, shouldn’t dampen your efforts. Finally, in regimes shorter than 10 weeks, there’s no difference in fat loss between any of the three exercise modalities. That means you could combine both for fat mass reduction, but think about workload and duration. Bottom line As a personal trainer, my focus is on body fat percentage and body fat loss for overall body composition. How much fat you have compared to how much muscle you have will determine how lean you look. In order to build lean muscle mass and reduce overall fat percentage, I always program resistance training as a priority; if my client enjoys cardio, I then add on separate days and encourage them to keep up a regular daily step count. Remember, lean muscle mass tissue is more metabolically active than fat mass, and the more you have, the better your resting metabolic rate — say hello to more calorie burn even when you're not doing anything. It takes a lot of energy to grow muscle, after all. The reason so many people focus on cardio for fat loss is that they’re thinking about the daily energy deficit, which means energy in versus energy out. But cardio isn’t superior for building or maintaining muscle, so it’s important to include resistance training in your exercise regimen to help protect your bones and joints and preserve muscle as you get older, which should also help you burn more energy daily as you build and maintain said muscle. It’s also worth taking a look at the research itself, as with all studies and reviews, there will be design flaws and exclusions. And with anything in life, balance is key; considering your lifestyle, sleep, stress and diet are all crucial to being happy and healthy. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button. More from Tom's Guide What's the best exercise for menopause? Is it better to do cardio before or after weights? 3 reasons you're not building strength in the gym Today's best Apple Watch Ultra, Apple Watch Ultra 2 andGarmin Venu deals 206 Amazon customer reviews $299.99View $799.99View $799.99View We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices See more Wellness News Social Links Navigation Fitness Editor and Coach Sam Hopes is a level 3 qualified trainer, a level 2 Reiki practitioner and fitness editor at Tom's Guide. She is also currently undertaking her Yoga For Athletes training course. Sam has written for various fitness brands and websites over the years and has experience across brands at Future, such as Live Science, Fit&Well, Coach, and T3. Having coached at fitness studios like F45 and Virgin Active and personal trained, Sam now primarily teaches outdoor bootcamps, bodyweight, calisthenics and kettlebells. She also coaches mobility and flexibility classes several times a week and believes that true strength comes from a holistic approach to training your body. Sam has completed two mixed doubles Hyrox competitions in London and the Netherlands and finished her first doubles attempt in 1:11. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Work out less and get better results — a new study says this is exactly how Forget swimming and yoga — according to research, this type of exercise adds years to your life Forget gym machines — study shows this type of exercise is the most effective at building strength, muscle and power 'You can't tone muscle you haven't built' — I'm a personal trainer, and here's why I choose weightlifting before Pilates 12-year study reveals the type of exercise that makes you live longer — it's not cardio Scientists reveal how long you need to lift weights to build muscle — and it’s not what you think Latest in Workouts Forget the gym — you just need 6 minutes to strengthen your core with this Pilates abs workout New study says these workouts don't just build strength — they improve your sleep, too I ditched music during my 30-minute workout and exercised in silence — here's what happened to my performance You only need 2 dumbbells and 6 moves to build full-body muscle and boost your metabolism This 4-2-1 workout split is going viral on TikTok — here’s how it works Forget crunches — a Pilates instructor shares 9 exercises to target your deep core Latest in News Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra may still lack this long-awaited upgrade — what we know Google Pixel 10 series tipped to be getting heavier — but with good reason OpenAI CEO Sam Altman warns AI will wipe entire job categories off the map I just discovered this centuries-old technique that uses fish heads in the garden, and I can't wait to try it 'Stranger Things' season 5 release schedule: Here's when new episodes will start streaming on Netflix Netflix’s new political thriller series looks like a seriously gripping binge-watch — here’s the latest trailer LATEST ARTICLES Forget running — new study shows this exercise can burn body fat as much as cardio Yeti deals from $15 just dropped at Amazon — 13 epic discounts on coolers, tumblers, and more Your stiff shoulders could be holding you back — try shoulder dislocations to instantly unstick them and relieve tightness in 2 minutes I test audio gear for a living — 5 secret Spotify features everyone needs to know Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra may still lack this long-awaited upgrade — what we know Tom's Guide is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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