Cardio or weight lifting

Women at LaFemme Fitness & Salon Studio often ask which one to pick. Cardio or weight lifting. The useful answer is both.

We are a women only fitness and salon studio in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Classes are taught by women, for women. Every fitness level is welcome. This note explains what each kind of work does. It uses guidance from the CDC. It does not pick a winner.

What cardio is for

Cardio is aerobic work. Your heart and lungs stay busy for a stretch of time. A dance class counts. A brisk walk counts. A hard effort counts too.

The CDC Physical Activity Guidelines for adults set a clear weekly target.

At least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity.
Or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity.
Or a mix of moderate and vigorous work.

The same page says you do not have to do it all at once. You can spread the minutes through the week. A common example is 30 minutes a day on 5 days.

Moderate work can feel like a steady Zumba class. Vigorous work can feel like Power Dance when the pace stays high. You should be able to name the effort. You do not need to suffer to make it count.

What weight lifting is for

Weight lifting is muscle strengthening. You ask a muscle to do more than it is used to. Dumbbells count. Bands count. Your own body weight counts.

The CDC adults page also asks for strength days. Adults need muscle strengthening on 2 or more days each week. The work should cover all major muscle groups.

Legs and hips.
Back and abdomen.
Chest, shoulders, and arms.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition, say strength work gives benefits that aerobic work does not. Those benefits include bone strength and muscular fitness. Strength work can also help you keep muscle while you lose weight.

That is why a week of only dance can still leave a gap. And a week of only weights can leave the aerobic minutes short. The guidelines want both.

How many reps

The CDC page on what counts as activity explains a simple set.

Work until another repetition would be hard without help.
Try 8 to 12 repetitions. That is one set.
One set can help. Two or three sets may help more.

The guidelines PDF says the same thing. One set of 8 to 12 repetitions of each exercise is effective. Two or three sets may be more effective. Strength grows over time. Add weight or add days when the work starts to feel easy.

You do not need a huge load on day one. You need a load you can control. A teacher in the room helps you find that load. That is what a coached class is for.

How this looks at LaFemme

LaFemme Fitness & Salon Studio is at 327 Kingston Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11234. The phone is 718-778-3800. Your first class is complimentary.

Our class list already splits the two jobs.

Zumba and Power Dance are the cardio side. Music keeps the minutes moving.
Full Body Workout covers the major muscle groups in one visit.
Lower Body Weight Resistance Training focuses on legs and hips. Those muscles carry you through Brooklyn days.
Pilates and Power Pilates build control and strength with your body.
Upper Body Workout is there when you want arms, chest, and back.

A simple week can look like this.

Two cardio classes toward the 150 minutes.
Two strength classes for the muscle days.
A salon visit when you want care that is not a workout. Manicures have been part of this studio for years.

New women can start in the class that feels friendly. Add the other kind once the room is familiar. Every fitness level is welcome. You do not need to be strong before you walk in. The class is where strength starts.

Crown Heights women often want energy for work, family, and the walk home. Cardio supports the heart and lungs. Weights support the muscle you use to carry bags and climb stairs. The CDC does not ask you to choose one life. It asks you to collect both kinds of work across the week.

If you are new to LaFemme, call 718-778-3800. Tell us the class you want to try. We will get you started. You can also use the form on our free class page. The first class is complimentary.

Sources

CDC. Adult activity: an overview. Weekly aerobic minutes and muscle strengthening days.
CDC. What counts as physical activity for adults. Sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition. Bone strength, muscular fitness, and muscle during weight loss.