Want to stay healthy? Brisk walking beats lifting dumbbells
Professor Park Chang-bum / Courtesy of Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong
When it comes to staying healthy, aerobic exercise may be more effective than strength training alone — despite the visible appeal of sculpted muscles. That’s the conclusion drawn from several long-term studies highlighting the benefits of brisk walking, cycling, swimming and other sustained physical activities.
Aerobic exercise refers to continuous, moderate-intensity movements that elevate the heart rate without causing extreme breathlessness. Examples include brisk walking, hiking, cycling and swimming. These activities improve cardiovascular and pulmonary function while also reducing body fat.
In contrast, strength or anaerobic training focuses on short bursts of intense muscle contractions using equipment such as barbells, dumbbells or resistance machines. It helps build muscle size, power and strength, and increases basal metabolic rate by boosting muscle mass.
But when it comes to overall longevity, aerobic activity offers greater benefits.
A U.S.-based longitudinal study that followed healthy men without diabetes for an average of 26 years found that those who performed strength training for 1 to 2.5 hours per week had an 8 to 14 percent lower risk of death compared to those who did none. However, individuals who also incorporated at least 2.5 hours of aerobic exercise weekly saw their risk drop by 20 to 34 percent.
Another study, which tracked healthy American adults aged 18 and older over an average of 8.7 years, showed that regular engagement in either aerobic or strength training lowered all-cause mortality by 29 percent and 11 percent, respectively. Combining both types of exercise reduced mortality risk by 40 percent.
While muscle-building exercises clearly offer health benefits, the reduction in mortality risk is more pronounced with aerobic exercise. Notably, more than two hours of strength training alone per week did not result in further reductions in mortality compared to two hours or less.
Because of these findings, health experts often recommend prioritizing aerobic activity and supplementing it with moderate strength training — such as push-ups or bodyweight exercises. Moderate resistance exercises are generally safe even for people with heart conditions, helping to improve muscle strength and hemodynamic function.
These insights come as more people are joining gyms and receiving personal training, often gravitating toward strength workouts for faster, more visible physical results. However, strength training without adequate warm-up increases the risk of injury.
For a healthier approach, consider beginning strength routines with a 20- to 30-minute aerobic warm-up — like jogging or cycling — until sweating begins. This ensures muscles are properly primed and the body is ready for resistance work.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.