Calorie-burning cardio activities and muscle-building strength training combine to form a powerful prescription for health. Whether you're new to physical activity or an avid exerciser looking to intensify your routine, focusing on cardio and strength training together will help you achieve weight maintenance, strength and endurance.

Recommendations
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 30 minutes of moderate-intensity or 20 minutes of high-intensity cardiovascular activity five days a week. For strength training, the ACSM recommends eight to 10 exercises with 10 to 15 repetitions of each exercise two to three times per week. To obtain the recommended amount of exercise, plan a weekly routine with five days devoted to activities that increase heart rate, and intersperse three days a week of resistance training that focuses on different muscle groups in the upper body, lower body and midsection on alternating days.

Cardio Activities
Moderate-intensity exercise includes brisk walking, water aerobics, ballroom dancing and light bicycling. Vigorous cardio includes jogging, running, swimming laps, aerobic dancing and jumping rope. Build your cardio routine to include 20 minutes per day, five days per week, of jogging or running or focus on less-intense exercises such as water aerobics for 30 minutes a day.

Strength Activities
Divide your workouts to focus on upper body, lower body and the midsection. Upper-body strength training includes biceps curls, chest presses, triceps dips and shoulder raises. For the midsection hold planks, do situps or bicycle crunches. Lower body activities include squats and lunges. If you are new to strength training, consult a professional about proper form, and always include rest days to avoid injury.

Considerations
The best cardio and strength training routine is the one you will do consistently. Routines can be set up in your home to minimize costs and maximize convenience. For cardio, run in place, jump rope or run up stairs. Strength-training exercises can be accomplished with free weights, resistance bands, water-filled jugs or with your own body weight.

Source: livingstrong.com