Summary
Text from This Post by this user: Tyrren
In anaerobic exercise—especially so with weight lifting—your muscles contract hard, which squeezes your blood vessels and raises your blood pressure. In one study, blood pressure as high as 345/245 mmHg was recorded during squats (normal resting blood pressure is usually much closer to 120/80 mmHg). In order to get blood to your muscles mid-lift, your heart has to pump very hard, which leads to thickening of the cardiac muscle. This is called concentric hypertrophy. Simply put, your heart muscle gets thicker and stronger in response to resistance training—particularly in response to heavy compound movements like squats and deadlifts.
When you do aerobic exercise, your muscles demand more oxygen for an extended time. In the immediate term, your heart achieves this goal by increasing your heart rate. Over time, though, your heart will compensate by increasing stroke volume—it will pump more blood with each heartbeat. This is accomplished by lengthening your heart’s muscle tissue, which increases the size of the ventricle (the chamber inside your heart that blood is squeezed out of). This is called eccentric hypertrophy. (Source)
Of course, resistance training leads to some eccentric hypertrophy and aerobic training leads to some concentric hypertrophy.
Aerobic exercise and weight training both benefit the heart and cardiovascular system, but they do so in different ways because they place different demands on the body.
Aerobic exercise (such as running, cycling, or swimming) primarily improves the efficiency of the heart and the circulatory system. During sustained activity, the heart beats faster and pumps more blood with each beat. Over time, this leads to:
- Increased stroke volume (more blood pumped per beat)
- Lower resting heart rate
- Improved oxygen delivery to muscles
- Enhanced capillary density and blood vessel elasticity
Overall, aerobic training strengthens the heart as a pump, making it more efficient and reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases like hypertension and coronary artery disease.
Weight training (resistance or strength training), on the other hand, places short bursts of high pressure on the cardiovascular system. When lifting heavy loads, blood pressure rises temporarily due to muscle contraction compressing blood vessels. Long-term adaptations include:
- Thickening of the heart muscle walls (particularly the left ventricle)
- Improved vascular tone and some reduction in resting blood pressure
- Increased muscular strength, which indirectly reduces cardiovascular strain during daily tasks
Rather than primarily improving endurance, weight training enhances the heart’s ability to handle pressure and force.
Key differences:
- Aerobic exercise emphasizes cardiovascular endurance and efficiency, improving how well the heart delivers oxygen over time.
- Weight training emphasizes strength and pressure adaptation, improving how the cardiovascular system responds to short, intense efforts.
- Aerobic training typically lowers resting heart rate more significantly, while weight training has a stronger effect on muscle mass and metabolic health.
In combination, these two forms of exercise are complementary. Aerobic exercise supports long-term heart health and stamina, while weight training adds structural strength and helps regulate blood pressure and metabolism. Most health guidelines recommend including both for optimal cardiovascular function.
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