Cardio exercise can ease blood vessel stress of resistance training

Resistance training is a fantastic way to increase muscle and bone strength, in addition to having a marked effect on your metabolism. But, just like every other good thing, it does have its downsides; chiefly, the stress it places on blood vessels.

Even one workout can stress blood vessels, which, over time, can overtax the heart. By contrast, cardiovascular training, such as jogging or swimming, enhances the functionality of blood vessels and makes them healthier. Clearly, there is a perfect relationship in the works here.

To remedy the stiffening effects that weight training has on blood vessels, try doing some cardio after you're done lifting. Japanese researchers discovered that this method works quite well to promote cardiovascular health, while performing the exercises in reverse order (cardio first and then resistance training) did not produce this protective effect.