Resistance Training Versus Cardio: Which Is Best for Reducing Belly Fat?

Having too much belly fat isn’t pretty, and it does nothing good for your health either. This is especially true if you carry around too much visceral tummy fat, the kind that lies deep inside your pelvic cavity where it increases the risk of heart disease and other health problems. But what’s the best way to get rid of it? Diet counts, but exercise is important too. What type of workout is best for melting away stubborn abdominal fat – resistance training or cardio?

Cardio versus Resistance Training for Belly Fat

Don’t put away the weights, but when it comes to reducing visceral abdominal fat, cardio is your best bet. Researchers in the journal Obesity Review did a meta-analysis where they looked at a large body of research on how both forms of exercise affect visceral body fat. Based on these studies that involved more than 2,100 individuals, they concluded that aerobic exercise reduces visceral abdominal fat better than resistance training. In fact, they found that resistance exercise alone had little effect on visceral abdominal fat or total abdominal fat. Even combining cardio with resistance training was only marginally better than cardio alone.

Why is Aerobic Exercise Better for Controlling Visceral Fat?

One theory is that aerobic exercise causes a more sustained release of growth hormone. Weight training, especially heavy resistance training stimulates the release of growth hormone, but levels drop within an hour or two after finishing a workout. On the other hand, intense aerobic exercise stimulates growth hormone release that’s sustained for longer periods of time. This is important since growth hormone is a powerful weapon in the battle against visceral fat. One of the main reasons people develop more visceral fat with age is due to a decline in growth hormone levels.

Not all aerobic exercise is equally effective for reducing visceral belly fat.  More intense exercise is better since it stimulates a greater rise in growth hormone levels. Walking even for long periods of time doesn’t typically cause a large increase in growth hormone level, but alternating walking with short intervals of sprinting will. That’s why high-intensity interval training several times a week may be your best bet for vanquishing belly fat.

Some Thoughts on This Study

Even though this showed that resistance training offers no real benefits for reducing visceral belly fat, heavy resistance training with minimal rest between sets cause a significant increase in growth hormone. The key is to train heavy and limit rest periods between sets to no more than one minute.

What’s your best bet? For maximal belly blasting benefits, do a few sessions of high-intensity interval training each week, and alternate them with resistance training workouts. To maximize growth hormone release, do one or two intense strength training sessions weekly using weights that you can only lift for 8 to 10 reps. Cardio may be best for reducing visceral fat, but strength training has benefits too. Do them both.

References:

J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008 Jun; 93(6):2063-71. Epub 2008 Apr 1.
International Journal of Obesity (2007) 31, 1786-1797; doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803683.
Obesity Reviews. 2011. September 26.
Fitness Prescription for Men. January 2012, pages 42-43.

Related Articles By Cathe:

Why Belly Fat is So Hard to Lose

4 Tips for Taming Menopausal Belly Fat

Two Powerful Types of Exercise for Belly Fat Loss

What Impact Does Exercise Intensity Have on Abdominal Fat Loss?

5 Common Myths About Belly Fat – Busted

Related Cathe Friedrich Workout DVDs:

All of Cathe’s Strength & Toning Workout DVDs
Total Body Workouts
Lower Body Workouts
Upper Body Workouts
HiiT and Interval DVDs
Low Impact Cardio DVDs
Beginner Workout DVDs
Intermediate Workouts
Fit Tower DVDs
Boot Camp DVDs
Circuit DVDs
Kickbox DVDs
Step DVDs
Cycle Workout DVDs
Abs/Core DVDs
Stretch/Yoga DVDs
High Step DVDs
Hi/Lo DVDs