November 6, 2026, 5:04 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
For those over 50, the question often arises: Should the focus be on cardio or strength training? While endurance training boosts heart health, targeted muscle-building training counteracts muscle loss and increases calorie expenditure. Trainer and FITBOOK expert Alina Bock explains which type of training is more effective and what the ideal balance is.
Physical Changes After 50
Starting at age 30, the human body gradually loses muscle mass. This lowers the basal metabolic rate and can lead to an increase in body fat if diet remains unchanged. Hormonal changes also promote the accumulation of inflammation-promoting visceral fat in the abdominal area. In women, the declining estrogen levels accelerate bone mass loss and increase the risk of osteoporosis. Besides hormonal changes and muscle mass loss, cartilage regeneration also decreases, which can lead to joint wear and osteoarthritis. To counteract these degenerative processes, it is important to integrate targeted training into daily life over the long term.
Exercise and targeted training help us stay fit and healthy as we age. You don’t have to choose between cardio and strength training—both are important and should ideally be combined.
How Strength Training Can Effectively Counteract Aging Processes
Targeted muscle-building training effectively counters progressive muscle loss (sarcopenia). Two to three weekly training sessions are ideal for this. Maintaining muscle mass sustainably increases the basal metabolic rate, helping to prevent unwanted body fat gain. This is also beneficial for bones, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. Strengthening bones through training can counteract bone loss and the development of osteoporosis. At the same time, it actively combats the degeneration of tendon and ligament tissue. Exercise also stimulates the production of joint fluid, keeping joints supple and can demonstrably prevent or alleviate osteoarthritis.
Benefits of Endurance Training After 50
As important as strength training is, endurance training should not be neglected. Cardio strengthens the cardiovascular system, regulates blood pressure and resting pulse, and improves insulin sensitivity. These positive effects effectively prevent cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, heart attacks, or strokes. Additionally, regular cardiovascular training protects against mental decline and dementia by promoting brain circulation and cognitive performance.
In addition, moderate endurance training effectively supports weight management by specifically promoting the reduction of harmful visceral belly fat. The passive musculoskeletal system also benefits: The cyclical loading and unloading better supply joint cartilage with nutrients, keeping joints supple and actively preventing osteoarthritis.
For existing osteoarthritis, the focus should be on joint-friendly endurance sports like cycling, while impact-intensive activities like jogging should be avoided. Furthermore, cardio training strengthens the immune system and, through the release of endorphins, provides noticeable stress reduction and improved sleep quality in everyday life.
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The Right Balance of Strength and Endurance Training
To benefit from the positive effects of both strength and endurance training, both should be regularly incorporated into daily life. A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, which followed more than 147,000 participants over 30 years, found that combining strength training (60 to 120 minutes per week) and endurance training (150 minutes per week) reduced mortality risk by an impressive 45 to 58 percent.1 Therefore, both types of exercise should not be viewed in isolation but used together to reap health benefits and positively influence longevity. For this, moderate endurance training is sufficient, with the total minutes spread over several sessions a week.
Conclusion
To effectively counteract degenerative processes and positively influence longevity, strength and endurance training should not be viewed in isolation. Neither form of training is superior to the other–on the contrary, the combination of both is the key to a long and, above all, vital life.