Episode 375: Cardio vs. Lifting: Which Should You Prioritize for Health? A short solo update.

A physician buddy asked me whether the general population should focus on cardio or lifting — and I wanted to share my answer with you. In this solo cast, I break down why cardio and resistance training produce different adaptations, offer my go-to weekly framework for getting started, and talk about zone two training, high-intensity intervals, VO2 max assessments, and why compliance beats the perfect program every time. Plus, the Flexible Meathead Cardio Course is open for enrollment through Wednesday. Sponsors: Fitness Insider Newsletter: https://miketnelson.com/ Enroll in the Flexible Meathead Cardio course. Enrollment ends Wednesday, April 1, at midnight PST. https://miket.me/cardio Available now: Grab a copy of the Triphasic Training II book I co-wrote with Cal Deitz here. Episode Chapters: 01:11 The Cardio vs Lifting Question 01:29 Research Case for Lifting 03:02 Short Answer Do Both 03:34 Context Matters and Zone 2 04:24 Compliance and Daily Steps 04:57 Can Lifting Improve Cardio 06:23 Simple Weekly Training Split 07:29 Adding HIIT for VO2 10:16 Assessing VO2 Max Baseline 12:13 Limits of Metcon for Cardio 14:14 Practical Template and Retesting 15:45 Zone 2 Nuance and Wrap Up Get In Touch with Dr Mike: Instagram: Drmiketnelson YouTube: @flexdietcert Email: Miketnelson.com/contact-us Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter