A practical guide to strength and cardio exercise for lifelong health

Personal trainer and health coach Ollie Thompson has some excellent advice for us this month.

When it comes to lifelong health, strength and cardio exercise are the pillars of a well-rounded fitness routine.

Together, they enhance life in numerous ways, including improved movement, better metabolic health, and helping to prevent the frailty and chronic diseases that often accompany ageing.

This guide explores practical strategies for both types of exercise, helping you optimise your training for longevity and vitality.

Resistance training

Resistance training is crucial for maintaining muscle mass, strength, bone density and functionality as we age. It combats sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss), which can reduce mobility, increase frailty, and undermine independence.

Resistance training also supports metabolic health, improves insulin sensitivity, and helps prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular conditions.

Additionally, recent research highlights that healthy muscle may even play a role in preventing neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. To maximise the benefits of strength training, consistency and proper structure are essential:
Frequency: Aim for 2-4 sessions per week.
Progressive overload: Gradually increase resistance, repetitions or intensity to continue challenging your muscles over time.
Programme structure: Incorporate full-body workouts or alternate between upper-body and lower-body workouts, allowing for recovery in between.

The foundation of an effective plan lies in compound exercises - movements that engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously. These exercises such as squats, lunges, deadlifts, rows, pushing variations and weighted carries are highly effective at building strength and muscle. They can be supplemented with isolation movements for smaller muscle groups you may wish to target directly, such as the arms or specific areas of the legs.

When it comes to effort, focus on performing three to four sets of six to 15 reps for each exercise, aiming to work within one to three reps of failure for most sets while maintaining proper form. This combination helps to improve strength, build muscle, and reduce injury risk. For best results, explore both lower repetition sets of six to eight with heavier weight, and also some sets of 12 to 15-plus with lighter weight.

Cardio exercise

Cardiovascular exercise is equally important for lifelong health, as it enhances heart and lung function, boosts circulation, and builds stamina.

It is well-documented that regular cardio reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure. Cardio also plays a significant role in improving almost every major function of the body, including mitochondrial function, which is essential for physical and mental energy.

Over time, cardio supports better recovery from physical exertion and may even protect long-term cognitive health, helping to ward off conditions like dementia.

For a balanced approach to cardio, it’s helpful to incorporate a mix of lower-intensity, steady-state training and higher-intensity intervals:

Zone 2 training: A low-to-moderate intensity form of cardio where your heart rate stays between 60 and 70 per cent of its maximum. Find this figure by finding your maximum: subtract your age from 220, then calculate 60 to 70 per cent of that value to determine your Zone 2 heart rate. For most, this is roughly 120-140bpm. This style of cardio improves your aerobic base and fat metabolism. Examples include brisk walking, jogging, or steady cycling for 30 to 60 minutes.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT): Short bursts of maximum effort followed by rest or low-intensity periods. HIIT is time-efficient, improves your VO2 max, and helps with fat loss, but it’s intense, so limit it to one to two short sessions per week.

A well-rounded cardio routine might look like this:

Two 45-minute sessions of Zone 2 training each week with one to two 15-minute HIIT sessions for shorter, high-intensity efforts.

For example, you could structure your week with a 45-minute brisk walk on one day, a cycling HIIT session at the gym on another, and a longer, outdoor, steady-state cycle over the weekend. By mixing intensities, you’ll improve both aerobic endurance and capacity while supporting long-term health.

Consistency matters

Strength and cardio training are essential, not just for fitness enthusiasts but for anyone serious about living a longer, healthier and more active life. By focusing on progressive overload, prioritising effective exercises, and balancing cardio and resistance training, you can build a sustainable routine that supports your health for decades to come.

Remember, consistency and gradual progression are your best allies - start where you are, and let small, consistent efforts lead to big, long-term results.

If you're looking for more guidance around this topic, get access to my free Mobility for Longevity guide, where I break down 25 of the exercises you need to be doing to stay mobile, strong, and pain-free through midlife and beyond. Get free access via my website.

Ollie specialises in helping career-focused professionals get into great shape, build long-term health and perform better in their work. Ollie works across Cambridge and London and offers both in-person and virtual personal training. Visit welltolead.com and follow Ollie on Instagram @olliethompsonhealth for more.