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Is running or lifting better for longevity?

Author

Isabella Ramos

Updated on June 24, 2026

Recent conventional wisdom says strength training holds the key to longevity. Now a new study from the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests aerobic fitness is the secret to a long life. The study analyzed data from 122,000 participants over eight years.

Is running or weights better for longevity?

While cardiovascular exercise is beneficial for heart health and disease prevention, when it comes to longevity, resistance training (aka: weight training) is the clear winner.

What type of exercise is best for longevity?

Tennis, badminton and soccer are all better for longevity than cycling, swimming, jogging or gym exercise, according to the research.

Is weightlifting good for longevity?

Research from the Penn State College of Medicine, the University of Sydney, and Columbia University has determined that regular strength training has major benefits for longevity.

Is running better than weightlifting?

While running burns a higher amount of calories, strength training is more effective at building muscle. According to research, you may also burn more calories in the hours following a strength training session. More muscle burns more calories at rest.

38 related questions found

Are weightlifters or runners healthier?

According to a new study, running can slow down the signs of ageing.

Should I run or lift weights first?

The majority of fitness experts will advise you to do the cardio after the weight training, because if you do cardio first, it uses up much of the energy source for your anaerobic work (strength training) and fatigues the muscles before their most strenuous activity.

Do muscular guys live longer?

Thin and fat men alike fared worse in terms of life expectancy if they had weaker than average muscles, while more burly men had better survival odds even if they were overweight. Over the course of the study, 26,145 (2.3%) of the men died.

Is running good for anti aging?

The research paper concludes that there are "strong plausible physiological mechanisms underlying how running can improve health and increase longevity." In fact, the researchers found that "runners had a 3.2 years longer life expectancy, compared with non-runners.

Does bodybuilding decrease lifespan?

SAN DIEGO—Bodybuilders have a mortality rate 34% higher than that of the age-matched U.S. male population, according to a study presented at the American Urological Association's 2016 annual meeting.

Do runners live longer?

Well, in a research study conducted by the Cleveland Clinic, they set out to answer the question 'does running help you live longer? ', and they found that elite athletes had an 80 percent reduction in mortality risk compared to lower performers.

How do you lift for longevity?

5 Tips for Longevity in Lifting

  1. Don't Just Lift, Add More Movement. One of the top things to recognize is that over-specialization can be problematic in the long haul. ...
  2. Believe It Gets Better. ...
  3. Listen to Your Body. ...
  4. Don't Go Too Hard or Too Long. ...
  5. Nutritional Support.

Does running increase life span?

When we pooled the data from the studies, we found runners had a 27% lower risk of dying during the study period from any cause compared with non-runners. Specifically, running was associated with a 30% lower risk of death from heart disease and a 23% lower risk of death from cancer.

Is cardio everyday to much?

There is no recommended upper limit on the amount of cardio exercise you should do on a daily or weekly basis. However, if you push yourself hard with every workout, then skipping a day or two each week to rest may help you avoid injury and burnout.

Is strength training aerobic?

Aerobic exercise includes activities like walking or biking. Anaerobic exercise includes strength training activities like weight lifting.

Why do runners look younger?

Running increases the production of human growth hormone—your body's natural youth serum. "This helps you produce new cells, which can make your skin look a lot more youthful," says Webb. (Just pick the right shoes!

Does exercise age your face?

Extreme workouts can result in fat loss throughout the body as well as the face. This subsequent decrease in facial fat and volume is one of the main reasons why exercise makes you look older, especially for anyone over the age of 35.

Does jogging make you look younger?

“Running allows your muscles to behave like much more youthful muscles,” Ortega says. “It's this crazy trickle-down effect.

Do Ectomorphs live longer?

But there is no scientific basis for this belief; in fact, a number of studies have found that thin people tend to live longer and have fewer problems with degenerative diseases, such as heart disorders and diabetes, than people who are overweight.

Can you still build muscle after 70?

Seniors Can Still Bulk Up On Muscle By Pressing Iron Our muscle mass decreases at surprising rates as we get older. But researchers found that people older than 50 can not only maintain but actually increase their muscle mass by lifting weights.

Do powerlifters live longer?

Their results, presented at a cardiology conference, showed those with the ability to lift weights at speed lived longer. But gym-users who lifted the heaviest weights – defined as having the most muscle power -were up to 13 times more at risk of dying.

Should I run everyday?

Running every day is bad for your health because it increases your risk of overuse injuries like stress fractures, shin splints, and muscle tears. You should run three to five days a week to make sure you're giving your body adequate time to rest and repair.

Do bodybuilders do cardio?

Bodybuilders do cardio ranging from supersetting their exercises within their workout to 30-minute power walks post workout. Overall, bodybuilders stay away from cardio that is high-intensity, which would take away from their weight training efforts.

Should I lift or do cardio?

A cardio workout burns more calories than a weight-training workout. However, your metabolism may stay elevated for longer after weights than cardio, and weight lifting is better for building muscle. Thus, the ideal exercise program for improving body composition and health includes cardio and weights.

Does running increase testosterone?

“Evidence suggests that running at higher intensity, like sprinting, is what is needed for a boost in testosterone. You would have to run at 90% of your maximal oxygen uptake (a way of measuring intensity) to see this effect."