It’s an age-old conundrum faced by beginners and experienced exercisers alike, assuming you can’t improve one without undermining the other.

But hybrid training, the increasingly popular practice of developing strength and fitness side-by-side, flips this principle on its head.

New research suggests doing both could even add years to your life.

According to an observational study following 147,000 health professionals over three decades, mortality risk was lowest among participants who trained cardio and strength.

Compared with doing neither, combining one to two hours of resistance training with a hearty dose of aerobic activity (30-45 MET-hours per week) reduced mortality risk by 45%.

For context, 30 Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) hours per week is roughly three times the minimum physical activity guidelines for Americans, equating to several hours of brisk walking, running or other moderate-to-vigorous activity.

Strength training alone was also associated with a strong reduction in all-cause mortality (13%). As was aerobic exercise. But combining both led to the greatest results.

That’s no surprise to Charlie Marchon, Co-Founder and Head of MARCHON Training, who specializes in the field of hybrid training and devised this accessible seven-day plan.

“At MARCHON, hybrid training means developing multiple performance qualities side-by-side. Put simply: strength and conditioning,” he tells Tom’s Guide.

“The science lies in managing the interference effect, so that strength and endurance training don't get in each other's way.”

That, he explains, comes down to how sessions are ordered, how hard each one is, and how much recovery sits between them.

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