All About Cardio

Cardio is one of the most confusing subjects in the world of fitness. On the one hand, cardio kings and queens claim the only way to build the body of your dreams is to perform hours and hours of cardio every week. On the other hand, hardcore meatheads warn that performing any cardio at all will kill your hard-earned strength gains. If you are a normal person who just wants to look and feel better, how do you figure out what to do?

As usual, the answer lies somewhere in the middle. Every person should include some cardio as part of a well-rounded exercise routine. However, it is possible to do too much cardio or choose activities that aren’t a good fit for your body or your fitness levels. This post should help you better understand how to best incorporate cardio into your workouts. Keep reading to figure out the what, how much, and when of setting up a smart cardio routine.

What do do?

There are two different kinds of cardio: low intensity cardio and high intensity cardio, often called HIIT (high intensity interval training). When performing low intensity cardio, the goal is to keep your heart rate between 120 and 150 beats per minute. HIIT pushes your heart rate above this threshold for short periods followed by periods to rest and recover.

To be successful with low intensity cardio, it’s essential to choose a modality you enjoy. There are many different ways to get in your cardio. If you hate running, try cycling or walking instead. If you don’t like cardio machines, go for a swim or do something outside. If you get bored easily, listen to a podcast or audiobook or watch your favorite tv show. Be creative and experiment with different tools and approaches until you find the options that work best.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Machines: Treadmill jogging or walking, stationary bike, elliptical, stair climber, rowing machine, arm bike
• Other options: Running, walking, hiking, cycling, skateboarding, swimming, kayaking, pick-up sports, martial arts, etc.

If you have any joint problems, such as knee or lower back pain, it’s best to choose low impact cardio options. Stay away from things like running and jumping and instead choose activities like swimming, walking, or cycling.

I have previously written in-depth about high intensity interval training. You can read more about equipment and timing options for HIIT here.

How much?

After you’ve decided how you will perform your cardio, the next step is to determine how much you need to do to get the desired training effect.

At this stage, I want to clarify why we are doing cardio in the first place. Lots of people view cardio as a way to burn extra calories to help them lose weight or make up for an unhealthy diet. In reality, calorie burn is not the main objective of cardio (if weight loss is your goal, aim to set up a caloric deficit by altering your diet first, then add in extra cardio only when progress stalls.) I suggest you view cardio primarily as a way to promote recovery from strength training, increase focus, and build a healthy heart and cardiovascular system. You should perform just enough cardio to feel great without placing unnecessary stress on your body.

I recommend beginners start with just 10-20 minutes of cardio performed 2-3 days per week. Certain modalities, such as the stairmaster and rower, are more challenging than others and will require shorter initial training times. If you are new to the gym, training for shorter periods of time can also make it easier to stick to a workout routine.

As your level of cardio fitness improves, gradually increase your training time. More advanced trainees can alternate between shorter sessions of 10-30 minutes and longer sessions of 30-60 minutes. You can perform cardio up to 6 days per week depending on your goals, stress levels, and the volume and intensity of your strength training routine.

However, more cardio is not always better. In fact, it is absolutely possible to perform too much cardio. Performing hours and hours of cardio every week can lead to excessive buildup of stress hormones and place unnecessary wear and tear on your body. Too much cardio can:

• Lead to increased stress levels, making it difficult to recover, sleep, or lose weight
• Greatly increase your appetite, making it difficult to stick with a healthy eating plan
• Lead to overuse injuries from too much repetitive motion

When in doubt, start with a couple of low intensity cardio sessions per week. Pay attention to how you feel as you slowly add more or longer sessions. Success depends on finding the right balance for you.

When to do it?

Finally, you need to  figure out the best times to fit cardio into your routine. Short sessions can be added to the end of strength training sessions. Longer sessions work better as stand-alone sessions. In general, you should not perform cardio before you lift weights. You want to save your focus and energy to push yourself in the weight room.

Perform your most intense cardio (HIIT, density training), earlier in the week. As the week moves on, choose lower intensity cardio options to promote recovery. Keep in mind that HIIT can be just as taxing on the body as a heavy strength training session. Perform HIIT sessions after a lower body lifting day whenever possible.

Morning is generally the best time to perform cardio because it’s when your body naturally produces the highest levels of stress hormones. Many people feel refreshed and focused after a session of low intensity morning cardio. However, performing your cardio in the morning isn’t essential. As with any form of exercise, the best time is always the time that allows you to be the most consistent.

Regularly performing cardio can do wonders for your physical and mental health. Use the tips in this post to help you determine the best methods, timing, and scheduling for your goals and ability level. If you want some help figuring out how cardio fits into your training routine, please reach out to me here.