Cardio time! Everyone’s favorite part of training! While there’s always been a bit of a joke about doing cardio, ignoring this crucial part of one’s fitness is definitely not the best decision.
While many people look at cardio simply as a way to burn calories, which it does, cardio also delivers many other health benefits. This article will break down everything you need to know about cardio, including benefits, types of cardio, and the best cardio workouts you can do depending on your situation.
What Is Cardio?
So, let’s first start with what cardio is.
“Cardio” is simply short for “cardiovascular exercise.” While this may seem like a mundane distinction, it’s actually quite profound.
Why? Well, because it clearly states its purpose, which is to train and improve our cardiovascular system. However, many people associate cardio with losing weight. While that’s definitely a benefit of consistent cardio exercise, it’s not (or at least shouldn’t be) the main reason to perform cardio.
Regardless, our cardiovascular system is a network of organs that include;
Heart
Blood vessels
Blood
Its job is to transport blood throughout your body to deliver;
Oxygen
Nutrients
Hormones
Various other essential compounds
At the same time, it removes waste, including carbon dioxide and urea.¹
In addition, it will also improve your cardiorespiratory system which is basically your lungs and airways in addition to your cardiovascular system.
As you can see, it’s pretty important to have a strong cardiovascular system which is why you need to do some form of cardio workout in your program.
With all that in mind, a very general definition of cardio is exercise that’s designed to increase your heart rate for extended durations.
What’s Aerobic Exercise?
Sometimes, cardio is used interchangeably with “aerobic exercise.” The term “aerobic exercise” is used to describe exercise that uses your aerobic system to provide energy but can sometimes specifically refer to aerobic classes.
“Aerobic” specifically means that oxygen is required to produce energy. This is why your lungs play a crucial role as well. In some sense, this may be a more specific term to describe cardio, at least when speaking of traditional forms such as running and cycling as they are aerobic in nature.
When we speak of the aerobic metabolic system, it can refer to any sort of exercise that’s low to moderate intensity that’s longer than 4 minutes. However, aerobic exercise is usually performed for at least 20-30 minutes, with longer sessions lasting 60 minutes or longer.
Aerobic exercises can include an array of exercises such as;
Aerobic dance
Jogging
Skating
Cardio Vs. Endurance
Another type of fitness training that’s used along with cardio is endurance training. These two are very similar with plenty of overlap but they do have distinct differences.
The primary difference is that endurance training is specifically training to perform an event for a prolonged duration. As such, endurance generally has a performance aspect in addition to requiring improvement to your muscular endurance.
On the other hand, “cardio” is training that’s designed to increase your cardiovascular system i.e. get your heart rate up.
Obviously there’s a ton of overlap but any difference isn’t going to make a massive difference for the general public.
What Is Zone Cardio?
One thing we should define is, when does activity become cardio? For example, you have probably heard that “walking isn’t cardio“.
We think it’s more nuanced than that, as it depends on how fast you’re walking, but at some point there is a threshold.
It’s hard to find a set heart rate that determines when cardio becomes cardio, but we can look at the 5 zones of cardio. These are defined by the percent of your heart rate max and are used as a means to assign intensity for endurance training.
For example;
Train Zone 2 on Monday
Train Zone 4 on Wednesday
Spend ¾ of your workout in Zone 3 and ¼ in Zone 4 or 5
With that said, these are the zones you always hear about;
Zone 1 – 50-60% HRmax
Zone 2- 61-70% HRmax
Zone 3 – 71-80% HRmax
Zone 4 – 80-90% HRmax
Zone 5 – 90-100% HRmax
Now, these numbers aren’t official, and you may see slightly different numbers elsewhere.
Regardless, 50% tends to be the minimum threshold for cardio, with 60%-80% being “traditional cardio.” Once you start getting higher, especially above 90%, then you’re really pushing your body.
How Much Cardio Should You Perform?
One of the most common questions referring to cardio is; How many minutes of cardio do I need to perform? The answer will heavily depend on your specific situation and on factors such as;
Why are you performing cardio?
Are you engaged in other types of physical activity?
What type of cardio will you perform?
Someone who performs cardio for general fitness and is engaged in a significant amount of other physical activity will have a very different number than someone who lives a sedentary life and needs to lose weight.
Now, we can answer the question of the minimum amount of cardio. Set by the US Department Of Health And Human Services (or WHO globally), the minimum levels of physical activity are²:
150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly OR,
90 minutes of vigorous exercise
They don’t specifically define what “vigorous” or “moderate” exercise means in terms of intensity. However, there are some examples of exercise;
Moderate exercise (Walking briskly, playing tennis, yard work)
Vigorous exercise ( Running, jogging, cycling)
As you can see, when we say “cardio,” we’re really talking about the “vigorous exercise“ section. Therefore, the minimum should be 90 minutes, ideally spread throughout the week.
Further, spread your cardio training throughout the week. For example, rather than do 90 minutes in one session, do 30-minute sessions throughout the week.
Our last piece of advice would be to include;
At least 1 session of high-intensity cardio
At least 1 session of moderate-intensity
Individuals will likely lean towards one form over the other; that’s not a problem. However, both forms are going to benefit you so including both is your best bet.
Benefits Of Cardio
As mentioned, many people view cardio merely as a means to burn calories. This definitely occurs, but it’s not the primary reason you do cardio.
The primary benefit you’ll gain from including consistent cardio in your program are the various health improvements. These include³:
Improve Heart Health. Consistent cardio can have a massive effect on your heart. The heart is a muscle that needs to be trained, and this is done with cardio.
Improves Various Health Markers. Regular cardio improves a plethora of health markers. This includes lowering cholesterol, decreasing heart rate, decreasing blood pressure, and optimizing hormones.
Improves Glucose Metabolism. Another important health marker you’ll improve with consistent cardio workouts will be glucose metabolism. This generally shows improved insulin sensitivity, meaning your body will uptake circulating glucose, keeping levels low.
Decreases Mortality and Risk Of Disease. One of the most attractive benefits of regular cardio is that it decreases your overall risk of mortality.
Decrease Time To Recover (During Exercise). Even if you hate cardio, you should get involved as it can decrease your recovery time during exercise, such as between sets. This is likely due to its improving ATP production in your aerobic metabolic system.
Improve Performance. A better cardiovascular system is obviously going to improve your overall performance. You’ve heard the jokes about big bodybuilders being “muscle-bound,“ but they gasp when talking.
Most importantly, research has found a significant relationship between VO2max and mortality.⁴ VO2max is basically the most accurate measurement of one’s cardio health – it measures how much oxygen you can uptake and utilize. Ensuring you stay active throughout your life is the best way to maximize this health marker.
Can Cardio Help Lose Weight?
Above, we mentioned that the primary benefit of cardio is improving your health. However, we want to reiterate that it’s still an effective tool for aiding with weight loss.
Its primary mechanism is simply increasing the amount of physical activity and calories burned. In this sense, the best form of cardio for fat loss is whatever you enjoy and can consistently perform long-term.
Keep in mind that weight loss will always come from controlling your calories. Pairing that with a form of cardio exercise that lets you increase your physical activity on a constant basis is the key to sustainable weight loss and long-term weight maintenance.
Research has shown that diet + exercise intervention is the best plan for long-term weight control.⁵
What Type Of Cardio Burns The Most Calories?
That’s the big question!
Again, the answer will depend on several variables, such as;
What’s Your Current Fitness Level?
Are You Trying To Burn Calories In a Limited Time Or Burn As Much As Possible?
Do you have the skills or proper form for “X Exercise”?
As you see, it isn’t a straightforward answer. A good example, which we discussed briefly above, is HIIT and interval training.
These are great tools for weight loss. However, they require a significant amount of fitness to be able to perform at a sufficient intensity.⁶ Further, they can be mentally challenging and a new lifter might be put off.
However, we can give you some ideas. Here are the approximate amount of calories a 180 lb person burns doing 1 hour of the following cardio exercises;
Running (10mph) – 1,320 calories
Cycling (Racing) – 990 calories
Running (6mph) – 825 calories
Cycling (12-13mph) 660 calories
Jump Rope – 660 calories
Stair Climbing – 660 calories
Rowing Machine – 577 calories
Jogging – 577 calories
Swimming – 577 calories
As you see, running takes the top mark. However, that assumes you can run 10mph for 60 minutes, a 6-minute mile pace.
In reality, most people who run for an hour will be closer to 5-6mph, which is still awesome.
At the same time, notice that cycling is up there, too. Cycling is generally easier to maintain higher levels of intensity for longer durations, so it might be the best cardio to burn calories for many people.
With that said, you’ll be able to check out our upcoming article, where we break this down further!
If you’re interested in exact numbers, we highly recommend using this ACE activity calculator to calculate how specific exercises affect your body.
What’s The Best Form Of Cardio For Fat Loss?
While we’re talking about calories and weight loss, many people want to know the best cardio for fat loss, whether it’s for a major body recomposition or just to lose a little belly fat.
Your initial reaction might be to say it’s whatever burns the most calories, as we’ve just discussed. This makes perfect sense. However, there’s something to consider.
For a cardio exercise to have a meaningful effect on fat loss in the long term, it needs two qualities;
You need to be able to perform at sufficient levels of intensity
At the same time, it shouldn’t be so intense that it causes overuse injuries.
You need to be able to perform it often throughout the week
It needs to be interesting enough so you can do it in the long term.
For example, let’s look at two scenarios.
Scenario 1- You did kick-ass and burn 900 calories in an hour of running. However, you could only do it 3 times a week at this intensity. This comes out to 385 calories a day.
Scenario 2—You take up cycling at moderate intensity. This burns 660 calories an hour, but as it’s easier on your joints, you can do it five times a week. This equals 471 calories burned daily!
Scenario 1 may be better for someone who doesn’t want to do cardio 5 days a week. On the other hand, scenario 2 might be better for someone who likes training and is more concerned with total calories.
Also, you can’t forget walking! You may have heard us talk about increasing general activity with your steps, as it’s been shown to be an effective means of losing weight long-term. One reason is that it’s easier to adhere to on a consistent basis.
Considering all that, any form of cardio that allows you to increase your physical activity consistently in the long run will be awesome.
We’re going to have an entire article dedicated to this, so be sure to check that out soon!
Types Of Cardio
So, let’s now discuss the types of cardio. The word “cardio“ gets thrown around a lot, but it can mean very different things to different people.
Aerobic Vs. Anaerobic
Aerobic and anaerobic are basically the two main subdivisions of training.
Aerobic Training refers to training that relies on your aerobic metabolic systems, implying moderate and low-intensity training. Aerobic implies that your body requires oxygen to maintain energy production to support the training. This includes typical cardio training such as running/jogging or cycling.
Anaerobic Training refers to high-intensity training that relies on your anaerobic metabolic systems to supply energy. This includes training such as weight lifting or sprints, which require maximal effort for short bursts of duration.
Traditionally, “cardio“ has been considered interchangeable with aerobic exercise – moderate intensity for prolonged durations. This would include things like;
Running
Cycling
Stair Climber
Swimming
Technically, aerobic exercise is any activity that lasts longer than four minutes. However, 20 minutes is generally the minimum amount of time someone spends doing cardio, with hours spent on the upper end.
At the same time, this doesn’t mean that anaerobic exercise won’t contribute to cardio training or even its benefits. In fact, even strength training has been found to improve the cardiovascular health of some populations.⁷
Let’s remember what “cardiovascular“ refers to – the heart and blood vessels. Therefore, anaerobic training is still placing an enormous demand on this system which can help explain why you see cardiovascular improvements with weightlifting.
We don’t believe that prolonged aerobic training can be swapped for squats. However, we will include some anaerobic training styles below.
Steady-State
Steady-state cardio training is the traditional type of cardio workout in which a person performs a mode of exercise continuously at a low to moderate intensity. This can realistically apply to any mode of training.
However, it’s generally applied to endurance styles of training such as;
Running
Cycling
Swimming
Further, it can also be applied to machine training modes, such as the treadmill.
When it comes to fat loss, many people mistakenly believe that steady-state isn’t good for fat loss, at least when compared to HIIT. This isn’t true and research shows that both are effective at fat loss.
Intervals
Intervals, often confused with HIIT, which we’ll discuss below, are a type of anaerobic training. They consist of intervals of high intensity followed by intervals of rest.
Unlike HIIT, interval training generally allows longer periods of recovery and sometimes even full recovery. This means the recovery interval is generally longer than the work interval.
In addition, intervals will often be assigned a percentage of intensity. For example,
Run 1:00 @ 90% HR followed by 2:00 of walking
Cycle 4:00 @ 85%HR followed by 4:00 or recovery at 60%
Technically, interval training doesn’t train your aerobic system to the same extent as it does your anaerobic system. Regardless, it still demands your heart and lungs and is a great addition.
One of the most common forms of interval training are sprint intervals. This is one of, if not the best form of high intensity training for overall athleticism, speed and power.
HIIT
HIIT stands for High-Intensity Interval Training and is ultimately a subdivision of interval training. While they include work and recovery intervals, there are some important differences;
HIIT working intervals are always at maximal intensity.
Work intervals are generally 1:00 or shorter.
Recovery intervals are either the same length as the work interval or shorter.
Similar to interval training, HIIT is more of an anaerobic workout than aerobic, but there’s plenty of crossover. Plus, improving your anaerobic system will result in an improvement in your aerobic system, and vice versa.
HIIT can be very demanding. Therefore, beginners should start with a HIIT cardio program that’s built with them in mind, like we have right here.
Intermittent
Intermittent cardio is basically a style of cardio that incorporates a mixture of steady-state and high-intensity effort.
The difference from interval training is that you don’t stop during intermittent training. Rather, you may sprint and then come back down to a recovery intensity, i.e., 50% HRmax.
Another common difference is that many types of intermittent training have periods of low intensity and high intensity that differ.
A good way to think about this is the sport of soccer—a prolonged exercise consisting of low-intensity work interspersed with moderate and high-intensity intervals.
This can apply to a style of running training known as Fartlek. This unstructured form of running consists of running at various speeds depending on how the runner feels.
Low-Impact Cardio
You might sometimes see something referred to as low-impact cardio. Low-impact cardio is a style of cardio that doesn’t put excessive force on your joints, particularly your knees.
These are great options for anyone who is;
Prone to sore joints
Overweight
Older trainees
Anyone who wants to give their knees a break!
Now, many people can falsely assume that low impact means lower intensity. While some forms exist, such as aquatic aerobics, there are many intense choices. This includes;
Cycling
Elliptical
Skating
Machine-Based
As we mentioned above, you now have a plethora of machine-based cardio exercises from which you can choose. Some great choices include;
1. Treadmill—The treadmill is a classic cardio machine. While it’s sometimes spoken about negatively, i.e., “hours on the hamster wheel,” it’s great for a gym or home cardio workout. One reason we really like it is incline walking. This is a great form of low-impact cardio that burns a ton of calories, gives your legs a great workout, and really challenges your cardio.
2. Spinning. Spinning classes are a great way to kick your butt for 60 minutes, especially if you like the trainer-led classes. When it comes to form, it has a lower skill requirement than running. Plus, exercising for longer durations is easier, meaning more calories are burned, and it is an awesome endurance session.
3. Stairclimber. The stairclimber is a hybrid of a cardio workout and a killer leg session. While it can be demanding when you first try it, it’s a great option for someone looking for a little extra leg and glute workout.
4. Rower. The rower is tough. It may feel easy when you first jump on it, but five minutes later, you realize it’s a demanding full-body cardio workout. While you can use it anytime, it definitely has an awesome benefit as a piece of cardio to use if you’re dealing with a leg or knee injury.
What Are The Best Types Of Cardio To Do At Home?
Here’s the good thing about cardio: Many of the best exercises can be done at home.
The most obvious option will be anything in the family of running. We’re talking about;
Running
Jogging
Walking
As we saw above, running burns a lot of calories, making it a free tool for weight loss at home.
In addition, many of the traditional types of cardio will require a machine or recruitment. This includes;
Spinning
Stair Climber
Rower
Therefore, other forms of cardio that you could do that require no or minimal equipment include;
1. Jump Rope—The classic boxer workout, the jump rope, is an awesome choice for a home cardio workout. Your biggest hurdle will be improving your skill to the point that you can jump for a sufficient amount of time. It can also require a significant amount of lower leg strength and endurance. However, this is just a goal to work for!
2. Kettlebell Swings—Kettlebell swings are another tough form of cardio exercise. Due to their nature, you’re not going to be doing 60 minutes of kettlebell swings!
3. Bodyweight Circuit Training Or HIIT—Your third option for a cardio workout at home is bodyweight circuit training or HIIT. For example, burpees burn a significant amount of calories and can be performed at home. Our other favorite cardio exercises at home are mountain climbing and shadowboxing. Check out our kettlebell training system here!
All of these tend to work well with HIIT style of training. Here are some basic HIIT/Interval protocols you can use for a fast, effective cardio workout at your home. Intervals are listed as work/recovery
:20/:10 – Known as Tabata, this protocol is very intense
1:00/1:00 – A 1:1 interval of 1:00 can be done at a slightly lower intensity
:40/:20 – This is basically Tabata but doubled. However, the work interval won’t be as intense. We find this works well with exercises such as kettlebell swings.
:10/:50 – When the interval is shorter than the work, especially this much, you’re training at maximum speed.
At the same time, you could break your dancing shoes to get your cardio training at home! Aerobic fitness and dance classes, such as Zumba, have been found to be effective means of low-impact exercise to help increase calorie burn.⁸
Examples Of Cardio Workouts
Cardio doesn’t need to be complicated. Here are some examples of cardio workouts of different intensities you can use in your training. Further, we’re going to list some basic instructions to progress.
Further, you can use any mode of cardio training using the same protocol; you just need to alter the specifics for it to make sense. For example, instead of running 5k, maybe you’ll cycle 15k or 20k.
With that in mind, these are simple and effective cardio protocols to use.
Run 5k Or 10k – Increase your speed weekly or monthly
Run 30 Or 60 Minutes – Attempt to increase your distance in a set amount of time
Zone 2 Steady State – Train at around 60-70% for a set distance. This will vary depending on the person’s ability. Then, increase by 10% every week.
Triathlon – Choose 3 forms of cardio exercise (i.e., run, cycle, swim, stairclimber, rower). Perform each one for 15-30 minutes back-to-back. Increase distance or calories weekly or monthly.
Blocks- Blocks are basically intervals of longer duration. For example, train at 60% for 5 minutes, then run at 80% for 5 minutes.
Fartlek – Perform a longer session (at least 30 minutes), but change intensity throughout the run depending on how you feel.
Intermittent Sprints- Train at 60-70% intensity for 5 minutes. Sprint at 95% intensity for 30s. Continue.
EMOM (Kind-Of) – Choose a shorter distance that you’re familiar with your time, then double it. For example, you know you can run 400m in 2:00 relatively easily (75% effort). Therefore, use 4:00 for your interval. Run 400m, and when you get back, rest until 4:00. Repeat. The more rounds you do, the slower you’ll be, leaving you with less rest. Continue until you can’t complete it by 4:00. You can adjust the time to whatever you need.
Example Week Of Cardio Workouts
Here’s what a week of varied cardio might look like:
Session 1 – 45min of steady state Zone 2
Session 2 – 1:00/1:00 for 20 minutes
Session 3 – 15 minutes of each: Incline treadmill/spinning/stair climber
Session 4 – 30 minutes of intermittent training, depending on how you feel
Increase walking, especially on days off.
Should You Perform Cardio Before Strength Training?
One common question people have is when they should perform cardio if they’re performing strength training as well. Here are three things to consider.
1. If you can, perform them in separate sessions, i.e., an AM session and a PM session
2. If you need to perform them together, it’s generally advised to do your strength training first
3. If you want to switch it up, you could do cardio before a strength workout. Just know it will likely decrease your performance. However, theoretically, it could possibly help improve your overall conditioning and muscular endurance.
Get Your Cardio In!
If you want to have more energy, live longer, feel better and be able to have fun without getting out of breath, get your cardio in!
Cardio is life and we should be taking it more seriously rather than a simple castaway joke. It truly will improve just about every part of your health and physical performance.
And here’s the good part.
When it comes to increasing your general cardio health, as well as burning calories, it doesn’t really matter that much as long as you do it. There’s no rule that you must run, or you must cycle, or you must get on the stair climber. Find the exercise(s) you like to do, and then;
Use multiple sessions throughout the week
While you can favor one, use a range of intensities
Aim for a minimum of 90-150 minutes, depending on the intensity
Realize that these are the minimum levels
Ideally, use more than one form of cardio
Increase your general physical activity (i.e., walking) as much as possible
References
Aaronson PI, Ward JPT, Connolly MJ. The Cardiovascular System at a Glance. 5th ed. Wiley-Blackwell; 2020:2-3. https://www.wiley.com/en-us/The+Cardiovascular+System+at+a+Glance%2C+5th+Edition-p-9781119245780
CDC. Guidelines and Recommended Strategies. Physical Activity. Published April 10, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity/php/guidelines-recommendations/index.html
Nystoriak MA, Bhatnagar A. Cardiovascular Effects and Benefits of Exercise. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2018;5:135. Published 2018 Sep 28. doi:10.3389/fcvm.2018.00135 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30324108/
Clausen JSR, Marott JL, Holtermann A, Gyntelberg F, Jensen MT. Midlife Cardiorespiratory Fitness and the Long-Term Risk of Mortality: 46 Years of Follow-Up. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2018;72(9):987-995. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2018.06.045 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30139444/
Wu T, Gao X, Chen M, van Dam RM. Long-term effectiveness of diet-plus-exercise interventions vs. diet-only interventions for weight loss: a meta-analysis. Obes Rev. 2009;10(3):313-323. doi:10.1111/j.1467-789X.2008.00547.x https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19175510/
De Feo P. Is high-intensity exercise better than moderate-intensity exercise for weight loss?. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2013;23(11):1037-1042. doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2013.06.002 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24119988/
Inga E. Schjerve, Gjertrud A. Tyldum, Arnt E. Tjønna, Tomas Stølen, Jan P. Loennechen, Harald E. M. Hansen, Per M. Haram, Garreth Heinrich, Anja Bye, Sonia M. Najjar, Godfrey L. Smith, Stig A. Slørdahl, Ole J. Kemi, Ulrik Wisløff; Both aerobic endurance and strength training programmes improve cardiovascular health in obese adults. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 November 2008; 115 (9): 283–293. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20070332
Williford HN, Scharff-Olson M, Blessing DL. The physiological effects of aerobic dance. A review. Sports Med. 1989;8(6):335-345. doi:10.2165/00007256-198908060-00003 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2694281/
