Cardio has gotten a bad rap as of recent. Sure... that one person barely moving on the elliptical, burning more calories and data with his thumbs than with his workout, is a good reason to Not do cardio.... but for most people, a little won't hurt. In fact, a little will help you stay alive longer, with less illness, more endurance, better heart health, better circulation, more endorphins and better moods... who among the living doesn't some of those things?
So, what is cardio? It's not one place or any one thing, rather it's a state of activity reached by one's body. When one's heart is pumping about 130-170 bpm, one is considered to be engaged in a state of cardiovascular activity. This can be accomplished a million different ways: jog with the dog, hike a moderately difficult trail, do anything uphill for 15-20 minutes, jump up and down for 20 minutes, walk all the stairs in a nearby apartment building four times, tackle the hill outside your house, use the stairmill, play basketball with some friends, take a dance class or a spin class... the list goes on.
The most effective cardio sessions are at least 16 minutes long where Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is hard enough to make one feel out of breath. If one can easily carry on a conversation while doing her cardio, she could probably work a little harder - which is a good sign of health. Sweat is not necessarily indicative of health or of cardio efficiency. Cardio sessions longer than 60 minutes start to have diminishing returns unless training for an endurance event, where additional fuel sources may be required. If one must complete more than 60 minutes of cardio daily (say, for a fitness competition, or to lose weight for a match), splitting those required minutes into two shorter sessions would be more efficient with respect to burning fat.
Weights can also be lifted to achieve cardio status, also known as circuit training. Special classes at most gyms have been designed with this method in mind: burn calories, burn fat, sculpt lean muscle and increase heart rate. Win, win, win, win. These classes are some of the best ways to blast calories, learn new motor patterns, keep the brain learning, keep the body moving, and remain injury free (with a good instructor). Lifting weights has what is called an "after burn" effect: far more calories are burned later in the day following a session with weights and resistance training than just pure endurance cardio alone (circuit training versus elliptical workout).
For all of these reasons and more, cardio is a healthy element to add to almost any exercise routine. Those training for marathons need not add cardio to their running schedules, but even those looking to gain weight could benefit from a smidge of cardio (20 min, 2-3 week) as it is said to help stimulate the appetite.
My favorite? Stair sprints outside by the Pacific Ocean. Runner up? The stairmill, super high incline treadmill or the versa climber. Cardio on an incline will help keep those gluteals nice and round :)
What's your favorite way to sweat? Do you enjoy cardio? I live for the "runners' high" and try to get in 40 minutes per day of some type of cardio conditioning. It helps my mind, body and soul. Let me know what works for you and how I can help!
With enthusiasm,
Kate