Gym Member: "Today is my cardio day!"
Me: "Nice! What does that consist of?"
Gym Member: "Me on the elliptical for 30 minutes or run/walking on the treadmill for 30 minutes. You know..getting my sweat on!"
Me: "Sounds fun...(naht!) Well, what are you trying to accomplish by doing that?"
Gym Member: "I'm trying to lose some weight...."
Now, there is nothing wrong with doing "cardio" for 30 minutes as long as you are working hard. However, nowadays you will find people on the stationary bike, elliptical trainer or treadmill; while either reading a book, texting, talking on the phone or watching T.V. If you can do any of these activities while doing your "cardio" then clearly you are not working hard enough. That’s my opinion at least, and I'm sure other trainers would agree.
What is cardio? This is a good question that one of my athlete's had asked me to post about this week. Well, according to the American College of Sports Medicine, cardio, or cardiovascular exercise, is any activity that increases heart rate and respiration while using large muscle groups repetitively and rhythmically. The root word "card," or "heart," provides a clue as to why this type of exercise is so important. By providing training that progressively challenges your most vital internal life support network, cardio can improve both the function and the performance of your heart, lungs and circulatory system. There are many aerobic activities that you can do inside and outside of the gym. Just take your pick! Here are some options for you:
- Walking
- Running
- Jogging
- Hiking
- Biking
- Swimming (can be in-doors as well)
- Jump roping (can be done in-doors as well)
IN-DOOR CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISES
- Treadmill
- Elliptical
- Rowing machine (my fave)
- Stationary bike
- Stair climber
- Ladder climber
- Arc Trainer
ATHLETICS
- Football
- Soccer
- Basketball
- Hockey
- Ice skating
- Skiing
- Dance
OTHER
- Circuit training
- Plyometrics
- Kettlebell training
- Also, some power lifting exercises such as power cleans, etc.
Why do people do cardio? There are many benefits to training your cardiovascular system. To name a few:
- Weight-loss (number one reason people do cardio)
- Decrease stress levels
- Increase lung capacity and VO2 max
- Decreases your risk of heart disease, diabetes, etc.
- Increase in muscle mass/tone
- Decreased body fat
I can keep going, but hopefully you get the picture. It's good for you! It's even better if you couple your cardio training program with resistance training. But, that’s a whole other story!
How do I lose weight by doing cardio? Simple, burn more calories then you eat. It's no secret; when it comes to losing weight, all that matters is calories consumed vs. calories burned. Now, that doesn't mean you can eat whatever you want because you are burning calories. You are what you eat! Remember that. If you eat crappy food you will have a crappy physique no matter how many cals you burn. If you want a nice lean body with low body fat, you need to eat fresh fruits, veggies, lean meats, and whole grains.
How many days should I do cardio? Once again, this all depends on what your goals are and what your current training program consists of. For example if you are looking to lose weight and all you do is cardio with no resistance training, I recommend you do it most days of the week (4 or more days) with a goal of 300 - 500+ calories to burn. Now, if you do include resistance training I would recommend doing cardio 2 or 3 days a week. Keep in mind that there are many factors that will effect the answer to this question. Such as how intense your training is, frequency, goals, etc.
In conclusion, doing a little cardio never hurt anybody! As long as you know why you're doing it and you're doing it effectively based on your goals. Also, be sure to include resistance training into your regime. Doing cardio only will only get you so far!
