Cardio: Everything You Need to Know [Workout Types]

Whether you're a seasoned gym-goer who thrives on lifting heavy but often skips the cardio machines, or you're new to the fitness scene eager to experiment with everything the gym offers — including cardio — this is for you. Integrating cardiovascular training into your routine can amplify your strength gains, accelerate fat loss, and take your fitness journey to new heights. Cardio isn't just for endurance athletes; it's a game-changer for everyone. Ready to find out how adding a bit of cardio can make a big difference? Let's dive in!

What Is Cardio?

Cardio, short for cardiovascular training, is any exercise that improves the function and performance of the heart, lungs, and circulatory system. Consistent cardio training gives your muscles the endurance to sustain many types of physical activity for longer. Generally, the name applies to exercises like walking, running, cycling, rowing, swimming, and circuit training. You can use cardio machines like the treadmill or do your cardio outdoors while hiking – as long as it gets your blood flowing, it counts.

Anaerobic vs. Anabolic Exercise

To make the most of your workouts, it’s essential to understand the difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercise. Each type uniquely influences how your body generates energy, affects your performance, and contributes to your fitness goals. Since this distinction will be important later on, let’s quickly define both:

Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise refers to lower-intensity, longer-duration activities that rely on oxygen as the primary energy source. During aerobic exercise, your body uses oxygen to metabolize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to produce energy. This exercise is ideal for improving cardiovascular endurance, burning fat, and enhancing overall stamina. Aerobic exercises include jogging, swimming, cycling, and brisk walking. Aerobic exercise benefits heart health, respiratory efficiency, and healthy weight.

Anaerobic Exercise

On the other hand, anaerobic exercise refers to high-intensity, short-duration activities in which your body’s demand for oxygen exceeds the available oxygen supply. During anaerobic exercise, your body relies on energy sources stored in the muscles and uses pathways that don’t require oxygen, such as glycogen breakdown. Examples of anaerobic exercises include heavy weightlifting and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). These activities are excellent for building strength, power, and muscle mass, as they primarily engage fast-twitch muscle fibers and improve your body’s ability to perform explosive movements.

What are Heart Rate Zones

The intensity of cardio you do can enormously impact how your body reacts and the processes it goes through. The best way to measure this is with heart rate zones. Heart rate zones represent different levels of exercise intensity based on a percentage of your maximum heart rate, ranging from Zone 1 to Zone 5. Sustained activity in each zone has a different effect on your body: Zone 2, for instance, primarily uses fat as a fuel source – crucial for improving body composition. Zone 4, on the other hand, helps your body handle lactic acid and sustain high-intensity exercise. By understanding heart rate zones, you can target key fitness aspects like stamina, speed, and recovery to get the most out of your cardio.

Zone 1: Recovery

Zone 1 brings your heart to 50-60% of its max heart rate and is primarily used for warm-up, cool-down, and active recovery. This zone's intensity is very low, allowing your body to ease into or out of more intense exercise gently. It helps improve blood circulation, aids in muscle recovery, and prepares your body for the workout ahead or helps it cool down afterward. Training in Zone 1 is crucial for maintaining overall cardiovascular health without straining the body. Spend 5-10 minutes in Zone 1 during warm-up and cool-down phases.

Zone 2: Endurance

In this moderate-intensity zone, your heart reaches 60-70% of max HR, and your body begins to efficiently burn fat as a fuel source, making it highly effective for long-duration workouts. Training in Zone 2 is the go-to zone for steady-state cardio sessions to enhance stamina and endurance over time.  For endurance training, spend 20-40 minutes in Zone 2, depending on your fitness level and goals.

Zone 3: Intermediate

Zone 3, called the “tempo” or “aerobic” zone, is where sustained aerobic exercise occurs. Your heart rate reaches 70-80% of its maximum in Zone 3, which improves your aerobic capacity and helps your body become more efficient at using oxygen during prolonged efforts. This zone balances intensity and sustainability, making it ideal for longer, steady workouts that challenge your aerobic system without overtaxing it. Zone 3 is vital for improving your ability to maintain a faster pace over more extended periods. Aim to train in Zone 3 for 15-30 minutes during your workout, especially for tempo runs or steady-state cardio sessions.

Zone 4: High

When your heart rate enters Zone 4 during a cardio session, it works at 80-90% of its maximum heart rate. This level of exertion is very intense and pushes your body near its anaerobic threshold, the point at which your muscles start to use more energy than can be supplied by using oxygen alone. Training in Zone 4, even for short periods, increases this threshold and makes your body more efficient at handling higher intensity levels without quickly becoming fatigued. Training in Zone 4 is crucial for improving their speed and endurance during competitive events. It conditions your body to sustain faster paces for extended periods, enhancing overall performance in races or high-intensity activities. Try incorporating 5-15 minutes of Zone 4 training into your workout, typically in intervals or high-intensity efforts.

Zone 5: Maximum

Zone 5 is as tough as it gets: your heart is beating at 90-100% of its max rate, and should only be sustained for short, explosive bursts like sprints or high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Training in Zone 5 improves your maximum speed, power, and anaerobic capacity by pushing your body to its limits. Zone 5 is crucial for athletes looking to enhance their peak power and speed. Due to the extreme intensity, be very careful about staying in Zone 5 for too long: limit Zone 5 training to 30 seconds to 2 minutes per interval, with adequate rest in between, ensuring that total Zone 5 time doesn’t exceed 10 minutes in a single workout.

Types of Cardio Training

Cardio training encompasses a wide range of activities that elevate your heart rate and increase blood circulation, promoting better oxygen and nutrient transport throughout the body. By understanding and leveraging the benefits of each of these types, you can use cardio training not just as a tool for fitness, but as a cornerstone for a healthier, more vibrant life.

Continuous or Steady State

Maintaining a consistent pace for a set duration, usually keeping the heart rate primarily in “Zone 2” and not higher than “Zone 3.” In the absence of heart rate monitoring devices, this can be estimated by primarily breathing through the nose and being able to speak fairly comfortably. Steady-state cardio sn’t very impactful under 15 minutes. If the cardio percentage of your workout duration is less than 15 minutes, consider the following separating cardio and strength days.

Interval Training

Alternating periods of high-intensity effort (heart rate in “Zone 4” and even in the lower range of “Zone 5”) with periods of low-intensity effort (heart rate in “Zone 2” and even in the upper range of “Zone 1”).

Sports and Recreational Activities

Activities like soccer, basketball, tennis, or dancing, which involve continuous movement, provide cardiovascular and endurance engagement similar to specific cardio training, although usually not as structured and thus not as effective.

Why is Cardio Training Important

By understanding and leveraging these benefits, you can use cardio training not just as a tool for fitness, but as a cornerstone for a healthier, more vibrant life. Cardio training offers a wide range of important health and fitness benefits:

Improved Heart and Respiratory Health

Regular cardiovascular exercise strengthens the heart muscle, enabling it to pump blood more efficiently throughout the body. This increased efficiency reduces the strain on your heart during both rest and activity. Cardio also enhances lung capacity and improves the respiratory system’s ability to supply oxygen to the bloodstream. Together, these improvements drastically reduce the risk of heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and other cardiovascular conditions, while promoting a robust respiratory system.

Weight Management

Cardio workouts are highly effective for burning calories, which is essential for weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight. Engaging in activities like running, cycling, or using cardio machines elevates your metabolic rate both during and after exercise. This increased calorie burn helps create the calorie deficit needed for fat loss. Consistent cardio training can also prevent weight regain by balancing caloric intake and expenditure.

Enhanced Endurance and Stamina

By regularly challenging your cardiovascular system, you build endurance and stamina, allowing you to perform physical activities or sports for longer periods without fatigue. Cardio exercise increases the efficiency of oxygen delivery to your muscles, which delays the onset of lactic acid buildup — a primary cause of muscle fatigue. Enhanced endurance not only improves athletic performance but also makes daily tasks easier and less tiring.

Mental Health Benefits

Cardio training has a profound impact on mental well-being. Physical activity stimulates the release of endorphins, often referred to as “feel-good” hormones, which reduce perceptions of pain and trigger positive feelings. Regular cardio exercise is linked to reduced stress, anxiety, and depression. It also enhances mood, boosts self-esteem, and improves cognitive functions like memory and concentration.

Better Blood Sugar Regulation

Engaging in cardiovascular exercise helps improve insulin sensitivity, allowing your muscles to more effectively use glucose for energy. This process lowers blood sugar levels and reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. For individuals with diabetes, regular cardio can help manage the condition by controlling blood glucose fluctuations and improving overall metabolic health.

Lowered Blood Pressure and Cholesterol

Cardio exercise contributes to healthier blood pressure levels by improving the elasticity of blood vessels, which allows for better blood flow. It can lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings, reducing strain on the cardiovascular system. Additionally, cardio helps improve cholesterol profiles by increasing levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol — the “good” cholesterol — and lowering levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides. This combination further decreases the risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease.

How to Program Cardio into your Workout Plan 

Some cardio is really important for your health – the American Heart Association recommends that adults should get at least 150 minutes of mediym-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardio a week. Whether you’re looking to lose weight, build endurance, or improve overall health, knowing how to strategically program cardio can make a big difference in your results. Here’s how to effectively blend cardio into your exercise regimen.

Short on Time?

If you’re pressed for time, focus your workouts wisely. For sessions under 10 minutes, consider either skipping cardio or dedicating the entire workout to it. Short bursts of 2-5 minutes can be effective with high-intensity intervals, but they might not be safe for everyone. If you can squeeze in more than 10 minutes, aim to include at least 7 minutes of cardio to maximize your workout’s impact.

Trying to Gain Muscle?

For those focused on muscle gain, cardio should be used strategically. Including a lot of cardio in every workout can be counterproductive, as it diverts energy and time away from muscle growth. Incorporate cardio in 1 out of every 3 workouts, ensuring a minimum frequency of once per week. This approach allows you to maintain cardiovascular health without compromising your muscle-building efforts. Remember, you can always do some cardio in a HIIT workout instead of running on just running on the treadmill, which will build your strength and Improving your cardiovascular system, too.

Just Trying to Stay Fit?

If your fitness goal is just to stay healthy, it’s important to balance your workouts without overdoing any one aspect. The cardio component should make up 50% of your total workout time, but be capped at a maximum of 25 minutes to keep sessions manageable and engaging. For more intense machines like the rower and assault bike, limit your cardio to 15 minutes to avoid excessive fatigue or burnout. This approach ensures you’re getting the cardiovascular benefits without overwhelming yourself, making it easier to stay consistent and enjoy your workouts.

Struggling with Injuries?

When dealing with injuries, it’s essential to choose your cardio exercises carefully to avoid making your condition worse. If you have back pain, it’s recommended to avoid using the rower, as it can place undue stress on your lower back. However, treadmills, elliptical machines, stationary bikes, and steppers are generally safe and can be included in your workout routine regardless of most health restrictions. Always listen to your body, start with low-intensity sessions, and consider consulting a healthcare professional or physical therapist to tailor your workout plan to your specific needs and ensure a safe recovery.

Cardio training is more than just a way to burn calories — it’s a cornerstone of a healthy and balanced fitness routine. By incorporating it into your workouts correctly, you can tailor them to align with your specific goals, whether that’s improving endurance, building muscle, or enhancing overall health. Remember to listen to your body, adjust the intensity to suit your fitness level, and most importantly, choose activities you enjoy. This will not only make your workouts more effective but also more sustainable in the long run. Embrace the benefits of cardio training and watch as it transforms not just your body, but your entire well-being.