Get Started with Cardio
What exactly is cardio?
Cardio is short for cardiovascular exercise which means really any exercise that benefits the heart. This used to be mainly aerobic training but now research suggests that weight lifting also benefits the heart - this is an example of a phrase that became popular before science could really validate it.
Aerobic exercise is any sustainable activity that utilizes oxygen (ergo the burning of fat) for a primary source of fuel. Weight lifting that is intense and in short duration will primarily use stored glycogen and the ATP-CP pathway (intramuscular energetics with creatine phosphate that - adenosine triphosphate or ATP is broken to adenosine diphosphate and this releases energy. To rebuild ADP to ATP, the CP is split, lending the extra phosphate moelcule needed for ADP to become ATP and thereby fuel another reaction).
Now, this definition is muddied because you can have weight training i.e. longer sets that actually use oxygen and are therefore more aerobic (take circuit training, for example, when people aren’t using a heavy load). You can also have what is traditionally thought of as cardio i.e. sprints that can be anaerobic depending on the rest. If the heart rate is allowed to lower between the intervals followed by maximum output then you are more in the anaerobic/glycolytic range. If you are only doing intervals but the heart does not drop substantially then you are going to be in more of a cardio range.
Basically, and this is a nutshell, oversimplifying because I’ve already gotten quite technical, there are primarily three systems that fuel energy. ALL energy systems are used to some extent, but various activity will use more of one or the other.
Anything lasting just a few seconds is going to be primarily anaerobic and use the ATP-CP system. This includes weight lifting, where the reps last a few seconds and are maximal bouts of output. Active rest occurs between the repetitions and then actual rest occurs between the sets. Shot-put, 50 yard-dash, weight lifting, olympic lifting, power-lifting are all examples of this.
Anything lasting a few minutes is primarily the glycolytic system where lactic acid is utilized to generate energy. This would be prolonged bouts such as sprints, longer weight lifting sets, etc. Basketball (run down court, then stay at the court = submaximal bout followed by active rest), and Soccer are examples of this.
Anything beyond that first few minutes must utilize oxygen turnover and therefore you are in the aerobic zone. This would be longer runs, rowing, hiking, etc.
Now, keep in mind there is no black and white with this - you still cross over into multiple systems. The reason why HIIT is more cardio than, say, a 20 minute weight training session, is that in HIIT on the slower intervals you are still performing work. Your heart rate drops somewhat but doesn’t drop a lot and therefore is still elevated in its output - this means that oxygen must fuel the process. On the other hand, in typical weight training, you are resting between sets which allows adequate recovery for the heart rate to slow while the muscle energetics replenish themselves.
A long weight training session with short rest and a lot of supersets is going to be aerobic at the same time as being anaerobic during the sets - you are anaerobic to explosively move the weight but because you are not allowing your heart rate to drop significantly between bouts of work the entire workout becomes more aerboic. Dave Draper was a huge advocate of this method of training and felt you could build muscle and stay lean or even burn fat simultaneously by supersetting a lot. Looking at his physique I don’t doubt there is some validity there.
Hope that helps - if you really want to dig into the details just search on ATP-CP or muscular energetics and you can get some good primers. Of course, then you might be forced to look into the Krebs Cycle and other pathways of metabolism and discover just why it is a gross oversimplification for people to say "this exercise burns muscle" or "if you exercise on an empty stomach your body is forced to burn fat"
How to Begin
- Choose an activity that you enjoy. The best exercise for you is the one you’ll actually do! Walking is a great place to start since it doesn’t require special equipment and you can do it anywhere
- Start with 2 or 3 days of your chosen activity with a rest day between workouts.
- Begin with a 5-10 minute warm up of light cardio and stretch the muscles you’ll use during your workout
- Increase your pace and intensity to slightly harder than comfortable and exercise as long as you can. Begin where you ARE, not where you want to be. You may only be able to exercise for a few minutes at a time, but that will change quickly if you’re consistent.
- End each workout with a 5-minute cool down of light cardio and stretch the muscles you’ve worked to help keep your muscles flexible and reduce your chances of injury.
- Each week, increase your workout time by a few minutes until you can work continuously for 30 minutes a session.
- Don’t worry about distance or pace. For the first few weeks, focus on endurance and conditioning. You have plenty of time to work on your speed and distance!
- After 6 or more weeks, change your routine by adding another day of exercise, increasing your pace/intensity, adding a new activity and/or increasing the amount of time you exercise
Tips for Better Workouts
- Make sure you have quality shoes for your chosen activity.
- Start slowly. Doing too much too soon can lead to injuries and misery.
- Try new activities. Doing the same thing can lead to plateaus, boredom and injuries.
- Be ready for exercise by feeding your body regularly throughout the day and by staying hydrated.
- Always stretch both after you warm up and after your workout!
- If you’re sore or tired, give yourself extra recovery days if needed
Cardio Exercises to Burn Major Calories!
The best cardio exercise is simply the one you will do day in and day but consistently. Choose one which you enjoy doing and don’t be afraid to mix the exercises up. Interval cardio work consists of moving from one exercise to another in set time intervals. For example, you could do the elliptical trainer for 15 minutes, then switch to the stationary bike for another 15 minutes and finish off on the treadmill for the last 15 minutes. Interval training is a great way to keep everything fresh!
There are two schools of though when it comes to cardio training. The "slow & steady" group and the "high intensity" group. These two groups breakdown like this:
Slow & Steady Cardio
- Long duration (45min - 1 hour)
- Low intensity
- Burn fat and not carbs
- Preserve joints
High Intensity Cardio
- Short duration (20min - 30min)
- High intensity (interval training)
- Burn tons of calories & rev up your metabolism throughout the day
- Treat cardio like weights - explosive movements (sprinting, etc)
Our advice is to try both for at least 6 weeks and make sure to monitor your progress with a journal and take weekly photos of yourself to see if you’re truly losing body fat.
Which Cardio Exercise Burns the Most Calories?
Below are the top 10 cardio exercises which burn the most calories in 30 minutes.
1. Step Aerobics - one of the most favorite cardio exercises preferred by women. Step Aerobics mainly target your legs, hips and glutes, and can burn approx. 400 calories in 30 minutes.
2. Bicycling - stationary or outdoors is a great cardio exercises, depending on resistance and speed can but 250 to 500 calories in 30 minutes.
3. Swimming - like cross-country skiing is an excellent cardio exercises as it is a full body exercises. Swimming is a great cross-training for other cardio activities. Doing the breast stroke can burn approx. 400 calories in 30 minutes.
4. Racquetball - side to side sprinting makes racquetball and excellent cardio exercises. A 145-lb person burns over 400 calories in 30 minutes.
5. Rock Climbing - is not only a cardio exercises, but also uses arm and leg strength and power. Rock Climbing can burn up to 380 calories in 30 minutes.
6. Cross-Country Skiing - whether on a machine or outdoors on snow, is an incredible cardio exercises as it involves both upper and lower body. A 145 lb person can burn approx 330 calories in 30 minutes.
7. Running - Running is an excellent cardio exercises because all you need is a pair of quality running shoes. Running burns serious calories. A 145 LB person can easily burn 300 calories in 30 minutes.
8. Elliptical Trainer - is an excellent cardio exercises and a great way to build endurance. A 145 LB person can burn about 300 calories in 30 minutes.
9. Rowing - is both a cardio exercises as well as giving your arms an incredible workout. 145 LB person can burn about 300 calories in 30 minutes.
10. Walking - Brisk walking is a less strenuous form of cardio exercises. Walking can burn up to 180 calories in 30 minutes. Sprinting, adding hills or an incline can increase amount of calories burned.
For the real high intensity cardio people out there who love the H.I.I.T training (High Intensity Interval Training), below are the top three cardio exercise which will provide amazing results!
1. Jumping Rope - This is one of the simplest, yet most effective exercises one can do. In just 15 to 20 minutes, jumping rope will give you an unparalleled total body workout. Jumping rope is ideal for cardiovascular endurance and enhances performance in virtually any sport - tennis, basketball, football, skiing, volleyball and more. This simple exercise is also great for eye-hand coordination, lateral movement, foot and hand speed and agility.
2. Sprinting - Sprinting not only burns HUGE amounts of calories while sprinting, it also keeps your metabolism flying for days after. Sprinting combined with running / jogging can bring amazing results
3. Spinning - These high-intensity workouts to music simulate a challenging bike ride, complete with hills, valleys and varying speeds, all dictated by the group instructor.
