How much cardio do I need?

[LuckysRevenge]

I'm finally getting a car in the next week or two and I'd like to get back to an active lifestyle. One problem is that I've always hated cardio for cardio's sake.

So far, my plan is:
-strength training at the gym 4 days a week (alternating upper body/abs and lower body/back)
-tennis at least an hour a week (during the winter b/c indoors is expensive)
-hot yoga 4 times a week for the first month and 1-4 times a week after

How much pure cardio should I throw in there as well?

 

[medic1]

Swimming is about the most ideal way to exercise,especially for cardio and all round muscle toning.

 

[KaraBulut]

Tennis counts toward cardio but we usually recommend that everyone get at least 30 minutes of continuous, sustained cardio at least 5 times a week.

If the traditional treadmill stuff is boring, then buy a step counter and incorporate walking into your daily routine where possible. During the winter or on rainy days, attend an exercise class, swim, stationary bike or stairclimbing are good alternatives.

 

[LuckysRevenge]

Tennis counts toward cardio but we usually recommend that everyone get at least 30 minutes of continuous, sustained cardio at least 5 times a week.

If the traditional treadmill stuff is boring, then buy a step counter and incorporate walking into your daily routine where possible. During the winter or on rainy days, attend an exercise class, swim, stationary bike or stairclimbing are good alternatives.

Does the heart rate have to be at a certain range to have any effect? For example on the stationary bike I'm never sure how much I should keep the resistance at

 

[KaraBulut]

Does the heart rate have to be at a certain range to have any effect? For example on the stationary bike I'm never sure how much I should keep the resistance at

The target is to raise the heart rate to 70-85% of the max. The max is 220 minus your age. So, for example if you are 30, the max would be roughly between 130-160 beats per minute.

There's a calculator here.

There's also some cool heart rate armbands that are available if your into fitness. They vary from a simple counter to a more sophisticated fitness calculator that will pair with an app on your smartphone.

 

[LuckysRevenge]

Thanks Kara
You think it's worth it to buy the chest heart rate monitor? Looks like it can give me the best reading and I could worry about that instead of distance or pace.

 

[KaraBulut]

Thanks Kara
You think it's worth it to buy the chest heart rate monitor? Looks like it can give me the best reading and I could worry about that instead of distance or pace.

Most of the time, I see runners just putting two fingers on the side of their neck and counting. That works just as well. After all, the goal is to stay within a range not hit an exact number.

There are some fitness bands that go on the wrist or chest that are popular at the moment. They do different things like monitor heart rate, count steps, monitor sleep patters, etc. Some are inexpensive and pair with a smartphone to calculate different fitness parameters. Others are pretty expensive. They're not "must haves" but if you're very interested in fitness, they're an option. What I do like about them is that they inspire owners to think more about their activity- maybe taking the stairs instead of the elevator or walking to errands instead of driving.

 

[eastofeden]

I think the best way to do cardio...for me anyway... is find something you like on TV and schedule time on the elliptical or the bike...I take turns. I do an hour of cardio every other day instead of 1/2 hour every day.

 

[Martin25]

Half hour daily cardio is enough to maintain the physical fitness and body strength.
If you want to lose your body fat then you should do high intensity outdoor cardio for at least 30 minutes daily.

 

[Martin25]

Weight Control

Exercise, dieting, and sports activities are more suitable ways for the fat burning and weight controlling because all these ways lose the fat naturally without any side effects. Using the weight loss diet pills or steroids can be harmful for the health. So avoid All These medications and always adopt some nature the way for weight loss purposes.

 

[Alnitak]

I'm not a professional trainer but I have been a x-country runner for a long time.

Cardio needs to be done as often as possible to keep in shape. It is not like strength training where you can skip it for a little while. In order to keep in cardio shape you need to do it 5-6 times a week and for at least 30 minutes of an moderate workout. For every day you miss after a break you will feel when you get back on the treadmill, elliptical, stairs, etc.

Start off slow because you can injure yourself especially during this period. When I've been out of shape for a while I start off running for 25 minutes for two weeks, then ramp it up five minutes every two weeks until I'm doing 45 minutes to an hour of cardio.

Set your cardio goals. It can be just 30 minutes a workout. That's fine according to the American Heart Association.

American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults

Eventually you will reach a plateau where you feel comfortable and are not pushing yourself too hard. That's the level where you might think about training for an event or just maintain the shape you have. Unless I am training for an event I just keep it at 45 minutes per workout, in which I will run five miles at nine minutes per mile. Training for a 5k I will ramp it up until I can do eight minute miles comfortably. By then your heart will be in great shape, and your arteries will be so dilated and resting heart rate so low that you can actually faint by getting up too quickly.

Also, on a dietary note, don't skip carbs because you need to reload your glycogen (main energy source during intense cardio) after every workout. The consequences of not doing this are exhaustion mid-way through the next workout as your body must find energy from other sources. If you are trying to get lean, don't worry, your body will still burn fat during a cardio workout even though you are eating carbs to keep your glycogen stores stocked. Cardio will burn lots of calories. I burn 500 a day this way, and without an adequate caloric intake you will lose the weight you are trying to maintain or put on your muscles.