Cardio

We’ve all heard it before – you have to put in the time doing “aerobic exercise” in order to live a fuller, happier, healthier life. Or at least that is how it can feel. Cardiovascular exercise may feel like a chore, but there’s a lot of truth to it’s health benefits. From decreasing your blood pressure to lowering your heart rate to improving good cholesterol levels, cardio really is a magic bullet.

It does have so many benefits, and that’s not lost on us. At Evolution, we offer cardio workouts as part of our group fitness classes, incorporating our state-of-the-art equipment into your workouts. The difference is that we strive to make it fun and rewarding because sometimes that’s just as important as the physical aspect of the activity itself.

What is a Cardio Workout?

Cardio gets its name from the fact that it targets the cardiovascular system. Synonymous with aerobic exercise, cardio encompasses a wide variety of workout types. Cardio not only benefits your heart health but can help with weight loss and mental health too.

What Exercises are considered cardio?

Any exercise that raises your heart rate and gets your blood pumping could be considered cardio. You don’t have to be confined to a treadmill or elliptical just to get a workout in. If you love certain sports like cycling, soccer, or swimming, those are cardiovascular activities. A brisk walk or spirited hike can also be a great exercise that elevates your heart rate and has all the benefits of being fun plus enjoying a favorite activity.

If you prefer structure, however, or can’t always participate in sport, or you want to be part of a group, many people stick with fitness-type classes. This can help motivate you in a group with your peers, give you accountability, and come with easy access to a gym for strength training, Pilates, or CrossFit.

Does Cardio Build Muscle?

Cardio can indeed support muscle building, particularly when engaging in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or high-intensity interval resistance training (HIIRT). These intense workouts stimulate muscle growth by combining vigorous bursts of activity with intervals of rest or lighter activity. Conversely, low-intensity steady-state (LISS) cardio, which is geared more towards endurance, doesn’t generally contribute to muscle gain. Essentially, the type and intensity of your cardio workouts determine their effectiveness in building muscle.

How much Cardio do you really need?

If we go by the idea that cardio is an aerobic activity, the Mayo Clinic recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week. That’s just 2.5 hours per week. But is it better to do those hours all at once, or break things up daily?

Generally speaking, spreading things out over at least a few days is likely more beneficial than trying to cram in all your cardio at once, especially if your other days are mostly inactive. Thirty minutes per day has been a good guideline that most people are told to abide by, which can then be followed 5 days per week.

Get started with Cardio at Evolution Today

Cardio gets its name from the fact that it targets the cardiovascular system. Synonymous with aerobic exercise, cardio encompasses a wide variety of workout types. Cardio not only benefits your heart health but can help with weight loss and mental health too.