What Actually “Counts” as Cardio?
Have you ever wondered, outside of running, what actually counts as cardio? Maybe you don’t like running — or maybe running isn’t a good fit for you right now. Are there other options, and what are they? Let’s dive into it!
What is the Point of Cardio?
Briefly, let’s talk about the importance of including cardio in your exercise routine. Most people know they “should” do it, but don’t completely understand the benefits beyond “it helps you live a longer and healthier life” - which it does. 😉
But more specifically, it does a few things for us:
It opens up vascularity for better blood flow throughout our body
It allows our heart to get stronger and pump more efficiently
It allows out lungs to get stronger
And because of this, when implemented consistently, it can lead to a massive reduction in several diseases; including cardiovascular disease by up to 80%, reduction in cancer by 33%, and reduction in type II diabetes by up to 90%.
Maintaining these habits in your routine allows these functions to stay strong and healthy vs. getting weaker over time. Cardio is almost necessary for long-term heart health and overall health maintenance. It can also be a tool when it comes to fat loss and weight management as well.
What Counts as Cardio?
There are different ranges of intensity when it comes to cardio, but one thing about it is that you want to maintain an elevated heart rate for a longer duration of time.
Steady state cardio is cardio that maintains a steady pace throughout the entire duration of the cardio. Your heart rate will generally stay relatively balanced during steady state.
There is also HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) which is another style of cardio where you push around 80-90% of your max heart rate for a short burst of time (like a sprint), and then walk or jog to lower your heart rate down to recover enough to push through the spring again.
Steady state is more beginner friendly for individuals first getting started with exercising, and HIIT is for more advanced individuals who are prepared for that level of intensity with their heart, lungs, and joints.
Is Lifting Cardio?
Many people will argue that lifting isn’t cardio. And for some people, it isn’t.
That said, for many individuals who are just getting start with a routine to get out of a sedentary lifestyle, resistance training can very much so act as a form of cardio, especially if done in circuits with shorter rest times.
Just as you want to have progressive overload in your lifting, you also want progressive overload in your cardio as well. This helps to ensure that you’re not pushing too fast and that you’re able to recover.
That said, once you get to the point where your heart, lungs, and joints have adapted to lifting, there will very likely come a time when just lifting may not be a great form of cardio for you anymore. For example, many people say that performing squats, lunges, and step-ups during their leg days feels like cardio. And for many, it actually is giving them some of those cardio benefits at the beginning of their journey especially.
That said, it also depends on how its done. We can look at Crossfitters and see that they are absolutely doing cardio when they’re doing their clean and jerks or kipping pull-ups. This is a form of circuit training known as Metcon (Metabolic Conditioning) and this is where you include bodyweight, power, and cardio-based exercises. This style of training is absolutely a form of cardio, despite the use of weights. Generally this style of training is not great for a beginner as it involves pushing at max efforts while still maintaining incredible technique.
It all depends on how you go about it, and what level of fitness you’re at.
How can we Measure if Cardio is Challenging Enough for us?
The easiest way to tell whether cardio is challenging enough is through the “talk test.” For moderate intensity cardio, you should be able to still hold a conversation, though it may feel somewhat challenging. You shouldn’t be able to sing what’s coming through your headphones as you’re doing it, though.
With higher intensity cardio, you won’t be able to hold a conversation at all. At the most, you should only be able to say a few words. The goal with most high intensity work is that you’re pushing close to max efforts.
Similarly to strength training, you can also work with RPE’s (rate of perceived exertion) for cardio to know what level you should be pushing yourself at. This is a technique that most beginners won’t use right away, as you’re just getting familiar with what your capacity to push even looks like. That said, learning RPE’s can be good if you’re someone who plans on progressing with running as a hobby or sport!
How to Make Sure You’re Not Overdoing it
You don’t want to feel like you’re dying when you’re working on improving your cardio and heart health. Knowing your estimated max heart rate can be helpful in making sure that you’re not pushing too hard, too fast with your cardio.
This is a tendency that many people also have, is wanting to go balls to the wall and PR for every run. This is exactly what we don’t want to do.
You can get your estimated max heart rate by taking 220 - your age.
For example, if you’re 30:
220 - 30 = 190 bpm.
For cardio, you want your heart rate to maintain around 50-90% of your max heart rate for your age. This would be anywhere from 95-170 bpm if you’re 30 years old. If your heart rate is at 90%, you will be doing some form of HIIT or Metcon training. If your heart rate is 50-60%, you want to be doing low impact, steady state cardio. Whether that be swimming, jogging, or trail walking.
If you’re just starting out, you want to maintain steady state cardio with that lower range of the bpm and slowly work your way up in challenging your cardio through progressive overload.
You can also use the talk test to make sure you’re not pushing yourself too hard, too fast. If you know that you’re meant to be going on an easy 30 minute run, then you should be able to talk while you’re doing it.
Examples of Cardio
Going for a walk (for sedentary individuals)
Hiking (for more active individuals)
Incline walk (for both)
Stairmaster (for more active individuals)
Strength workout or circuit (for sedentary individuals)
Recreational sports (for more active individuals)
Dance class (for both)
Swimming (for both)
Wii sports (for more sedentary individuals)
Just Dance (for both)
DDR / Dance Dance Revolution (for both)
Sprints (for more active individuals)
Household chores like deep cleaning, mowing the lawn, or re-arranging furniture (for sedentary individuals)
Final Notes
At the end of the day, whether we like cardio or not, its something that IS good for most of us and would benefit most of us. Find what you can enjoy— it doesn’t have to be running!
The goal is to be able to maintain 150 minute of moderate intensity cardio throughout your week or 75 minutes of high intensity cardio.
If you need help along your journey, we’d love to help!
Sources
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Physical Activity and Your Heart: Benefits. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/heart/physical-activity/benefits
Anderson E, Durstine JL. Physical activity, exercise, and chronic diseases: A brief review. Sports Med Health Sci. 2019. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9219321/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Measuring Physical Activity. https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/measuring/index.html
