Cardio 101 - Intensity

Note: Posting for health, not weight loss. You can decide to lose, or not, it is your body; your choice. However, you must workout to be healthy, whatever size or weight you are.

"The Simple Facts About Cardio

Before we talk about how much cardio you should do, you should at least know why it's so important. Cardiovascular exercise simply means that you're involved in an activity that raises your heart rate to a level where you're working, but can still talk (aka, in your Target Heart Rate Zone). Here's why cardio is so important:

•     It's one way to burn calories and help you lose weight
•     It makes your heart strong so that it doesn't have to work as hard to pump blood
•     It increases your lung capacity
•     It helps reduce risk of heart attack, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes
•     It makes you feel good
•     It helps you sleep better
•     It helps reduce stress...

Your first step is to what kind of activities you'd like to do. The trick is to think about what's accessible to you, what fits your personality and what you'd feel comfortable fitting into your life. If you like to go outdoors, running, cycling, hiking or walking are all good choices. If you like the gym, you'll have access to stationary bikes, elliptical trainers, treadmills, rowing machines, stairmasters and more.

For the home exerciser, there are a number of excellent exercise videos to try and you don't need much equipment to get a great home cardio workout.



Keep in mind, you may not know what type of activity you enjoy yet. That's all part of the experience, so don't be afraid to try something and, if it doesn't work, move on to something else. Just about any activity will work, as long as it involves a movement that gets your heart rate into your Target Heart Rate Zone. Remember:

•     There is no 'best' cardio exercise. Anything that you enjoy and that gets your heart rate up fits the bill
•     It's not what you do, but how hard you work. Any exercise can be challenging if you make it that way
•     Do something you enjoy. If you hate gym workouts, don't force yourself onto a treadmill. If you like socializing, consider sports, group fitness, working out with a friend or a walking club.
•     Choose something you can see yourself doing at least 3 days a week.
•     Be flexible and don't be afraid to branch out once you get comfortable with exercise...

The guidelines recommend to workout for 30-60 minutes most days of the week, but don't feel like you have to start at that level if you're not ready. Feel free to:

•     Split your workouts into smaller workouts throughout the day.
•     Take a few minutes here and there for some stair-climbing or speed walking.
•     Do all those things you know you should be doing: take the stairs, walk more, stop driving around looking for that front row parking space, etc.
•     Make the time. People who workout don't have more time than people who don't. They've just practiced making exercise a priority. Scheduling your workouts and treating them like any other appointment you wouldn't miss may help you stick to your program.
•     Pay someone to make you exercise. Finding a good personal trainer can make a difference when it comes to motivation and reaching your goals.
•     Do something...anything. If you think 5 minutes isn't enough time to workout, you couldn't be more wrong. Whether it's 5 minutes, 10 minutes or 60 minutes, every single minute counts.

Keep in mind that doing too much cardio is a no-no as well and can actually backfire. There is a point of diminishing returns, so keep it reasonable (3-6 days a week, depending on your fitness level), vary your intensity and don't forget to take rest days when needed....


    High Intensity Cardio: This falls between about 75-85% of your maximum heart rate (MHR) if you're using heart rate zones, or a 7 to 8 on this perceived exertion scale. What this translates to is exercise at a level that feels challenging and leaves you too breathless to talk much. If you're a beginner, you may want to work up to this level or try beginner interval training so that you work harder for shorter periods of time. Advanced exercisers can try high intensity interval training for more strenuous workouts.
    Moderate Intensity Cardio: This level falls between about 60-70% of your MHR (a level 4 to 6 on this perceived exertion scale). The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) often recommends this level of intensity in its exercise guidelines. This is the level you typically want to shoot for during your workouts.
    Low Intensity Cardio: This type of exercise is considered to be below about 50-55% of your MHR, or about a level 3 to 5 on this perceived exertion scale. This is a good level to work at during your warm ups or when you're squeezing in other activities, like walking, throughout the day."

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