What Is The Best Cardio To Reach Your Goals Faster

What Defines Cardio?

Cardio exercise is a rhythmic activity that raises your heart rate into a zone where you can burn fat and calories. 

Let’s talk about benefits, why should we cardio…

• Cardio burns fat and calories for weight loss.
• It strengthens our heart, making it easier for our hearts to pump blood and lowering our resting heart rate.
• It increases your lung capacity.
• Cardio reduces risk of heart attack, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and some forms of cancer.
• It releases endorphins and provides temporary relief from depression and anxiety.
• It helps you sleep better.
• It helps reduce stress
• It gives you more confidence in how you look and feel.
• Weight-bearing cardio increases your bone density.
• Cardio can even improve your sex life by optimizing hormones.

Now that we’ve made it past the basics and that list of benefits has hopefully persuaded you to grab your tennis shoes. Now what? 

In today’s episode, I’m going to personally escort you to cardio land and drop you off at the perfect cardio for your goals!

Let’s go!

Cardio – Learning The 5 Heart Rate Zones

There are 5 heart rate zones that matter. Your first is your resting heart rate. This is how many beats per minute your heart beats when doing nothing. 

The other four you will work in to improve your health are: Energy efficient or recovery zone, Aerobic zone, Anaerobic zone, and VO2 Max. These heart rate zones span from 60%-100% effort.

To maximize your cardio efforts, it’s important to buy a good heart rate tracker. I use an Apple watch now, but used a FitBit for many years prior to that.

Resting heart rate is determined by laying down for 20 minutes and then taking a reading of your heart rate. This is your baseline. 

Doing consistent cardio activity improves your resting heart rate which means that your heart beats with less effort at rest and at work.

Benefits Of 4 Cardio Zones: (more on this next week)

There are 4 ‘working’ HR zones and they each have benefits. Next week we will explore how to determine your personal heart rate zone and goals. If you know your personal heart rate aim you can target fat loss, building endurance, muscle gain, and so on. 

Make sure to come back next week to learn more!

Brand New to Cardio? Start Here…

HI! I’m NEW here!

If you are brand new to the world of cardio my advice to you is to do what you enjoy. If you enjoy it, you stick with it and are consistent. (YAY)

Once you develop cardio as a habit in your life you can expand to which type is the most effective for your personal goals. Until then, choosing something you love will ensure that it gets completed.

Goal Based Cardio Timing

Morning Fasted Cardio:  In the morning you will have little to no muscle glycogen (energy) stores. The body has no choice but to use fat for fuel.

Cardio pre-workout: If your main goal is weight loss or muscle loss then cardio before you lift weights. (The only exception to this rule is if you’re training for an Endurance Event, if so, do cardio first or on separate days

Cardio post-workout: The majority of fitness experts agree that weight training first is the best route.  Your most abundant energy should go into your anaerobic (weight) training.

Remembering that if your goal is fat loss then increasing muscle mass burns 4x as much energy at rest. Also, ending with cardio ensures that you will burn through glycogen and use fat for fuel.

How Long Should You Do Cardio for it to be Effective?

Depends on the type of cardio and your goals.  A general rule is to aim for 30 minutes per day, however, 20-60 minutes is acceptable.  If you’re trying to maintain cardiovascular fitness then 30 minutes is perfect.  

If you have large weight loss goals or are preparing for a physique competition then you may be doing more than 60 minutes daily.

Remember if you exceed 60 minutes daily then its best to have 2 or 3 cardio sessions daily to burn the stored glycogen and carbs in your bloodstream to start to utilize body fat as a source of energy.

What TYPE of cardio is best?!?

Again, let’s check in on your goals.

Just like weight lifting… moving the body in different ways tones and shapes our physiques.

• Wanna lift and tone your booty? = Treadmill on an incline above 10, don’t hold on
• Wanna round your glutes? = Stepmill
• Wanna shape and tone your legs and glutes or have knee problems? = Elliptical
• Want to only work legs? = Bike
• Want to increase your athletic look and ability? = HIIT Plyometrics
• Want to hold onto muscle mass and get lean? = HIIT style cardio, EMOM, AMRAP, Circuit training
• Want to get faster and hold onto muscle mass? = Sprints

I will always end with saying that the best type of cardio is the kind that gets completed! So if you’re brand new to the cardio world then pick something that you love. 

I would love to hear what your favorite way is to cardio.

Let me know if you loved this content and got value. Like and share with someone you think this may help.

LV 💚