One of the questions I get asked most, is how much cardio should I do? To me, cardio makes up one of the three components that you must look at when developing a physique-changing program (the other two being weight training and nutrition).
We all know that cardio is good for your heart. So, in most cases, there should always be at least a few weekly cardio sessions in your plan, but I first look at cardio as a fat loss tool so I develop my cardio routine around how much fat I’m looking to lose. Doing too many weekly cardio sessions will lead to muscle breakdown, and not doing enough sessions will leave you falling short of your fat loss goals. Yes, you really can do too much or too little! That’s why for most people 3-4 cardio sessions per week should be plenty. Doing this many sessions in combination with a proper weight training program and well designed nutrition plan should be plenty to keep fat levels where you want them.
Knowing how much cardio to do is only one piece of the cardio puzzle. You also want to make sure you are performing it in the most effective manner. I’ve personally seen, and science backs up the fact, that short and intense cardio session do a much better job at increasing your metabolism and maintaining muscle mass when compared to doing longer duration cardio. When I say short and intense cardio session, I’m talking about 16-20 minute sessions. I realize this doesn’t sound like much, but trust me, doing 16 minutes of “all out” intense cardio is one of the toughest things you’ll ever do if done correctly.
I realize that this high intensity, short duration cardio goes a bit against what most people consider to be “the norm.” However, your “norm” probably hasn’t gotten you in the kind of shape you are looking for. Now, in order to see results you’ll need to perform these precious 16-20 minutes correctly. This type of cardio is taxing on your body in much the same way that weight training is. Because of this, high intensity cardio should ideally be performed 8 hours or more apart from your weight training workout. A good strategy would be to alternate days of lifting and cardio. This way you ensure that you are fully recovered for both. There is no warm-up or cool-down during a 16-20 minute session. You jump on the bike and you go as hard as you possibly can for the entire length of the workout. You should be working as hard on minute 16 as you were during the first. You should not be able to chat on your cell phone or make weekend plans with your workout partner during your cardio session. You should not feel like mowing the lawn or taking the kids for a walk an hour later. You should be spent, sweaty and feeling accomplished or you didn’t work hard enough!
I know that some people will say that four 16 minute sessions per week isn’t enough. The fact of the matter is that it should be enough! Keep in mind that cardio is only part of the puzzle, and in order to maximize your overall results, you’ll need to combine it with resistance training and proper nutrition.
We all know that cardio is good for your heart. So, in most cases, there should always be at least a few weekly cardio sessions in your plan, but I first look at cardio as a fat loss tool so I develop my cardio routine around how much fat I’m looking to lose. Doing too many weekly cardio sessions will lead to muscle breakdown, and not doing enough sessions will leave you falling short of your fat loss goals. Yes, you really can do too much or too little! That’s why for most people 3-4 cardio sessions per week should be plenty. Doing this many sessions in combination with a proper weight training program and well designed nutrition plan should be plenty to keep fat levels where you want them.
Knowing how much cardio to do is only one piece of the cardio puzzle. You also want to make sure you are performing it in the most effective manner. I’ve personally seen, and science backs up the fact, that short and intense cardio session do a much better job at increasing your metabolism and maintaining muscle mass when compared to doing longer duration cardio. When I say short and intense cardio session, I’m talking about 16-20 minute sessions. I realize this doesn’t sound like much, but trust me, doing 16 minutes of “all out” intense cardio is one of the toughest things you’ll ever do if done correctly.
I realize that this high intensity, short duration cardio goes a bit against what most people consider to be “the norm.” However, your “norm” probably hasn’t gotten you in the kind of shape you are looking for. Now, in order to see results you’ll need to perform these precious 16-20 minutes correctly. This type of cardio is taxing on your body in much the same way that weight training is. Because of this, high intensity cardio should ideally be performed 8 hours or more apart from your weight training workout. A good strategy would be to alternate days of lifting and cardio. This way you ensure that you are fully recovered for both. There is no warm-up or cool-down during a 16-20 minute session. You jump on the bike and you go as hard as you possibly can for the entire length of the workout. You should be working as hard on minute 16 as you were during the first. You should not be able to chat on your cell phone or make weekend plans with your workout partner during your cardio session. You should not feel like mowing the lawn or taking the kids for a walk an hour later. You should be spent, sweaty and feeling accomplished or you didn’t work hard enough!
I know that some people will say that four 16 minute sessions per week isn’t enough. The fact of the matter is that it should be enough! Keep in mind that cardio is only part of the puzzle, and in order to maximize your overall results, you’ll need to combine it with resistance training and proper nutrition.
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