What Is Cardio?

The term “cardio” was first used in the exercise and fitness community in the 1960s by Kenneth H. Cooper in his book, “Aerobics.” Cardio is just short-hand for cardiovascular training, which is any aerobic activity that challenges your cardiovascular system by increasing your heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure. This should mean that walking the dog, washing your car, and going for a run are all considered cardio. However, while basic physical activities like washing the car can feel like a workout, there are two flaws to using activities like that to meet your cardiovascular training goals. The first is that it technically

isn’t exercise. Exercise is any physical activity that is repetitive, measurable, and structured, so washing the car is too unstructured and isn’t a measurable activity. The second problem is the training aspect of the term cardiovascular training. Training implies exerting effort that will improve your cardiovascular system and certain physical activities like walking the dog are often not challenging enough to make any measurable cardiovascular system improvements. This boils down to cardio generally being all the things people might normally think of such as running, walking, biking, swimming, dancing, etc. 

Why Does Cardio Matter?

Cardio is likely the easiest form of exercise you can do that offers the most in return. Simple, repetitive movements for varying amounts of time are incredibly accessible and if someone was in the worst shape imaginable, finding any form of cardio to begin training is likely the best foundation upon which to rebuild (and subsequently continue building) their health. While stretching and flexibility training may be easier and require less time, the benefits pale in comparison to regular aerobic training. According to the American Medical Association, individuals who meet the regular recommended amount of exercise can expect a reduction in all-cause mortality from 28% to 38%. An NIH study on physical activity and life expectancy showed a lower relative risk of death between 20% and 35% in physically active individuals. This topic is extremely well-documented and researched; if you regularly exercise, you can experience cardiovascular improvements, a lower risk of heart and cardiac related incidents, lower cancer risk, lower chronic disease risk in general, better mood and energy levels, and improved weight management. Regular cardio training is like regular car maintenance. If you keep up with everything, the car simply works better, is more reliable, and does exactly what you need it to do. The goal for most people should be to use cardio and aerobic training as a tool to supplement their efforts in doing the things that are important to them. Being more physically fit means you’re less reliant on others and more capable of meeting the responsibilities and demands of your life. 

What Should You Do?

The physical activity guidelines for Americans details that adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. Ideally, this activity should be spread throughout the week, so aiming for 20 to 30 minutes, 5 to 7 days per week is the ideal minimum. Reaching as far as 300 minutes per week (60 minutes per day) seems to offer increasing benefits, with increasing but diminishing returns beyond 300 minutes. Moderate-intensity is described as challenging enough that you could hold a conversation but couldn’t comfortably sing because you’re breathing too hard. You could instead opt for a minimum of 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise (similarly offering benefits up to and beyond 150 minutes) if possible. Vigorous-intensity activity is described as so challenging you’re breathing  heavily enough that holding a normal conversation is difficult and you may only get a few words out at a time. In my experience, a combination of moderate and vigorous intensity activities is the most sustainable and enjoyable, with the large majority (75% to 80%) of that time being at the moderate-intensity. So long as the activity meets the requirements to be called exercise (it is repetitive, structured, and measurable) and is challenging enough to be considered moderate or vigorous-intensity, it counts as cardio and can help provide all of the aforementioned benefits. I generally recommend individuals just starting out aim for 2 to 3 sessions of cardio per week for roughly 20 to 30 minutes of whatever they can manage. If 5 to 10 minutes is all you can do, start there. Build your fitness up over days, weeks, and months to be able to sustain 30 to 45 minutes and aim to do that 3 to 5 days a week, perhaps adding some high-intensity cardio on top of that. The type of cardio you choose to do matters but isn’t nearly as important as just being sure to stay active. Exercising 5 times in a week is fantastic and a great goal, but exercising once is still better than doing nothing at all. 

DISCLAIMER: This article is intended for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with your doctor before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have pre-existing conditions.