What is the Best Form of Cardio?

There are very few things that reduce disease risk, increase life expectancy, and maximize health outcomes as effectively as cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise. The benefits of just 150 minutes a week of regular aerobic exercise are extensive and outlined more specifically here and the type of exercise chosen appears to matter little. Running, Zumba, martial arts, rowing, cross country skiing and pickleball can all positively improve health and well-being.

But is there one form that might be superior to the rest?

What Makes One Exercise Better Than Another?

When comparing cardiovascular training modalities, it's important to ask the following questions:

• Is it safe?

• Is it accessible?

• Is it measurable and scalable?

• Can it be done with minimal equipment or assistance?

• Does it work multiple major muscle groups?

Is the Exercise Safe?

BASE jumping may elevate heart rate significantly and technically count as aerobic activity, but it’s also considered one of the most dangerous recreational activities. It also requires very specific terrain and a substantial time commitment, making it highly inaccessible.

For a less extreme example, encouraging an individual in their 80s or 90s who hasn’t run in decades to suddenly begin jogging would exceed reasonable safety recommendations for most people (though certainly not all older adults).

Alternatively, activities like walking, rowing, and cycling can be performed indoors or outdoors and are generally considered low-risk for most populations and age groups.

Is the Exercise Accessible?

Skiing is an excellent and generally safe aerobic activity, particularly cross-country skiing, which carries less risk than downhill skiing.  However, even in proper climates there are many locations that only have skiing available seasonally

That doesn’t make skiing ineffective by any means, but calling something “the best” implies it can be performed consistently.

Similarly, hiking may become impractical in climates with extreme summer heat or severe winter conditions. Indoor-capable exercises may therefore be more sustainable year-round.

Traditional forms of cardio such as walking, running, rowing, cycling, and jump rope tend to remain accessible because they can usually be performed indoors, outdoors, and any time of year.

Is the Exercise Measurable and Scalable?

Technically, for something to qualify as exercise rather than just physical activity, it should be measurable and progressively scalable.

For example, grocery shopping may provide some aerobic benefit, but because there’s no practical way to consistently measure or scale carrying groceries, it’s considered physical activity rather than structured exercise.

Walking is measurable and moderately scalable through increased incline, distance, or the addition of a weighted vest. Running, rowing, and cycling are even more scalable because intensity, pace, resistance, and duration can all be increased almost indefinitely.

Can the Exercise Be Done With Minimal Equipment or Assistance?

Pickleball and Padel are among the fastest-growing sports in the world, but they have one major limitation: they generally require other people.

While certain aspects can be practiced individually, depending on others to exercise consistently can be a limiting factor.

Walking, jump rope, and many common gym-based cardio modalities are more accessible because they require little equipment or outside coordination. While gym memberships are not as inexpensive as walking or running, they are often more affordable than purchasing and storing specialized equipment at home.

Does the Exercise Work Multiple Major Muscle Groups?

Aerobic exercise doesn’t necessarily need to involve the entire body to improve cardiovascular health. With a proper resistance training program, full-body muscular involvement becomes less important.

However, if aerobic exercise is the only form of training being performed, utilizing more muscle groups is likely beneficial.

Cycling is an outstanding exercise that is accessible to nearly every population and can be performed year-round indoors if necessary. However, it involves relatively little upper-body movement. Proper cycling still requires core stability and some shoulder and back endurance, but it fails to take those muscles through a significant range of motion.

Again, full-body involvement is not necessary to gain cardiovascular benefits, but involving more muscle groups may improve circulation, coordination, and overall physical conditioning.

Exercises such as rowing, swimming, and dancing tend to involve more major muscle groups while still meeting the previous safety and accessibility criteria.

The Exercises That Best Meet the Criteria

There are hundreds — if not thousands — of forms of cardiovascular exercise. It’s extremely likely there are additional variables worth considering and modalities deserving further analysis.

However, based on the criteria outlined above, three forms of cardio consistently stand out:

• Dance

• Rowing

• Swimming

Each has unique strengths and weaknesses.

Swimming and dance are technically demanding and require substantial coordination, while rowing requires minimal instruction. Rowing and swimming are easy to progressively overload and scale aerobically, whereas dancing at higher intensities may not always be sustainable or measurable.

Rowing and dance can be done almost anywhere, with dance being virtually free and requiring no equipment and rowing machines becoming increasingly affordable. Despite it's effectiveness, access to a safe pool or body of water to swim in may not be feasible for some. 

Therefore, if one exercise had to be selected as the single most effective overall option with the fewest drawbacks, some variation of rowing is likely the winner.

Objectively, rowing has relatively few barriers to entry while simultaneously training large portions of the body, remaining highly scalable, and carrying a low injury risk, meaning rowing enthusiasts everywhere have good reason to celebrate.

Cardio for Specific Goals

The next part of this discussion examines the best forms of cardio for more specific outcomes.

If the goal is purely fat loss, what style of cardio works best? Does the ideal approach for maximizing longevity differ from the best approach for athletic performance? Are certain modalities better for preserving muscle while improving cardiovascular fitness?

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.