Cardio exercise is an integral part of a complete fitness routine because it generates several benefits including: improved heart, circulatory and pulmonary functions, mood and sleep quality, muscle strengthening and reduced risk of heart disease, hypertension and diabetes.
The cardio activities to choose from are different, but it is essential to understand if there is an ideal frequency to carry them out.
, we mean a "physical activity that involves a high level of energy expenditure. When performed, the muscles need more blood and oxygen than when they are at rest and this causes the heart and lungs to work harder and, over time, they become stronger.
Cardio or aerobic exercise includes many types of activities. Some, such as walking, can be done at a moderate pace while others, such as running, cycling uphill, jumping rope, or swimming, at a more intense pace.
In addition to individual activities, kickboxing, spinning, Zumba, dance, basketball, soccer and tennis also fall into the cardio category.
, 30 minutes a day can lead to a number of benefits, but these are also achieved by breaking that time into multiple sessions, such as taking two 15-minute walks or three 10-minute walks each day.
On the other hand, there is no recommended maximum limit for the amount of cardio exercises to do on a daily or weekly basis although, especially if that choice is quite demanding, skipping a day or two a week can help regain energy and avoid injuries and burnout.
Is it safe to do cardio every day?
Through a 2012 study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology, researchers found that doing up to 60 minutes of cardio exercise a day is safe and especially good if weight loss is the goal.
However, there are symptoms that indicate that we are exaggerating:
- persistent muscle soreness,
- painful joints,
- difficulty in carrying out exercises that are always done with ease,
- decreased interest or enthusiasm for the exercise,
- worsening of sleep quality.
To avoid them, the frequency of training should be evaluated on each person individually, also based on the level of fitness and general health conditions.
If you have not exercised in some time or are recovering from an injury or illness, it is best to consult with your doctor about how and for how long to safely start a cardio routine. Same thing if you suffer from illness. heart disease, arthritis, breathing or joint problems.
,Possible disadvantages
On the other hand, there are possible negative events related to "daily cardio training, pressing especially in the case of a poor diet or insufficient recovery:
- physical and mental fatigue,
- increased appetite,
- loss of muscle mass,
- injury from overtraining or repetitive stress.
30 minutes of brisk walking can burn around 140 calories.
According to a 2017 study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the best weight loss strategy might be to combine cardio and strength training, doing the former for 3-4 days a week and the latter for 2 or 3 days.
and accustomed to a sedentary lifestyle, start with short, low-intensity workouts and raise the bar over time.
