It’s the one that you actually like doing!
The best kind of cardio is the one that you actually like! It’s really important to ensure that whatever you do, sticks! And it’s really important to pick the one based on your lifestyle as opposed to the cardio that will burn the most number of calories in the shortest time. Why is it so important to pick one that you like? Because nothing else will stick!
How many of us internally groan at the thought of a high-intensity cardio? A lot of us! But if it’s one that we actually like, we’re going to end up doing a lot more cardio throughout the week! So pick one that you like, if you like long walks outside, prefer those over cardio at the gym. If you enjoy fasted cardio only because you like doing it first thing in the morning, that’s the one for you! Your fitness should be part of a healthy lifestyle!
Different types of cardio
Now that we know how we choose a cardio, here are the different types of cardio to choose from!
- High intensity Interval Training
This is a kind of training that takes less time but is very high intensity. It Is one of the most intensive workout and people associate this with a lot of sweating and burpees! A lot of exercises pass off for high intensity training, therefore it is very important to speak to your fitness coach about what is good for you. Each set here lasts between 20 to 90 seconds. This kind of truing boosts your endurance and increases body metabolism. Treadmill sprints, intensive jumping rope, stair master and cycling are examples of this kind of workout!
- Fasted Cardio
Fasted cardio is done on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. Most people believe that fasted cardio is the best kind, which is untrue. You don’t lose more calories on an empty stomach, you lose the same number of calories if you did that workout elsewhere. If you don’t like working out with a full stomach and prefer an empty stomach, this is for you!
- Group Classes
Group classes are for those people who love working out with friends. Ina addition to having fun, it creates a sense of accountability. So, if you are one of those people who loves to procrastinate or put off working out for tomorrow definitely consider a group class! Doing exercises at the gym and other group sports are considered part of group classes.
- Moderate Intensity Steady State
This type of cardio requires exercising at a consistent speed and intensity throughout the workout. It isn’t that great to build lean muscle but it is a good type of cardio if you like exercising in a consistent pace. It also consists of a lot of exercises that fall into this category so you have a wide variety of options to choose from! Jogging and swimming are included if you do them regularly 5-6 times regularly each week!
- Low Intensity Steady State
This is usually how most people start since it is the easiest to do. The most common examples are riding a stationary bicycle, leisurely swimming and some forms of yoga. It has the lowest risk of possible injury and is easy to do everyday!
- Active Rest Workout
This type of workout is done to make your regular workout more enjoyable! Some do this type of workout in-between other sets to shorten their overall workout time. Lighter weightlifting, yoga, cycling and hiking are some examples.
