The cardio craze has ebbed and flowed for decades. At various points in time, it’s felt like everyone is obsessed with cardio-based workouts—and doing a lot of them—from step aerobics in the ’80s to the boutique cycling boom in the 2010s. And who can forget about the surge in race signups and Peloton memberships when the COVID-19 pandemic hit? Yet, while fitness trends come and go, cardio at its core—no matter which form you prefer—remains a constant in any well-rounded program.
Like most things in health, though, more cardio isn’t always better. “Cardio is incredibly beneficial, but, like any form of physical stress, it requires balance,” Anne Brady, PhD, a professor of kinesiology at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, and an online fitness coach, tells SELF. “The body adapts best when training is paired with adequate recovery.”
So what’s the sweet spot? More importantly, how can you tell if you’re currently overdoing it, underdoing it, or hitting that just-right sweet spot? We asked experts to explain.
The benefits of cardio workouts
“The term cardio typically refers to an aerobic activity that raises your heart rate and breathing for sustained periods,” Alyssa Younker-Barber, PhD, a North Carolina–based exercise physiologist at Human Powered Health, tells SELF. As a result, these workouts strengthen your cardiovascular system and improve endurance while also supporting your mental and emotional well-being.
Some specific benefits of cardio include:
- Improves your cardiorespiratory fitness. This means your body can deliver (and use) oxygen more efficiently. Over time, this helps you feel less fatigued and less out of breath during everyday activities and workouts.
- Lowers your resting blood pressure and heart rate. This means your heart doesn’t have to work as hard to circulate oxygen-rich blood throughout your body. Reducing resting heart rate and blood pressure can also help improve your athletic performance.
- Reduces chronic disease. Consistent aerobic exercise is linked to a lower risk of metabolic conditions and chronic disease over time, including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
- Protects your brain. “Regular exercise can increase blood flow, which decreases your risk of stroke,” says Younker-Barber. Research also suggests cardio workouts can positively affect your memory and cognitive function, which is important at any stage of life, but especially as you age.
- Supports your mental well-being. Cardiovascular exercise also supports mental and emotional health by elevating mood and releasing endorphins or natural “feel-good” chemicals in the brain that help reduce stress and improve your sense of well-being, Brady says.
What the official guidelines say
Because of all the health benefits at stake, experts say every adult should fit in some cardio exercise each week. The most recent Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardio (you can also do a combo of the two) each week for general health benefits. (At least two strength-based workouts should also be sprinkled into your weekly routine.)