Should you include some type of cardio in every workout????

DigitalAnthony

I just started my journey again and haven't done much cardio in the past so I'm not too knowledgeable about this in particular. Should I incorporate some type of running or cycling everyday or is this "over-doing" it. Thanks in advance!

FrankWhite27330

Do you weight train?? Daily cardio.. walking running cycling can not hurt.. don't overdue it

cwolfman13

I usually ride 5x per week and I lift 2-3x per week. Look at cardio as weight lifting for your cardiovascular system...it's important. I prioritize cardiovascular work as I've noticed over the last few years that it really helps regulate my blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels. Anytime I've taken any kind of prolonged break from cardiovascular work, my BP shoots up, as does my LDL cholesterol...to that end, I'm battling numerous hereditary factors which probably makes cardiovascular fitness exponentially more important for myself...but I think it's pretty important for everyone.

jemhh

There's not really a should or should not for this. You can do it every day but you don't have to. People will talk about too much cardio "killing gains" but it's all relative to what kind of cardio you're doing and how much you're eating. You can certainly do cardio each day (think of all the people who walk to work or cycle to work) if you want to but it's not required.

Stoshew71

Depends on your goals. What are you actually trying to achieve?

If you are trying to put on muscle, then you have to weight train with a small calorie surplus and eat enough protein. If cardio makes it harder to achieve a small calorie surplus, then you will want to limit that.

If the goal is to lose weight, then you will want to focus on a small calorie deficit which cardio could help with. But not necessary.

The purpose of cardio is to make your heart stronger and to improve aerobic fitness. It can burn calories, but many other things can do that as well.

Stoshew71

Addressing the "over do" point, it depends on what else you are doing are how much cardio you plan to do.

If you tell me that you are new to all of this and you plan to run 17 miles every day, then yes. That is overdoing it.
http://www.runnersworld.com/briefs/why-eminem-shouldve-stuck-to-eight-miles

But you need to balance it in. Your running muscles and bones and ligaments (or biking ones) need to adapt to the training you are doing so if you do run or bike, introduce a little more and more. You may be able to run a mile day but you body may also need a break once, twice, or 3x a week.

If you are new to running, I usually suggest try to run 3 miles if you can. Take a day's rest, and try it again the very next day so that you are running 3x a week for a total of 9 miles. Then if you have no problems, add a mile each week. If your body is sore, cut back a little or take an extra rest day.

Once you adapt to running 3x a week, then try 4x a week. After a little over 2 years of running consistently, I can now run 6x a week for a total of around 50-65 miles/week. But, every so often I will take extra days of rest when I need it or when I am tapering for a race.

DigitalAnthony

Thank you.... All great answers I will use to plan from now on.

Yi5hedr3

No.

FabianRodriguez94

I only do cardio when I decide to have an extra snack that puts me over my calorie goal. Normally I stick to my calorie goal and stick with heavy lifting.

Working2BLean

There is "recovery rate cardio" where you are in the 65-70% range that gets blood pumping and helps you recover. Works and loosens up the legs a bit

That isn't even really a workout as much as a way to help recover. It does burn calories but it isn't cardio I the 85% heart rate sense.

I do those on off days unless I am really tired.

DigitalAnthony

Working2BLean wrote: »

There is "recovery rate cardio" where you are in the 65-70% range that gets blood pumping and helps you recover. Works and loosens up the legs a bit

That isn't even really a workout as much as a way to help recover. It does burn calories but it isn't cardio I the 85% heart rate sense.

I do those on off days unless I am really tired.

To add to Fabian that's my initial thought process with cardio "as of now" and definately notice a difference in recovery