Cardio in short burts or all at once?

Mom2eio

Is it better to do an hour straight of cardio, or is it to break it up in something like 3 20 minute sessions or 6 10 minute sessions? Maybe 1 longer session and 2 or 3 shorter ones?

The most I can do at one time is about 30 minutes because of my schedule but can usually find 10 minutes or so throughout the day to do a little more, is this ok for fitness and weight loss?

cwolfman13

It depends on what exactly you are trying to accomplish.

quirkytizzy

In general longer sessions are better for building endurance and strengthening your heart. That said, if you can only do ten minutes at a shot before you feel like your lungs are going to burst through your ribcage and onto the treadmill...then just do 10 minutes, rest, than another 10, etc.

Cherimoose

For fat loss & general fitness, short frequent sessions are equal to or better than long sessions, according to most studies:

"Exercise accumulated in several short bouts has similar effects as one continuous bout with regard to aerobic fitness and weight loss"
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11601564

"Repeated bouts of exercise cause enhanced fat metabolism compared with a single bout of prolonged exercise of equivalent total exercise duration."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17317872

"Short-bouts of exercise may also enhance weight loss and produce similar changes in cardiorespiratory fitness when compared to long-bouts of exercise"
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8963358

unhgoose

Like the post above, I'd read that recent studies show that multiple bursts were more effective. I think you should do whatever works for you. I prefer to have one longer session, but my schedule seldom allows for that, so I try to do something in the morning before everyone is up and a dance party with the kids at night.