How long should you do cardio for?

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Oompa_Loompa
Oompa_Loompa Posts: 1,099 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
How long should you do cardio. I go to the gym 3-5 days a week. I do 35-45 minutes on the arc trainer(almost like the elpiticle but burns more cals) Is that long enough?

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  • ErinMarie25
    ErinMarie25 Posts: 733 Member
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    That's fine.

    I do Turbo Fire and it ranges from 30-60 minutes.
  • starkiss100
    starkiss100 Posts: 235 Member
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    I usually do 30-40 minutes of cardio plus cool down.
  • mandijo
    mandijo Posts: 618 Member
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    I had a fitness assessment with my trainer last week and he said that on days when I'm strength training, I should warm up on the arc trainer for 10 minutes, stretch, do my strength training, 15-20 minutes of cardio and then cool down on the treadmill/bike for 10 minutes, and finally stretch. When I'm not strength training, he says to just make the 15 minutes I was doing strength training, part of my cardio. He likes the arc trainer best as for every 1 mile you go on the arc trainer, your only going half on the treadmill. 35-45 minutes seems very reasonable.
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
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    I was just reading this:
    http://health.msn.com/fitness/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100138677

    It basically says, "How much exercise you need to do depends on your goal... The less cardio activity you do (or the fewer calories you burn per workout), the slower the weight loss, and that’s because it’s a numbers game. In 30 minutes of moving around, you might burn 150 to 300 calories. But, theoretically, it takes burning around 3,500 calories to lose one pound of fat. So, you’re going to have to do enough workouts, at say 150 calories burned per session, to add up to 3,500 calories, or 17,500 calories for five pounds of fat, and so on."
  • cutmd
    cutmd Posts: 1,168 Member
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    The time is ok, but remember it's also about intensity. You should wear a heart rate monitor and get your heart rate into your target zone and note the calories burned. If you want/need more calories than you can go longer or more intense.
  • jillybeanruns
    jillybeanruns Posts: 1,420 Member
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    It's not so much about the time - but the intensity. You're best off spending 15-20 minutes on one machine and another 15-20 on another. If you put your strength training in between the two cardio sessions that is (allegedly) ideal. But switch up your intensity and vary up your machine - treadmill/stairmaster/elliptical and that'll yield the best results!
  • Oompa_Loompa
    Oompa_Loompa Posts: 1,099 Member
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    Oh I DEFIANTLY make it intense lol i sweat like a banchi lol
  • tiffr
    tiffr Posts: 1
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    I would invest in a heart rate monitor. The polar one's show up on the machine's as well as on my watch at the gyms because they have polar machines. I don't leave the gym until I have burned btw 500 to 700 calories. I am a fitness instructor so I feel like I need to have really good endurance so after I teach a class I will go work out for another hour or so. I work out atleast an hour and a half. ALOT of it is about intensity. The more intense the better the after burn too. Good luck!!!!! Do what you can and if possible add a class in to keep from getting bored and burnt out.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    I wish I remember where...but I read somewhere that about 40-60 minutes is optimal for cardio wigh high intensity. So normally I do 45 minutes or so which is pretty good. I also love Turbo Kick and Insanity cardio workouts, and most fall in that range. I think a couple Insanity workouts are shorter, but because they are so intense your heart rate is up there after you finish...so it's all good, cause I count those minutes too.

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