45+ mins of cardio bad for you?

stuffinmuffin

This is an interesting topic and one I have researched a lot because I am a runner. There have been studies recently (and I don't have one to link but you can google search and find them I'm sure) that say that cardio exercise, particularly running but really all forms, does have a U shaped curve of benefit. They found that people who run around 15-20 miles a week live longer than those who don't run. But those who run more than 20 miles/week live a similar lifespan to those who do not run. Now, it is very early in researching and I've been told mostly the concern is people who are always training for marathons. The study shows that after a marathon, your body has the same enzyme present that someone has that is having a heart attack. It goes away but I think the study is saying constantly putting your heart under so much stress in the form of long cardio intervals can cause scar tissue and other heart problems. It's very controversial but I have cut my running to around 20 miles a week. I don't need to do more than that anyway. I love running and want it to make me healthy but not be counterproductive. I asked my doctor and she said it is still early in the research and she wouldn't give it up, but she also wouldn't go on 2 hour runs every weekend.

Some interesting info, and I read some similar studies/articles on the subject. I guess we're all essentially looking for the key to a long life, so we'd better check for traffic when jogging across the road or we might get hit by a bus!

ClinicalTrial

Insanity is considered HIIT.

HIIT is assessed by your heart rate. Insanity's circuit doesn't promote the heart rate intervals that are considered HIIT even if you personally feel it's high - it's not high enough if you're lasting 60 minutes 6 days a week.

Azdak

On doesn't have to do 45+ minutes of cardio per day! but there are not any real problems with doing so. How much and what type of cardio depends on your goals, current fitness level, etc.

From a fitness standpoint most people will get better results by mixing in workouts of different intensities and durations, rather than doing the same thing every day.

Any talk about excess cardio burning too much sugar or "burning muscle" is just blather.

jdhcm2006

repost

jdhcm2006

Insanity is considered HIIT.

HIIT is assessed by your heart rate. Insanity's circuit doesn't promote the heart rate intervals that are considered HIIT even if you personally feel it's high - it's not high enough if you're lasting 60 minutes 6 days a week.

Oh... well I do 45-60 minutes of Insanity 6xs a week.

DebTavares

You know I think it's all personal preference. Some endurance runners can go for much longer than you are indicating and they're in great shape. That said, personally I prefer to do cardio for distance instead of time. So I pretty much do 3 miles of cardio everyday but I try to do it interval style, with bouts of going super fast alternated with times of taking it at an easier pace. I basically trade time for intensity and really try to push myself hard. I used to exercise for time and not really push myself intensity-wise, but it was always so hard to get myself to the gym knowing that I had to be there for a long time. With my intensity approach, I find it much easier to go to the gym for a number of reasons. First, is the fact that I'm not slaving for hours. Second, I actually get sore this way and third, I make sure I really sweat. I like feeling like I've really pushed myself and worked out hard. But all of this is personal preference and there are many endurance athletes who are in great shape who also push themselves hard. I just personally find it hard to push the intensity when I have to do it for a really long time.