Cardiovascular exercise is anything that increases the work of the heart and lungs. The right type of cardio exercise can burn calories, reduce your risk of health conditions, improve your mood and boost your energy. But with so many cardio exercise options available it can be challenging to create an optimal plan. There are three factors to consider when choosing your schedule of cardio activities.
The most important factor is what you can complete injury-free. The aim of any fitness activity is to improve your mobility, not compromise it. Every cardio activity has its own unique repetitive movement pattern. If you put your body through a fixed pattern often enough with enough impact you’ll likely get imbalances that create vulnerability to injury. Your individual biomechanics will determine which class or outdoor cardio activity is the best for you. Most of us find this out the hard way unfortunately – we get injured and then get an education at the physio on which areas of our body are particularly tight or particularly weak.
The second factor to consider in choosing your cardio activity is enjoyment. Just because your body isn’t naturally suited to a particular movement pattern doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t do it. If you’re willing to put in the time to strengthen your weak parts and stretch out your tight parts then you’ll have a lot more options. You might not be able to do your favourite class three times per week, but with careful pre-hab, taking sensible options and leaving rest time between classes you can potentially do it once a week, mixing it in with other cardio activities. It’s important that you get some enjoyment from your cardio, or at least not intense distress. A great plan is only as good as your ability to stick to it, and it’s easier to adhere to something you like.
The third factor in choosing the cardio activity for you is your goals. Many people embark on a cardio campaign because they want to lose weight. However the wrong type of cardio activity can actually achieve the opposite effect. For some people, intense early morning training can push the body into a stressed state where it holds tight to body fat. In addition to this, in some cases intense activity can drive up your appetite. Many people find themselves diligently burning 500 calories in the morning only to power-eat 2000 calories (often treat calories) later in the day. There are plenty of strategies to combat this common phenomena. And maybe a few extra pre- and post-workout calories don’t matter if your primary goal is to enjoy a fun morning blow-out with your friends. That’s healthy too. It’s just good to be mindful of the purpose of your activity and aware of how you’re tracking.
The most important thing in choosing your cardio strategy is tailoring it to you – your genetics, your biomechanics and your temperament. Some people will never do a HIIT session in their lives but this doesn’t mean they won’t have good cardiovascular capacity, a lean physique and great general health. Exercise should improve your mobility and vitality while moving you towards your goals. If your current cardio strategy isn’t achieving this then it might be time to consider a new approach.
