All About Cardio
If you work out at bStrong, you know the benefits of strength training and are already incorporating it into your fitness routine. But how should you think about cardio? Are you getting any benefits? Is there anything else you should be doing outside the gym?
What is cardio?
Cardiovascular training, also known as aerobic training or cardio, is exercise that aims at increasing your heart rate and breathing rate. Your heart and lungs must work harder to meet the oxygen demands of the activity. There are various forms of cardio, such as running, walking, biking, elliptical, swimming, rowing, and circuit training.
Depending on the intensity of the exercise, cardio can be divided into different zones that can be evaluated by both heart rate and perceived exertion.
Zone 2 Cardio
Although not a new concept, Zone 2 cardio has become increasingly popular recently. Training in Zone 2 can improve aerobic capacity, creating a solid foundation for higher-intensity cardio and strength training. Additionally, it can enhance your body's energy efficiency, which can help with weight management and injury prevention.
Zone 2 plays a crucial role in maintaining the health of your mitochondria, the "powerhouses" of cells. Improving mitochondrial health can help increase longevity and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
Some people can reach Zone 2 through slow walking, while others may need to jog at a moderate pace. As your cardiovascular fitness improves, you can do more work while maintaining a lower heart rate.
By incorporating Zone 2 work, you can enhance your performance, speed up your recovery, and set yourself up for a longer, healthier life.
Maximum Heart Rate
The classic equation to predict your maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age. For instance, if you are 35 years old, your predicted maximum heart rate would be 185 bpm (220 - 35). This gives you an approximate number, but if you are engaged in advanced training, you’ll want to find a more accurate number.
When you perform Zone 4 and Zone 5 work, track your heart rate and see how high it gets during maximum effort. For example, if you go for a run and finish with an all-out effort up a hill for 20–60 seconds, you will have a good idea of your true max heart rate. You will feel like you are genuinely hitting the wall - you cannot go any longer at that intensity. If you have cardiovascular risk factors or concerns, you may want to stick with the equation rather than testing your maximum heart rate, and consult with your physician for guidance on cardio.
There are also more formal protocols for testing your maximum heart rate if you’re interested.
Another note: Your max HR slowly decreases with age, so your training zones in your 20s will look different from in your 40s.
Calculator for HR Zones
Here is a calculator for HR Zones that can help you find your predicted max HR and training zones. You'll notice that there are several methods to determine your training zones, which is a good reminder that it's not an exact science unless you're testing in a lab. However, you can use these ranges as guidelines and, along with monitoring your ability to talk (as shown in the chart above), you'll have a good understanding of your training zones.
Why do we need cardio?
Much like gaining strength, improving your cardiovascular fitness helps with A LOT of different things:
Helps to decrease/manage blood pressure
Decreases cholesterol
Improves blood sugar control (essential to prevent/manage diabetes)
Decreases risk of cardiovascular disease
Improves recovery in strength workouts
Improves sleep
Improves mood
Supports brain health and mental health
Improves mitochondrial function and efficiency
Suppose you don’t care about these benefits and only want to get as strong as possible. In that case, cardio can improve your strength workouts. Improving blood flow to the muscles improves your muscular endurance, and you get more efficient at recovering between sets. So, even if your goal is exclusively strength, improving your cardio fitness will allow you to train harder during your workouts.
Does strength training count as cardio?
Strength training can provide many cardio benefits when you’re first starting a workout routine. But as your fitness level improves, the cardio benefits will plateau, and you’ll want to include more Zone 2 work to continue building your aerobic foundation.
Do you need to separate strength and cardio?
Yes and no. There can be crossover, but if you're trying to get the most out of each training style, you don't want to blend them all the time.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has become very popular over the last decade. True HIIT involves a very high level of effort over short periods of time. However, some coaches and gyms have tried to create full 45-60-minute workouts based on this approach.
The problem with this strategy is that you can't fully benefit from the strength or cardio component. That's not to say it's bad (as always, some kind of movement is better than no movement at all), but it may limit your progress.
When building strength, if you spend too much time in Zones 4 and 5, your strength performance decreases while your risk of injury increases. Think about maxing out your heart rate with sprints or burpees and then trying to perform a set of heavy squats. You won't be able to lift very heavy weight and your form is more likely to break down.
The same is true when it comes to cardio. Suppose you're spending most of your training at too high an intensity to get the aerobic benefits of Zone 2 but not a high enough intensity to achieve Zone 5 benefits. In that case, you may miss out on meaningful improvements to your strength and cardio. Once again, this doesn't mean it's a waste of time—it just means there may be more efficient ways to make progress.
For strength work, focus on:
Good form with appropriately heavy weights
Moderate pace - avoid maxing out your HR
Take rest when needed so you can maintain good, safe technique
For cardio and HIIT work, focus on:
Light enough weights to maintain proper form
Shorter rest periods to keep your HR elevated
Consistent breathing
Building a basic training program
2-3 full-body strength workouts per week. For most people, this should be the foundation of your training program.
A minimum of 100 minutes of Zone 2 work each week. Depending on your fitness level, this can be accomplished with a couple of walks. Ideally, work toward 150-200 minutes each week.
10–20 minutes per week of Zone 5 work. This may be accomplished in the finisher of your strength workouts, or you can do a few sprint efforts (running, biking, rowing, elliptical, etc). It should be close to maximal intensity and shouldn’t last very long.
For most people, these recommendations will help develop a solid foundation in strength and cardio and promote overall health and longevity.
If you're an endurance athlete or training for an endurance event, your program may look different. In such cases, it is recommended you dedicate time to your specific event while still including general strength and Zone 2 cardio. A common rule of thumb for endurance training programs is the 80/20 rule, which suggests spending 80% of your cardio time in Zone 1-2 and 20% in Zone 4-5.
How will I have enough time?
We understand that time is typically the limiting factor in fitness. You might wonder, “Where will I find the time and motivation to do 5–8 hours of workouts each week?”
It’s important to understand that Zones 1 and 2 shouldn’t feel like a workout as most people view it. You’re likely already getting some of this throughout the week. It can be enjoyable and relaxing. You can walk your dog, walk with friends or a spouse, play with your kids at the park, listen to music, listen to podcasts, or watch a show if you’re on a gym cardio machine.
Consider your Zone 2 work as normal human movement that can be social, energizing, and enjoyable. If you're performing it on days between your strength workouts, it serves as an excellent tool for active recovery, helping you feel better for your next workout.
Recap of recommendations
Putting it all together, here’s what a typical week can look like:
2-3 strength workouts (90-120 minutes total)
100+ minutes (150-200 is ideal) of Zone 2 work
10–20 minutes of higher-intensity Zone 4/5 work
Even if you are not currently achieving these goals, taking steps (pun intended) towards them will help you to improve your health, increase your longevity, and feel better overall!
Let’s keep making progress!
Your bStrong Team