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The Most Effective Cardio Workout, According to Science
Your ideal cardio program is the one that motivates you to continue day after day and keep pushing
By now, you know that cardio workouts are excellent for improving your overall health and fitness, but with so many options, you can be forgiven for being confused about the best approach. Runners swear their activity is best, while cyclists, swimmers, and triathletes all make similar claims. Even the title of fittest athlete is up for grabs, with triathletes, CrossFit competitors, Nordic skiers, and more all vying. The options for cardio training are nearly endless: circuit training, the one-minute workout, high-intensity interval training, spin bikes, and treadmill routines, to name just a few.
If you’re feeling perplexed, take heart. Finding your optimal cardio workout might seem like a complicated project, but it turns out that you can achieve your best cardio self by mastering a few fundamentals.
I asked some experts to identify the key features of an ideal cardio program and answer questions like: How much cardio training do you need to do? Can short bursts of exercise really make you fit? How hard do you have to push yourself to get benefits? Are intervals really necessary?
Here’s what you need to succeed.
Pick an activity you enjoy
Finding the right activity is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure success. It needs to be something that feels enjoyable, or you’ll eventually quit. “You’ve got to frame whatever you’re doing as an everyday activity, not as something that seems like a chore,” says exercise physiologist Steve Magness, head cross-country coach at University of Houston and co-host of the Growth Equation podcast. A 2012 study found that peoples’ “affective response” (a measure that captures mood and overall psychological state) during exercise tracked with their physical activity levels. People who experienced positive affect during their exercise activity were more physically active, implying that finding something that feels enjoyable while you’re doing it will improve your chances of continuing.
