Swimming: Swimming is a perfect low-impact cardio workout that you can do when your muscles are sore without sacrificing high-calorie burn.Some examples include burpees, jump squats, and mountain climbers. Calisthenics: This is a group of exercises you do in quick succession using nothing but your own body weight.Running and Jogging: This is a classic as it requires no equipment and no special environment, which means it can be done virtually anywhere.Depending on the terrain, you may be seriously challenging your muscles, and thus, your cardiovascular system. Hiking: Hiking may be low-impact, but it’s definitely not easy.Brisk Walking: It may seem like walking isn’t a form of exercise, but it can actually be very effective in challenging your heart and lungs if it’s done vigorously.Here is a list of some of the most popular forms of cardio exercise: There are tons of activities that count as cardio. Some great examples include power-walking, hiking, and vigorous yoga-all of which can still give you an intense workout.įor optimal heart and length health, it’s recommended that you do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio or 75 minutes of high-intensity cardio per week. Low-impact cardio is much more gentle on your joints but still great for conditioning your cardiovascular system. Running is one very popular example of this type of cardio. On the bright side, this type of cardio can raise your heart rate faster and challenge you in many ways. High-impact cardio-true to its name-places a greater impact on your joints and requires you to have both feet off the ground. While there are hundreds of cardio workouts (more on this below), cardio can be roughly grouped into high-impact cardio and low-impact cardio. The ideal heart rate for cardio is between 70 and 80 percent of your maximum heart rate. Through repetitive use of large muscle groups, you can improve your body’s lung capacity to take in oxygen and deliver it to the rest of your body. While any type of exercise is amazing for your health, we’re referring to something specific when we say cardio.Ĭardio-short for cardiovascular training-is any physical activity that focuses on challenging your heart and lungs. Read on to discover the amazing benefits of cardio with this guide from EnergyFit, along with a thorough explanation of what cardio is in the first place and a list of some of our favorite cardio workouts. One of the main health benefits of regular cardio exercise is that it helps improve your heart health. In addition to doing strength training at the gym, cardio can help you build endurance, stamina and help with weight loss. Although cardio is one of the best ways to burn calories and improve your physique, there are many benefits to cardio that are more than skin-deep.

Does brisk walking count as cardio