Cardio Kings & Queens
Running trends & everything you need to know about cardio workouts
If you’ve spent any time on the fitness side of social media lately, you may have noticed a new “trend” among the workout girlies - running. While running obviously isn’t a new phenomenon, it seems that many people have recently been incorporating it into their fitness routines in new ways. We’ve seen the rise in popularity of running vests, a revival of shoe brands like HOKA and ASICs, and even run clubs becoming a substitute for your favorite dating apps.
Those of you who know me, know that I would NOT call myself a runner. In fact, in middle school when we were required to run a mile every gym class, I would hide behind the bushes of our outdoor track to avoid running the full distance. However, as a fitness instructor and wellness enthusiast, I’m a huge fan of the running trend. Why? You might ask. Well, running is:
a great form of cardio
a beginner friendly workout modality
Can be done (almost) anywhere, anytime
FREE
All great qualities of a workout to get more people active! So this newsletter, we’re diving into the benefits of running and how you can incorporate it into your fitness routine & healthy lifestyle.
Also, we have a TON of announcements this month. I would SO appreciate it if you take the time to scroll down beyond the running content to learn more about upcoming workouts, wellness workshops & online training programs.
Benefits of Cardio
Today we’re focused on running, but cardio refers to any vigorous activity that increases your heart rate and promotes blood flow within your body. Engaging in regular cardio workouts offers multiple benefits for both your physical and mental wellbeing. Cardio helps to strengthen your heart and lungs, helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and reduces the risk of heart disease. It can also help with weight management and promote healthy blood sugar levels.
Cardio is also good for your mental health. The release of endorphins and “happy chemicals” such as dopamine and serotonin that is triggered by exercise is associated with boosting mood, reducing stress, and improving sleep quality. Cardio workouts enhance stamina and endurance, making everyday activities easier and contributing to a higher quality of life overall.
Mixing Cardio With Other Forms of Movement
Now that we’ve talked about all the ways cardio can improve your life, let’s dive into how you can integrate it into your routine AND how it can benefit your body goals. Besides running, cardio options include: walking, cycling, dancing, jump rope, boxing, stair climbing, swimming and more!
Here are a few things to consider if you’re trying to incorporate cardio into your routine:
Just start walking: one of my favorite things about cardio is that it is incredibly accessible. If you are new to working out, shy in the gym, or lack access to equipment, there are several forms of cardio anyone can do. If you’re looking to build a workout habit and don’t know where to start, daily walks are a great way to ease into exercise and get in the routine of moving your body regularly. Not to mention, walking is an incredible, low impact ways to burn calories and lose weight (when incorporated into a healthy lifestyle).
Interference is possible, not inevitable: There has been a lot of research on how cardio and weightlifting impact each other and the general consensus is that cardio can interfere with strength and muscle gains but it doesn’t always do so - and in some cases has been shown to improve muscle growth. How cardio changes your results is dependent on: what type of cardio you do, when you work out, how much cardio you engage in, how intense your training is, and how you fuel your body
Balance is key: Because weightlifting and cardio have different benefits, most people should be doing a combination of the two.
If you’re trying to lose weight, the solution isn’t automatically more cardio: While weightloss is generally dependent on calories consumed & energy exerted, there are several factors that influence whether you lose weight. And while many people set out with a weight loss goal, what they often want is to visibly slim down and lose fat. Building muscle helps with that for two reasons: first, muscle is leaner but denser than fat. So as you gain muscle, you might notice the scale go up as your body gets smaller. Second, muscle requires more energy than fat. Muscle burns calories at a higher rate than fat when the body is at rest, so as you build muscle, your metabolism begins processing your calorie intake quicker. So while cardio will burn calories and help with weight loss, it is often more efficient to combine your cardio with strength training to speed up muscle building and fat loss.
If you’re trying to gain weight, the solution isn’t automatically less cardio: As mentioned above, cardio is a good calorie burner. So individuals focused on building muscle and putting on weight can be averse to adding cardio to their routine. And while you probably shouldn’t be doing frequent, intense cardio for weight gain, you also don’t need to completely neglect it. The benefits of cardio far outweigh the costs, and adding lower impact cardio like cycling and swimming has been shown in some cases to speed up muscle growth from strength training.
Nutrition is essential: No matter how much cardio you are doing, it is important to fuel your body. Cardio can burn a lot of calories. If you are planning to develop a weight lifting + cardio routine, it is important to give yourself enough energy (food) to push through the hard workouts that will give you results.
Final Tips
If your goals include: gaining strength, building muscle or losing weight/fat, you might be wondering: which type of movement should I be doing? And how do I balance lifting weights and cardio to get to my goals? Here are a few final tips to consider as your structure your routine:
Consider low-impact forms of cardio: If you want to start running, remember that it can cause significant fatigue. Start slow and work your way up to more frequent runs over time, or consider forms of cardio that cause less fatigue than running (like biking, swimming, and walking).
Decide what your main goal is: If your priority is strength and muscle growth, use cardio as a supplement to lifting weights. If your priority is endurance, use strength training as a supplement to cardio.
Leave space between cardio & strength training workouts: In order to avoid fatigue, try to do cardio after you lift weights or do two separate workouts with several hours in between
Deload regularly: if you are planning to adopt a hybrid training plan (combination of cardio & strength), know that it will take a toll on your body. Every 4-6 weeks, spend some time doing active recovery and taking care of your body
