Cardio is essentially any type of intense activity that increases the heart rate. Bodybuilding could be named as a form of cardio, but most lifters prefer to just think of it as “lifting” and not “cardio”. It’s easier to think of it in this sense than to try and distinguish between the two. A thing to remember is the word “intense”. Walking around the house is a light-form of cardio. Running around the house is a true form of cardio. It’s important to distinguish the difference so that you don’t think by walking outside to collect the mail you are performing intense cardio.
Common examples could be running (indoors and outdoors), swimming, biking, as well as boxing. Boxing also helps to develop the shoulders and the lats and burn off calories. A common mistake bodybuilders make is performing cardio each and every day. Remember you should limit yourself to a maximum of 2 hours of intense cardio a week. Remember, when you are doing cardio you are converting muscle, as well as fat, into energy. Too much cardio and you will start to lose some of your gains.
The Essence of Cardio
Daniel Mercer
Daniel Mercer is a fitness and nutrition writer with a strong interest in exercise science, metabolism, and performance research. He covers training principles, nutrition fundamentals, and emerging research with a practical, educational approach.