Cardio workouts
 

My gym says we should get cardio exercise at least three and preferably five times a week for 30-45 minutes. I have heard this elsewhere and they don't get any more money if people come more often, so I'm guessing this is "the word"

But I don't manage that (or at least I didn't), and I'm a "SAHM" -1-2 times/week was more the norm for me. And I tested as "fit" today. My friends don't exercise anything like as much as me (they don't eat and drink as much either). Are they destined to face a decrepit old age? or are these guidelines bullshit sponsored by Nike etc? Let's assume I don't need to lose weight and am fit -why do I need to exercise so much? because I'm pretty sure most of the population doesn't and yet the average lifespan is still increasing.

Hoisting my fat ass off the couch to go make a sandwich counts as cardio, right?

Does it increase your heart rate by about 75% for a minimum of 30 mins?

If I do it wrong, yeah.

then you're good.

Never.
But I walk two miles a day, which is approx 20 mins there, 20 mins back, five days a week.
And Mum & I do another 20 mins exercise five evenings a week, which don't necessarily corrrespond to the walking days.

I do understand the idea that if it's under 30 minutes the heart doesn't get the same workout, but I'm reasonably happy with my fitness at present.

Just can't say the same about my weight.

I try to do it at least twice a week. Fencing, mountain biking, and xc skiing all qualify.

I schedule 3x per week, but too often something more urgent interferes.

I learned a long time ago that once a week puts more stress on your heart, because every time you do it, it's like starting over. Twice a week keeps you where you currently are. 3-4 times improves you. 5 -7 increases the likelihood of injury beyond the benefit.

YMMV, and this information could be outdated.

Every day. Aren't I good!

I'm under instructions to do a minimum of thirty minutes at least five times a week (I can break up the thirty minutes but the blocks must be of at least 10 minutes). I try to do a straight hour each day but with the often physical stuff I have to do during the day I sometimes struggle to manage the full sixty minutes.

I had to honestly vote Never. Not completely true, because I swim for 5 minutes or so at a time a couple times a week in the summer. That gets my heart rate up to about 500%. I really have bad form and I'm seriously over exerting myself when I swim.

But I do walk briskly a lot every day. I don't check my pulse but I bet it gets my heart rate up by about 40%-50% or so. And I do that for about 40 minutes each day, 5 days a week. I feel and look pretty fit.

I think I should exercise more, but I don't know when I would do that. The only time I have is lunch time at work, but I don't want the hassle of having to bring clothes and a towel to work to shower. My arteries would probably thank me though. That's why we should all exercise more. It's our arteries. :right:

Lift weights on Monday (45 mins)
Zumba class on Tuesday (60 mins)
Lift weights on Wednesday (45 mins)
Zumba class on Thursday (60 mins)
Lift weights on Friday (30 mins)
Rest day on Saturday (really yard and house work)
Kickboxing on Sunday (75 mins)

I've been doing this schedule for 2 months now. I am seeing HUGE changes to my endurance and physical condition.

I voted 3-4 on the poll, as weight lifting does not count as cardio, even though I run a mile to warm up.

i used to do 3 times per week. i have been SO lax lately. only got to the gym once this month. must rectify.

Just starting out, so I didn't vote in the poll. Last week was 5 days of cardio and this week I only have one day so far. I want to do 5 days with half cardio and half strength training.

That's 40 minutes cardio 5 days a week then, Glatt.
Brisk walking is cardio.

Doesn't feel like cardio. I don't break a sweat. Unless it's August.

You don't have to break a sweat for it to qualify, that's just the bit that makes you look exercisey :)

I don't feel the sweat when I swim, or get very out of breath. Next time I'm going to stop in the middle and take my pulse to see........

My aquarobics instructor used to tell me how red my face was.
Nice, thanks.
But then she always praised how hard I was working, so I would put up with any amount of ridicule...

Not everyone sweats from exercise. My 16yr old looks completely unruffled after an hour of Zumba, whereas I am a sweaty, hot mess with a bright red face. She says she feels hot and her heart is pounding, but not a drop of sweat. /jealous.

As long as your heart rate is up and stays up for a bit, it's cardio.

rawwwrrrrr ;)

On the more serious side.

My son used to sweat something awful. To the point literally NEEDING to shower at least 2x a day.
His feet stunk so bad we had to leave his shoes outside.
Since his accident, he had not sweat at all for over 2 years - ZERO.
After joining a gym and spending an hour lifting weights, boxing & 20 mins on an elliptical ... still nothing for over a month.
We were specifically trying to increase his cardio exercises and bolster the oxygen flow to his brain.
Something about helping the brain reconnect.
Anyway, he came home Tuesday a sweaty mess after his workout. We were all shocked.
Of course, he remembers none of it a few hours later. So we start again.
Can't wait to hear the "professional" explanation for this.

Ask the others in the pool how the water tastes.;)

It's salty....... :eek:

That's fascinating, classic. Everything is controlled by the brain one way or another...

I voted never, although I suspect that a lot of my around-the-house physical activity would count as elevating my heart rate. But cardio and I have a longstanding feud, wherein certain activities cause my throat to constrict almost immediately. Someone once referred to it as "exercise asthma." I can swim, and I do the elliptical, because those are smooth motions, but running, aerobics, or any kind of fast-moving sports are completely impossible.

I do not do the gym, but I played hockey until I got a steel plate and 7 screws put in my ankle last year. I saw a story on the news once about a guy who was needing to lose weight so he started mowing lawns for the elderly and disabled for free, so not only did he lose the weight it was a damn nice thing for him to do.

ha! I mow my neighbor's lawns at the slightest chance -I pretend it's because I'm nice and I know they are out of town/sick/whatever, but really I like mowing lawns and it's a great workout (and I know they both hate it). Same with shovelling snow. Ok I admit this to them too, but they think I'm just being coy. :D No snow to shovel this winter.... ;(

...maybe that's why i suddenly have excess pounds? Maybe it's not middle-aged-spread after all? We usually have to shovel at least once a week for thre months and have three or four storms that require several hours work. This year, I've shoveled twice in the entire season, no more than 2 inches.

I learned:

1) It's very hard to take your pulse when you are wet
2) It's really hard to see the second hand of the clock with my goggles on
3) I have a good recovery rate

I'm guestimating my heartrate immediately after swimming is 110-130 maybe it could be higher -I counted 100 (50 in 30 seconds), but I had to stop, remove my goggles, dry my wrist and fingers...... and while I was discovering this I realized the rate is rapidly reducing -I was counting high 20 beats in the first 15 seconds and low 20s in the second 15. Meh, it's definitely cardio enough.

do you take a raidal pulse? or a brachial or carotid pulse? The last two are almost certainly easier to take while in the pool (I've done it countless times).

depends on your body :). I'm really not all that bothered, I was just curious.