Cardio isn’t the enemy. Somewhere along the way, cardio became the villain. As if it’s stealing your gains, ruining your metabolism and preventing you from having the body you want. But cardio is an essential part of the fitness equation. I hate to say it but most cardio haters can’t run up a flight of stairs if their life depended on it.
Why People Hate Cardio
People hate cardio because it feels hard. Let’s face it, it feels uncomfortable to have your heart rate go up and be out of breath but if you just kept doing it it would feel less like a chore and more like it gives you energy and makes you feel good. You just have to get past the part where it feels difficult. Mostly in the beginning is when it feels hard because lactic acid is building up in your muscles. If you keep going, it will release(the tightness and slight pain you feel) as well as the burning in your throat. That will subside as well, if you just keep doing cardio!
Why You Should Love Cardio
Cardio improves your cardiovascular first of all. That’s why you feel the burning in your throat and your muscles tightening and your chest is about to explode. It’s because your cardiovascular isn’t good. Cardio improves this, so you don’t feel that way every time you do some aerobic exercise. You will also have faster recovery times in between your workouts! And that includes workouts that involve lifting weights! Every lifter wants increased recovery times and cardio does just that. It also makes daily life easier like taking in groceries, walking up that hill if you have to or running for the bus if you’re late. Cardio makes all of that infinitely easier.
Will You Lose Muscle Doing Cardio
There’s a rumour going round. That if you do any type of cardio, it’s going to ruin your gains. You’re going to lose all of that muscle you worked so hard for! And it’s simply not true. You would have to do hours and hours of cardio every single day. No one’s going to do that, especially someone who doesn’t like cardio! If you do cardio a few times a week for about 30 minutes, you won’t lose any muscle I promise. And no it doesn’t matter what type either. If you run, skip, jump I don’t care what kind it is, you will not ruin your gains. The only way you will ruin your gains is by not lifting weights anymore or not eating enough. It has nothing to do with cardio.
Types Of Cardio You Might Like
There are types of cardio that you could try that you might not totally hate and you might actually like! Any sports related activity such as soccer, volleyball, hockey, you know what I’m getting at. You might also like walking. Just walk around your neighbourhood or on the treadmill. Do this for at least 30 minutes. You could also try swimming, dancing or hiking. These are the types of cardio that don’t feel like cardio.
Cardio Plus Lifting Weights
The truth? You need both cardio and lifting weights if you want to healthy and athletic. It’s all well and good to have tons of muscle but if you can’t move or do any type of activity that isn’t body building, then you are not an athlete. You are not healthy. It doesn’t matter what your fitness goals are, cardio absolutely needs to be included in your program.
Final Thoughts On Cardio
Cardio isn’t the enemy just because you don’t like it. It’s a tool, a great one actually. So instead of thinking how to avoid cardio, think what is the best cardio for me that I won’t give up on? I gave you several examples of cardio that doesn’t feel like cardio, so there are no excuses!
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