How to Actually Enjoy Cardio
If you’re like me and potentially thousands of other individuals, then hearing the term “cardio” may send you chills down your spine.
Okay, maybe not to that extreme, but you know what I mean
Most people HATE cardio and honestly, I get it.
Cardio is often used as a means of punishment either for sports such as football or self induced, like when someone digs themselves into the ground because they ate a little “too much” for dinner.
Through various means, a disgust towards cardio is an ever growing trend that I’m not sure will ever be fully quelled.
But here’s the thing,
Cardio doesn’t have to suck!
You can train in a way that’s actually fun and enjoyable!
Imagine being in a place where you get excited with the idea of waking up early to get a morning jog in or hopping on your bike. Not only will you have more energy throughout the day, but when done correctly, your joints and your workouts both will thank you!
So in this article, I’m going to take you through what I've done myself to reinstate my love for cardiovascular training!
But before I go into that, I first want to define what exactly cardiovascular training is and why it’s important to include in your routine.
WHAT IS CARDIO?
Cardiovascular training is a method of exercise that challenges your heart rate. Otherwise known as aerobic exercise. While performing a movement at a faster pace, the demand for oxygen and other forms of energy becomes greater, hence why your breathing rate increases.
And just like with strength training, adaptations within the body take place in the form of your lung capacity and your heart’s efficiency increasing.
Cardio is essentially strength training for the heart. Overtime, it will get stronger, allowing it to pump more blood with fewer beats. This is why it’s common to see a lowered heart rate in endurance athletes.
Imagine having a super strong heart! Not only will your risk for cardiovascular disease (CKD) decrease substantially, but you’ll receive other benefits such as reduced blood pressure, reduced cholesterol, a stronger memory, better focus, and just way more energy throughout the day!
Imagine not needing a large cup of coffee to get you throughout the day! Sure other metrics like sleep and nutrition play a big role in energy, but you get my point. You can GREATLY improve your health by just spending a few minutes at an elevated heart rate even if it is just for a few times per week.
Whether your goal is trying to lose weight or trying to gain weight, everybody should be doing some sort of cardiovascular training not just for the caloric burn, but for all the other benefits.
In the context of strength training though, you don’t want to be in a position where your lung capacity gives out before your muscles fatigue. So imagine being able to go all out on your sets, able to perform higher rep counts, all WITHOUT getting totally winded!
And there isn’t a set rule that you need to run specifically. There’s tons of other types of movements you can do besides running, all of which I’ll get into soon! Just bare with me :)
MY HISTORY WITH CARDIO
Like a lot of other people who were trying to lose body fat, my history with cardio stemmed from trying to burn as many calories as possible. This wasn’t a good relationship as anytime I ate something that wasn't “on plan”, I’d go outside, despite the weather and run. I’d run and only return home when I was either cramping or drenched in sweat.
And pair this with all the running I had to do for highschool sports, It kind of wore me down on me.
But being honest, I’ve always loved sprints. I’d look forward to the conditioning we’d do at the end of football practice. Sprinting to me is kinda like going ham on a punching bag. You’re just exerting yourself as much as possible within a short window. It just always felt really good.
It was always the long duration cardio that killed me. I’ll be out running six miles, and by the time I got to the midpoint, all I could think of was “I gotta do all that shit AGAIN?”.
Eventually I hit my stopping point when I was 19. I became fully burnt out from years of constant running, so I stopped training my cardio altogether.
And I didn’t just stop running, I almost stopped walking entirely as well. From 19-20 years old was a dark year for me which is a whole other story in itself, but essentially, I got to 150 lbs at 6’2 and couldn't jog to the end of my street without hyperventilating.
Not really what i’d call an “enjoyable” place to be.
But eventually when I regained my spark for strength training, I also started learning more about the importance of training cardio. The cool thing is, I learned that killing yourself with running wasn’t the only way of training cardio! There’s so many other options that, given the right context, can grant equal, if not better results!
HOW I REGAINED MY PASSION FOR CARDIO
I started with just getting my steps in.
Though I’ll admit, setting a goal of 10k steps was a bit extreme in retrospect, but I was committed to achieving it, no matter what. I’d listen to podcasts and audiobooks while out walking which really made things more enjoyable.
Eventually, alongside my job as a personal trainer, reaching 10k steps kinda became an unconscious habit. It definitely took time, but like anything, through enough repetition, a habit is established.
It was also during this time where I learned that cardio doesn’t just have to be from running.
Cycling, walking, rucking, jump rope, swimming, dancing, boxing, zumba, sprinting, jumping, high rep training, and HIIT training are all other forms of exercise that bring similar benefits to running.
So what I did was, I played around with different types of cardio.
I didn’t have a set duration to shoot for or a set speed to work with. All I was doing was practicing the movement, and getting really good at it over time.
And I didn't hammer myself if I didn’t feel like going really hard. If I ended up just cruising along, then that’s what I did.
By just experimenting with different movements, my enjoyment really shot through the roof! This is actually advice I’d give someone who was just starting out in the gym.
Just play around with the different machines and experiment with different exercises.
You don’t need to be perfect
And you don’t need to be setting PR’s.
Just play around and have fun!
Once you feel confident with a number of exercises, feel free to consult a trainer for advice or try putting together your own workout plan to stick to. When you’re first starting out, there’s nothing wrong with trying out different things to see what you like best.
Of course a structured routine you’re consistent with will yield the best results, but learning to enjoy the routine is what’s really going to cement those results long-term.
I also started playing a game during my walks as well where I’d undulate my intensity from each walk to add in variety. This alone is really what led to me regaining my love for running!
So here’s how I did just that.
THE SHUFFLE APPROACH
You’re out on your walk, whether it’s for 20 minutes or 60 minutes, doesn’t matter. Pick a duration that’s realistic for you.
Go on your music app of choice (I use spotify) and select your “liked songs” playlist.
Turn on shuffle, so that the order is always random.
When a song comes on that hypes you up, break out into a mini jog or even a slight run.
When a song comes on that’s more chill, slow back down into a walk.
Because you have shuffle turned on, you never know what song is going to play next, meaning every “run” is different from the last.
This simple little hack had a profound impact on my total enjoyment. Going out for an hour no longer felt like a chore, like something I had to do.
It became something I looked forward to. A time for me to relax, to jam out.
And overtime, by spending more time at an elevated heart rate, my endurance increased. Now, without ever intentionally running, I can now run faster and longer without getting tired.
I’m at the point now where running is fun for me.
I don’t look at it as a “have to”, but more as a “I get to”.
I get to move my body in a way that’s both health promoting and enjoyable.
Even today, I still don’t tell myself that I need to run a certain distance or move at a certain pace. As long as I’m out moving for my allotted time period, that’s all I’m worried about.
The shuffle method can also be used for other forms of cardio exercise such as cycling, rowing, using the stairmaster, or using an elliptical.
Think of it like unpredictable interval training.
A QUICK WORD OF CAUTION
When increasing your run speed via the shuffle approach, do so in an appropriate manner. If you’re new to cardio, doing an all out sprint is likely not the best move as your body isn’t used to this new type of motion.
Doing way too much too quickly is the #1 cause of injury when it comes to cardio training. Like strength training, you gotta take it slow. Like entering a hot tub, you need to let your body slowly acclimate to the new environment, otherwise you’re probably gonna burn/hurt yourself.
If just starting out, set your “running” pace at just a light jog. Yes, it’s going to be tempting to want to do more, especially if caffeine is involved, but I'm telling you from experience, even at a young age, you gotta let your body adapt.
Shin splints and plantar fasciitis are not fun, no matter your age.
When “running”, go back down to a walking pace when:
Your optimal running form starts to break down
You feel discomfort with a pain level above a 4/10
Though general discomfort is probably going to be the case in the form of minor cramps in your side, slight irritation around the shin region, and perhaps some very low-level hip discomfort.
When just starting out, you WILL feel some level of discomfort, but as long as it doesn't exceed that 4/10 on the pain scale, you should be fine.
And remember, there is no rule stating you HAVE to reach 10k steps or you half to be out for an hour. If you only have 15 minutes to carve out, work with that.
Start your cardio training with a longevity mindset. You’re not enrolled in a marathon that you gotta train for, you literally have the rest of your life’s worth of time to get better!
Once you’ve shown consistency, you may notice overtime, you’re able to go a little faster and for a little bit longer. Listen to your body and increase the level of intensity when you feel ready.
Overall, have fun with it! Changing your mindset around cardio can take some time, so find a form you enjoy, and stay consistent with it.
Or play around with different types.
There is also NO RULE stating you must only do one form of cardio.
So why not try mixing things up?
One day you run
Another day, you cycle, or take a zumba class
Unless you’re training for a sport/competition, you can get away with interchanging the types of cardio you do on a regular basis. As long as you're challenging your heart rate and you’re moving, the returns you’ll get on your investment will never disappoint!
Cardio and strength training are your investment to not only a longer health span, but a higher quality life as well.
Age gracefully
Keep Chasing Great!
Talk soon,
- R
