Which Form Of Cardio Is Best?

As a trainer I often get asked "What cardio should I be doing?" or "Is swimming better than running". Another related question is "Will I burn more calories on this machine or that machine."

Firstly what do you enjoy doing? I am not going to tell you to do your intervals with a particular form of cardiovascular work if you don't enjoy it. You won't stick to it and you will constantly dread your training which is not good for long-term progression!

For instance if you hate running or feel self-conscious in a swimming pool don't force yourself to do it. Your heart won't be in it and you won't see much in the way of results!

Secondly, forget trying to work out how if you will burn 12 more calories on the treadmill than the cross trainer. Not only are machines which claim to calculate calories wildly inaccurate, but it's just not worth your time!

Choose free activity outdoors wherever possible or sports which use the most muscles. The more muscles you use, the more calories you burn.

Swimming is fantastic as it uses every single muscle in your body as does running. However, you need to consider the increased risk of injury from lots of high impact running particularly if you have a history of ankle / knee / hip injuries.

Other points to consider when choosing 'your cardio' include your tendency to get bored. You may be best to choose multiple forms of cardio such as running one day, swimming another and cycling another. After a while you might consider a sprint-distance triathlon.

If you have no ambitions to compete in a particular event, then vary what you do as this will provide constant challenges to your body. It will also help reduce the risk of injury due to repetitive strain.

Can your chosen activity easily accommodate intense interval training and allow you to reach a sufficient intensity within a short amount of time? My experience with such gym favourites as ellipticals, steppers and cross-trainers suggest these are not ideal.

This is partly due to how people use them as it is tempting to lean on the hand rails. This tends to happen when you get tired affecting your posture and biomechanics.

I had to laugh when I used to see a middle aged chap on the treadmill every day. This guy thought he was increasing the intensity of power walking routine by cranking up the incline.

Whilst this is a great option to challenge the legs, heart and lungs, this chap then leant back whilst clinging on to the dashboard of the treadmill. By doing this he affectively put his body back into the position he would be in on the flat! He was just working his arms to hang on!

I always promote exercises which involve standing up rather than sitting down. Not only is it more of a challenge than seated versions but it also challenges the core muscles much more encouraging strength gains in these important muscles.

Finally you need to consider when and where you're training. If you are training at home and can't afford a rowing machine or a treadmill a skipping can be used to devastating effect with little space required!

Also think about what time you're going to the gym. The swimming pool is likely to be full and most of the treadmills taken up.

Whatever form of cardio you choose, make sure you can stick to it and ensure you are performing intense intervals. This will maximise calorie burn and challenge your heart more (if you have existing heart issues or are a beginner check with your GP first).

You might not enjoy every session if you're working hard enough but if you can push yourself through you'll certainly enjoy the results! That's what it's all about!

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