What Counts As Cardio (and What Doesn’t)

Cardio is good for us. We need both cardio And strength training for core health, as well as our athletic goals. But what actually counts as cardio? Can you count the walk? Lift weights? Anything as long as you’re in the right area? Let me break it down.

What is the definition of cardio?

Trick question! “Cardio” is a nickname for a certain rough category of exercise, and it has no precise definition. You’ll find different definitions depending on who you ask, and a lot of research on the benefits of cardio simply calls it “exercise.” The closest technical term is “aerobic activity.”

THE Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans describes aerobic activity as when:

…the large muscles of the body move rhythmically for an extended period of time. Brisk walking, running, cycling, jumping rope, and swimming are all examples. Aerobic activity makes a person’s heart beat faster and they breathe harder than normal.

This matches the World Health Organization’s definition, as well as how most fitness professionals use the terms “aerobic” or “cardio” exercise. Note that the key components are:

• It uses large muscles (like the legs; you can’t do cardio while twiddling your thumbs)

• It’s rhythmic (like when you pedal a bike for hundreds of revolutions)

• This can be sustained (like a 20 minute bike ride, but unlike a set of 10 squats)

Exercises that fit the definition include walking, running, cycling, swimming, and using machines like a rowing machine, elliptical trainer, or stair climber at the gym.

Is there a certain heart rate or zone that counts as cardio?

No, there’s no strict dividing line between what counts as cardio and what doesn’t. The guidelines I cite above treat “moderate” intensity cardio as the minimum to target, but this is not defined in terms of heart rate. I have an explanation here of what “moderate” actually meansbut briefly: anything that matches the effort level of walking at a normal pace (about 20 minutes per mile) is moderate.

I know this isn’t the answer you were hoping to find, so here’s another data point: The American Heart Association says that moderate exercise is 50-70% of your maximum heart rate. (Vigorous is 70-85%.)

Most of us don’t actually know our true maximum heart rate, and formulas like “220 minus your age” are not accurate. So take this with a grain of salt. It is more useful to consider how exercise feels: Moderate exercise will have you breathing harder than at rest, perhaps sweating a little, and with a noticeably higher heart rate than when you are sitting quietly. You don’t need to be out of breath; moderate exercise is conversational, in the sense that you can literally engage in conversation while you do it.

If you want to reap the health benefits of cardio, you may want to pay more attention to intensity. Moderate exercise is great, but vigorous exercise (where it feels difficult and you won’t be able to speak full sentences) is also great to include in the mix. THE Norwegian 4×4 is an accessible cardio workout that requires a lot of vigorous work.

Does walking count as cardio?

Yes, in the sense that it meets the minimum guidelines. This is a moderate-intensity exercise that counts toward your minutes per week (regardless of your heart rate while you do it).

But if you have sporting goals, walking alone is probably not enough to reach them. If walking seems easy to you, you’ll probably want to increase the intensity to improve your cardio fitness. Jogging Or rucking would be a good next step.

Does lifting weights count as cardio?

No, lifting weights does not count as cardio (with a few exceptions, which I’ll talk about in a minute.) Remember, cardio should be fast-paced and sustained. If you’re not doing the same movement over and over again for, say, 10 minutes, it’s not cardio. So three sets of 10 on the chest press is certainly no cardio. You probably spent about five minutes total, most of it resting. It doesn’t count.

And no, I won’t change my answer based on what your heart rate monitor says. Your heart rate only measures the intensity of cardio exercise if you do cardio exercises. Strength training is still strength training (not cardio), regardless of what zone your heart rate is in..

So what are these exceptions I mentioned? Exercising with weights can be considered cardio if it meets the definition: fast-paced and sustained. Most people don’t do that! But if you’re training for a kettlebell half marathonor 30 minutes of the same movement, continuously, with a light kettlebell (you are not allowed to put the kettlebell down until the time is up), then yes, that It’s cardio.

I would also classify the kettlebell ladder workout as a form of cardio. I do it with reservations – it’s not continuous for about 30 minutes, but then again, neither is a lot of interval training. Kettlebell swings are definitely fast-paced and involve big muscles, and the workout is designed to keep your breathing and heart rate faster than usual for almost the entire time. I will allow it.

Does HIIT count as cardio?

High-intensity interval training certainly puts a strain on your cardiovascular system, but it’s not necessarily the best workout when you’re looking for a way to get in some cardio. If you’re doing real HIIT, it’s very intense, very short, and can have quite long rest periods between challenging intervals. You’re working your anaerobic system, not just your aerobic capacity, so it has some of the same caveats as lifting weights.

Additionally, a lot of “HIIT” videos aren’t really HIIT, and aren’t even necessarily good cardio. As I’ve written before, “HIIT” seems to mean “a video with a timer in the corner,” regardless of what type of workout you get out of it. If you’re looking for a good cardio workout, it’s best to find something where you know you’ll be working aerobically, meaning being able to breathe rather than panting, throughout the workout.

What other exercises count as cardio?

I’ve already given some examples, but let me give you a longer list of things that are definitely cardio, if you do them the normal way (steady state or intervals, especially if the intervals use active rest like walking).

• Run, jog, or run/walk intervals (indoor or outdoor)

• Bike (indoor or outdoor)

• Rowing on a gym machine

• Paddle or row a boat

• Skipping rope

• The dance (really Most Underrated Form of Home Cardio)

• Stairmaster or stepmill machines

• Climbing machines like Jacob’s Ladder or Versaclimber

• Elliptical machines

• Swimming

• Roller skating or rollerblading

• Yard work or housework that requires you to move continuously (such as pushing a lawn mower or shoveling snow)

I also have a list of cardio options here it goes into more detail on many of the above, and here is a list of tasks and recreational activities it can also count (even if many are of a moderate level, such as walking).

I hope these examples will help you choose an exercise to do. However, if you have specific fitness goals (like running a 5K or passing a fitness test for work), you may want to consider a training program tailored to those goals.