How Much Cardio Should You Do With Strength Training?

I love this question! 

Let’s go over some general guidelines regarding cardiovascular training.

The definition of cardiovascular training is performing physical activity that increases your heart rate to a training range (generally between 60% and 85% of your maximum heart rate), for an extended period.

The American Heart Association guidelines are “at least 150 mins per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 mins per week of vigorous aerobic activity”.

What most people do not realize is during weight training your heart rate is usually in the desired cardio range.

So, your weight training session counts as the recommended cardio by the AHA (as long as your HR is up). Plus, you are getting a larger benefit from the resistance training as opposed to cardio by itself.

If you’re currently weight training for three days per week for sixty minutes, you are getting in the recommended amount of cardio training through your weight training program.

You can always do more cardio, but remember cardio training (like running) is catabolic (tissue degrading) and weight training is anabolic (tissue growth).

So I always recommend choosing weight training over traditional cardio training. More lifting, less running!