Cardio
Cardio improves engine capacity, supports fat loss, and aids recovery—when type, zone, and total dose match your lifting goals.
Cardio types
| Type | Character | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| LISS | Low, steady, talkable | Walk, easy bike, elliptical 30–45 min |
| MISS | Moderate, slightly breathless | Jog, brisk walk 25–40 min |
| HIIT | Intervals, hard bursts | 20–30 s sprint + rest, 15–25 min total |
| NEAT | Non-exercise activity | Steps, standing, stairs |
Intensity zones (simple)
| Zone | Feel | HR guide* | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Z1–Z2 | Easy, full sentences | 60–70% max HR | Recovery, base volume |
| Z3 | Moderate, short sentences | 70–80% | Aerobic fitness |
| Z4–Z5 | Hard, words | 80%+ | Intervals, race pace |
*Max HR rough estimate: 220 − age (high individual variance—use feel).
Pairing with lifting goals
| Primary goal | Cardio dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Muscle / strength | 2–3×/week, 20–30 min LISS/MISS | Avoid long run right before heavy legs |
| Fat loss | 3–5×/week LISS + 1 HIIT | Deficit mostly from food; cardio assists |
| Endurance | Cardio-first; lift 2×/week maintain | Increase run volume ≤10%/week |
tip
Same day: lift first; if cardio same day, separate by ≥6 h or 15–20 min easy cardio after lifting.
Weekly template (fat loss + muscle)
| Day | Content |
|---|---|
| Mon, Wed, Fri | Strength (see strength) |
| Tue, Thu | LISS 30 min |
| Sat | MISS or HIIT optional |
| Sun | Rest or walk |
Execution checklist
- 5 min warm-up (walk + dynamic mobility)
- One main modality per block for comparability
- Log duration, distance/steps, avg HR or RPE
- If knees/ankles hurt, swap to bike, swim, elliptical
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| HIIT only | Build Z2 base; HIIT ≤2×/week |
| No food after cardio | Still hit protein + reasonable carbs on training days |
| Spiking mileage | ≤10% weekly increase |