10 Myths About Cardio That Won't Die

Don't let these pervasive myths about cardio ruin your workout! We're explaining the truth behind these ten cardio myths:

1. I only lose weight from cardio

Cardio is not the only way people lose weight. Cardiovascular workouts are aerobic in nature, meaning that oxygen is needed to create energy from various sources.

The thing that cardio training best does is train the cardiovascular system! That means the heart and blood circulation system. Cardiovascular workouts are definitely not the way to go about losing weight, though this myth persists no matter how much research proves otherwise.

2. The treadmill will make me a better runner

The trouble with cardio machines like the treadmill and elliptical is that they do not simulate real running as well as most people believe. Since the belt on a treadmill moves without having to push it away, the user is pretty much just hopping up and down to get out of its way. When running in real life, you have to force off the ground in order to create movement and maintain momentum.

3. The best cardio is in the “fat burning zone”

Most cardio machines have a little chart which shows the “fat burning zone” on it. Sure, working at a low intensity may have your body use up a few calories each minute from fat. Unfortunately, you still won't lose weight, even if you are training in this suggested zone. A pound of fat has approximately 3500 calories, and burning 100 of those in a long cardio session won't lead to any loses in the fat you see on your body.

4. Cardio is painful

Certain cardio activities may be uncomfortable for some, but there is no golden standard for everyone. In addition, there are dozens of cardiovascular workouts you can do, including one with weights. Dancing, cycling, jogging, jumping jacks, skipping, circuit training, swimming, brisk walking, and others are all options you can try.

5. Cardio should last 20 to 60 minutes

There is no real minimum or maximum time for cardio. Any little bit of exercise is better than none, and each person will benefit in a different way from various lengths and intensities of the activity. What we're trying to say is, there is no one way of doing cardio!

6. Cardio will help with my 6 pack

As mentioned before, cardio is not the best way to lose fat, and as a result, you can't expect it to clean up your belly fat and show your 6 pack. Seeing abs, or defining any muscle, requires the layer of fat under the skin to disappear. Its a lot less about the muscles and more about the fat loss to develop your 6 pack. Fat loss is best done through a healthy, clean diet.

More Top Cardio Myths

7. Cardio is best in the morning before breakfast

Not sure where this myth even came from! The time of day you choose to do cardio is almost irrelevant, according to a number of studies. You'll be able to benefit from it before or after any meal, and at any time of day. You do not burn more calories through the day if you exercises in the morning!

8. “Steady-State” cardio burns the most calories

This falls in with the “fat burning zone” ideas. Steady state cardio is what folks do when they exercise at the same pace for their entire cardio workout not only is this ineffective at burning more calories, it is also less effective at training the heart and lungs.

You're better off training with intervals of intensity. Low and high intensity intervals can last from 10 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on how comfortable you feel and what your goal is.

9. Cardio machines know how many calories I burn!

The digital display on cardio machines which reads out how many calories you've burned is not an accurate way of finding out how hard you've worked and how many calories you've burned. This is an average, and it will be different for everyone. The number of calories burned is dependent upon an individual's level of fitness, sex, what they've eaten, their body composition, height, and weight. The best way to find out is with a heart rate monitor, and extrapolate from the amount of work you've done.

10. Cardio machines can measure my heart rate!

It is handy that cardio machines are also equipped with heart rate monitors. Unfortunately these are usually inaccurate. Those metal sensors on the handles of cardio machines are designed to take a pulse from your fingertips. This is problematic because finger pulse's are difficult to read, and the machine is taking it from several fingers!

The best way to find out your heart rate is with a personal heart rate monitor which goes around your chest. The watch that goes with it reads and stores information about how hard your worked, how much your burned, and can graph your progress.

Cardiovascular exercise is a great thing, especially when you know why you're doing and how to make it as effective as possible for your goals. Pay attention to the bigger picture at work here, and remember not to rely on your friends advice, but to take information and learn from experts!