Understanding Cardio and How to Use It

In this context, “cardio” refers to: Planned physical activity for fat loss or for health. Cardio should be a supplement, rather than the foundation of your fat loss or health plan. More importantly, diet, sleep, lifestyle, and strength training are more effective than cardio alone.

However, excessive cardio isn’t efficient. It doesn’t burn as many calories as a proper diet adjustment. You can still out-eat nearly any amount of cardio. Too much cardio leads to excessive fatigue. It’s not sustainable.

The SFTR (Stimulus to Fatigue/Time Ratio)

To evaluate cardio, use SFTR. This includes: stimulus (calories burned), fatigue (how tiring the activity is) and time (how long it takes).

How Much Cardio Should You Do?

For General Health (Maintenance Levels):

• If mostly inactive, aim for ~1 hour of moderate cardio per day (e.g., brisk walking).
• So, a good target is 5x calories per kg of body weight per session.
• If active (10K+ steps daily), 2-3 cardio sessions per week are sufficient.

For Fat Loss (Deficit-Based Approach):

• Fat loss = calorie deficit.
• For example: 1 lb. of fat loss per week requires a 500-calorie daily deficit.
• To achieve this, split the deficit. Reduce 250 calories from food. Burn 250 calories from cardio per day. This means 3500 kcal burned per week.
• Adjust based on ease. Would increasing cardio or reducing food intake be more sustainable?

Choosing the Right Cardio Modalities

Ideal Cardio = High SFTR (Efficient, Low Fatigue, and Time-Efficient)

Recommended Modalities:

• Elliptical Machine – Full-body, low impact, time-efficient
• Incline Brisk Walking – Low impact, moderate calorie burn
• Step Tracking – Low effort, easy integration into daily life
• Sports & Hobbies – Fun and engaging, but time-consuming

Modalities to Avoid:

• Reclined Stationary Bike – Low calorie burn
• Swimming – Not weight-bearing, increases hunger
• Slow Treadmill Walking (Holding Rails) – Inefficient calorie burn
• Too Many High-Intensity Sessions – Can lead to muscle loss, excessive fatigue
• Injury-Prone Sports – High risk, not sustainable

Cardio Intensity and Optimisation

Importance of Intensity

• Higher intensity = more calories burned per minute
• Three types of fatigue to manage:
  1. Total Body System Fatigue
  2. Local Muscle Fatigue
  3. Joint Stress

Ideal Heart Rate Targets

• Formula: 220 – Age = Max HR
• In general, stay in 60%-70% of max HR for most steady-state cardio.
• For example: For a 30-year-old, target heart rate = (190 – resting HR) × 60-70% + resting HR

Best Practices for Cardio

Stay under 140-150 BPM for most sessions. Alternate hard and easy days (e.g., Monday jog, Wednesday incline walk, Friday basketball). Additionally, protect joints and connective tissue. Avoid excessive high-impact cardio.

Periodising Cardio for Long-Term Success

Different Phases of Training

During Fat Loss Phase:

• Start with a 500-calorie deficit (split between food and cardio).
• Adjust cardio based on energy levels and sustainability.

Maintenance Phase:

• Lower cardio to maintenance levels (e.g., 10K steps, moderate BPM).
• Goal: Maintain weight without a calorie deficit.

Muscle Gain Phase:

• Keep cardio levels moderate.
• If necessary, reduce steps slightly (e.g., 8K per day) to aid gain weight.
• Prioritize recovery and calorie surplus.

Active Rest Phase:

• Focus on recovery.
• No structured cardio—just light movement and restorative activities.

Final Recommendations

Adjust cardio based on your current training phase. Rather than tracking time, track calories burned. Listen to your energy levels and recovery. Keep cardio for health, not just fat loss. And most importantly, monitor progress and adjust as needed.

Caution:

• Keep in mind, calorie tracking devices aren’t 100% accurate. Expect a 20% margin of error.
• Choose cardio that maximises calorie burn, minimises fatigue, and fits into your lifestyle.

Be smart before you fall apart! The key to effective cardio is sustainability. Use cardio as a tool to support your fitness goals. Optimise for efficiency, recovery, and long-term success.

JOHN SANTOS ONLINE COACHING