How Much Cardio Per Week Should You Do? | FlexToast

How much cardio should you do per week?

For general health: 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity per week (the standard public health recommendation). For lifters maintaining or building muscle: 60 to 120 minutes per week of zone-2 cardio. For fat loss alongside lifting: 90 to 180 minutes per week of zone-2 cardio. For pure cardiovascular performance goals: 4+ hours per week with structured volume and intensity.

What counts as cardio?

Continuous activity that elevates heart rate above resting levels for an extended period. Running, cycling, swimming, rowing, brisk walking, hiking, and many forms of recreational sport all qualify. Light walking (sub-100 bpm heart rate) provides minimal cardiovascular adaptation but supports recovery and active calorie expenditure. The intensity threshold for productive cardio adaptation is roughly 60 percent of maximum heart rate.

What is zone 2?

Zone 2 is the cardiovascular intensity zone where you can hold a conversation but not sing comfortably. Heart rate is roughly 60 to 70 percent of maximum, fuel utilization is dominantly fat-based, and recovery is minimal. Zone 2 produces strong cardiovascular adaptations (mitochondrial density, cardiac stroke volume, aerobic enzyme activity) without significant interference to other training. For lifters, zone 2 is typically the productive cardio intensity.

How does cardio dosing differ for different goals?

For health: 150 minutes per week minimum, distributed across 3 to 5 sessions. Above this baseline, additional cardio produces continued benefits but with diminishing returns. For muscle preservation while cutting: 90 to 180 minutes per week of zone-2 cardio supports the deficit without compromising lifting recovery. For pure muscle gain (bulking): 60 to 90 minutes per week is the minimum that maintains cardiovascular health without burning calories that should support hypertrophy. For cardiovascular athletic performance: 4 to 8+ hours per week with structured intensity zones.

How do you fit cardio into a lifting schedule?

Most efficient: cardio on lifting rest days. A 4-day lifting program leaves 3 days per week for cardio without same-day stacking. For lifters who train 5 to 6 days per week, cardio sessions can stack with lifting days as long as they happen at least 4 to 6 hours apart from the lifting session. Avoid heavy cardio in the 24 hours before a heavy leg day; the leg recovery between cardio and squatting is minimal.

Frequently asked questions

What if I have time for only one weekly cardio session?

One 45 to 60 minute zone-2 session per week produces measurable cardiovascular benefit, particularly for currently sedentary trainees. The benefit is much smaller than 3 to 5 weekly sessions, but the difference between one session and zero sessions is larger than between three sessions and four. Build the habit at one session per week before expanding.

Can walking count as cardio?

Yes, at appropriate intensity and duration. Brisk walking (4+ km/h) for 30+ minutes produces zone-1 to low zone-2 cardiovascular adaptation. The benefit is real but smaller than higher-intensity work. Walking is particularly valuable as low-cost recovery between heavy training days; many lifters walk 60 to 90 minutes per day across multiple bouts and produce significant total benefit without dedicated "cardio sessions."

How does cardio affect calorie expenditure?

A 30-minute zone-2 cardio session burns 250 to 400 kcal for most adults, depending on bodyweight and intensity. This is meaningful but modest; most trainees overestimate cardio's caloric impact. Total weekly cardio expenditure for a typical lifter (3 sessions of 45 minutes) is 900 to 1500 kcal, equivalent to roughly 0.3 to 0.4 kg of additional fat loss capacity per month. Cardio supports fat loss but is not the primary driver.

Should I track my heart rate?

Useful but not necessary. Most trainees can identify zone 2 by feel: comfortable enough to hold a conversation, hard enough to feel deliberate effort. A heart rate monitor adds precision that some trainees enjoy and others ignore. The conversational pace test produces zone-2 results for most adults without requiring instrumentation.