How much cardio should I do per week?

By Mert Yerekapan · Updated

Aim for 150 to 300 minutes of moderate cardio a week, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous cardio. That's the WHO and CDC guideline, and for most people the sweet spot is about 150 to 200 minutes of moderate work spread across 3 to 5 days.

You can mix the two. One minute of vigorous effort counts for roughly two minutes of moderate effort.

What moderate and vigorous mean

Use the talk test.

  • Moderate: you're breathing harder, but you can still speak in full sentences. Brisk walking, easy cycling and a gentle jog fit here.
  • Vigorous: you can only say a few words at a time. Fast running, hard cycling and interval work fit here.

A few example weeks

All of these meet the guideline:

  1. 5 x 30 minute brisk walks or easy bike rides (150 minutes moderate)
  2. 3 x 30 minute moderate runs plus one 40 minute easy ride (about 130 minutes, close enough to count as a start)
  3. 2 x 25 minute hard interval sessions plus one 40 minute moderate session (a mix of vigorous and moderate)

If you're just starting, begin with 60 to 90 minutes a week and add 10 to 15 minutes each week. Anything is better than nothing, and the biggest health gain comes from going from none to some.

Runs, rides and walks sync from Apple Health into League of Fitness and are scored by heart rate zones, so a hard interval session and an easy moderate one both count toward the day. That fits the mix of vigorous and moderate minutes in the example weeks.

If you lift weights

Cardio and lifting fit together fine. If your goal is muscle, 2 to 3 cardio sessions a week of 20 to 40 minutes is a good balance and keeps your heart healthy. If you're training for a race, you'll need more, and your lifting can drop to two shorter sessions. Does cardio kill gains covers the lifting side.

More isn't always better

Past about 300 minutes a week, extra cardio adds less and less for general health, and it takes recovery time away from everything else. My take is that if you feel good and are enjoying it, there's no problem, but you don't need to do an hour every day.

When to check with a doctor

If you have a heart condition, are pregnant, have been inactive for a long time, or get chest pain, dizziness or unusual shortness of breath when you exercise, check with a doctor before ramping up.

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