The number of times per week you should do cardio depends on your individual fitness goals, health status, and lifestyle. Cardiovascular exercise, often referred to as cardio, includes activities like running, walking, cycling, swimming, or using machines such as treadmills or ellipticals. It plays a crucial role in improving heart health, aiding weight management, boosting endurance, and enhancing overall well-being. While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, general guidelines and recommendations can help you structure an effective cardio routine.
General Health Recommendations
For maintaining basic health, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardio per week. This typically breaks down to 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week or shorter sessions of higher intensity. Examples of moderate cardio include brisk walking or light cycling, while vigorous cardio includes running, swimming laps, or HIIT (high-intensity interval training).
Weight Loss and Fat Burning
If your goal is to lose weight or reduce body fat, increasing the frequency and duration of cardio can help create a calorie deficit. In this case, 4 to 6 sessions per week is commonly recommended, depending on intensity and duration. For example, someone might do 30–60 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio five days a week or alternate between moderate and high-intensity workouts. However, combining cardio with strength training and a balanced diet yields the best results.
Cardiovascular Endurance and Performance
For athletes or individuals training for events like marathons or triathlons, cardio needs may rise significantly. These individuals might train 5 to 6 days per week, sometimes incorporating multiple sessions per day. Endurance training often includes a mix of long, steady-state cardio, interval training, and recovery runs or swims. Training volume is gradually increased to build stamina while minimizing the risk of overtraining or injury.
Mental Health and Stress Relief
Cardio is also known to improve mental well-being by reducing stress and boosting mood. Even 3 to 4 short sessions a week of light cardio—such as a 20-minute walk—can significantly improve mental health. If stress management is your primary goal, lower intensity and more enjoyable forms of cardio may be more sustainable and beneficial.
Balancing with Strength Training
If you also do weight training, you’ll need to balance cardio with your lifting schedule to avoid overtraining. Many people follow a routine that includes 3 to 4 sessions of cardio on non-lifting days or after weight training. High-intensity cardio sessions, like HIIT, should be limited to 2 to 3 times per week to allow adequate recovery.
Listen to Your Body
As with any exercise plan, it’s important to listen to your body. Too much cardio, especially without rest or proper nutrition, can lead to fatigue, muscle loss, or even injury. Rest days or active recovery (like light walking or yoga) are essential, especially when doing frequent high-intensity cardio.
Conclusion
Ultimately, most people benefit from doing cardio 3 to 6 times per week, depending on their goals and fitness levels. The key is consistency, variety, and balancing intensity with recovery. Whether you’re walking for health or training for a race, cardio can be adapted to support both physical and mental wellness over the long term.