Steady-State Cardiovascular Exercise
What exactly?
“What the hell man, that’s the third game we lost in a row!”
“Bro, these guys are sweating. No way I’m putting that much effort for a game.”
Even though gaming can cause your heart rate to spike and some people to, yes, literally sweat - no, it’s still not considered exercise.
I want to talk to you today about steady-state cardio.
Steady state cardiovascular exercise, often referred to as steady-state cardio, is a type of aerobic exercise characterized by maintaining a consistent, moderate level of intensity for an extended period.
Unlike high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or other forms of intense workouts, steady-state cardio involves sustaining a continuous level of effort, typically within a target heart rate zone, over an extended duration. This type of exercise primarily relies on aerobic metabolism, where the body uses oxygen to produce energy for the muscles.
So, what does classify? You’ve probably done some or all of these - swimming, cycling, jogging/running, elliptical training, rowing, dancing, or even brisk walking. It’s nothing new. Why am I talking about it?
If you’ve read my previous articles, you’ll know that I typically talk about weightlifting or high-intensity workouts. These kinds of workouts are excellent for building muscle and burning calories, respectively. You might think that steady-state cardio also helps in burning calories, but it has another purpose entirely - weight management.
Yes, you heard me.
But isn’t that the same as burning calories?
No. High-intensity workouts often lead to burnout, and thus are unsustainable. Take a break for a few days or a week and notice how the weight starts to pack on again. It’s important to incorporate into your routine some form of steady-state cardio to keep your weight controlled, for fat loss.
Not to mention, if you plan on exercising for long and living for longer, you need to do some steady-state cardio for your heart health.
My suggestion is to have a 30 minute session every day (or at least, every day you plan on exercising) of one or a combination of the above steady-state cardio exercises.
Unlike normal walking, all of these exercises will cause you to sweat, but not cause fatigue very quickly, so make sure you’re adjusting to keep yourself in a steady state of exercise - no pauses. If you’re getting tired too quickly, turn the intensity down a notch. Find a heart rate zone which you’re relatively uncomfortable with, but not gasping for breath within 5 minutes. You should feel your heart is active, not jumping out of your chest.
Stay hungry,
Zeta