"How Much Cardio is Enough Per Week?"

How much cardio is enough per week? Forget your aerobics instructor. It's less than you think.

Ban the Burn

You can accomplish a lot in twenty minutes. And if you're a regular visitor to this site, you will know that building a strong and attractive body is one of them. 

It's true. From abbreviated full body routines to one exercise workouts - you can enjoy ALL the health benefits that come from owning a more muscular physique. And the really cool part? You DON'T have to spend hours locked in a gym to achieve it. Twenty minutes (or less) is all you need to feel good and look great.

But what about cardio? 

Well, if you are like most gym-goers, you have probably been brainwashed into spending hours pounding away on a treadmill or riding an exercise bike - and yet, what if you could get all of the aerobic exercise you REALLY need in the time it takes you to boil and eat your breakfast egg?

Heck, is that even possible?!

The latest groundbreaking research seems to suggest so.

Cambridge Cardio Study

We all know how a lack of exercise is a deadly killer. We also know how couch potatoes face greater dangers from cardiovascular problems such as heart attack and stroke as well as some cancers.

However, what many people don't realise is the massive difference a small change in cardio habits can make to your health. Indeed, this small change alone can reduce the risk of early death by up to 30 percent, as Cambridge University researchers recently found.

How much cardio are we talking about here?

Not a lot. In fact, just a twenty minute walk at a vigorous pace (or cycle ride for the same duration) would significantly impact activity levels and increase average life expectancy.

How Much Cardio is Enough? The Results

Professor Ulf Ekelund agrees. He headed the Cambridge research team and said: "This is a simple message - just a small amount of physical activity each day could have substantial health benefits. Physical activity should be an important part of our daily life."

And the good news keeps on getting better. Brisk walking is only an example, as performing ANY exercise for the required time carries the same health benefits - that includes your weight training!

Here is what the guys in the white lab coats found:

• To measure the link between physical inactivity and premature death, researchers looked at data from 334,161 men and woman across Europe.
• Over a 12-year period it was found that the greatest reduction in risk of premature death came when people moved from the inactive group into activity.
  

And how long did it take to create this shift? Yes, you guessed it. Just twenty daily minutes, or a couple of hours per week. 

June Davidson of the British Heart Foundation, said: "The results of this study are a clear reminder that being regularly physically active can reduce the risk of dying from coronary heart disease."

So it's true. You really can accomplish a lot in only twenty minutes. Tell that to your aerobics instructor when he next asks, "How much cardio is enough?"