For exercise, I’ve never received a definitive answer on what cardio actually is. The word has been misused now for years by people that should know better.
The exercise and fitness industry has devolved exercise into cardio or lifting (weights). They like these two categories because both entail a need for special equipment, classes, or trainers, etc.
A better way to look at exercise is aerobic or anaerobic.
Aerobic vs Anaerobic Respiration - Difference and Comparison
Read through that. There’s some pretty advanced terminology in there, but if you take note of anything, understand this paragraph:
Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise
Aerobic respiration is 19 times more effective at releasing energy than anaerobic respiration because aerobic processes extract most of the glucose molecules' energy in the form of ATP, while anaerobic processes leave most of the ATP-generating sources in the waste products. In humans, aerobic processes kick in to galvanize action, while anaerobic processes are used for extreme and sustained efforts.
Aerobic exercises, such as running, cycling, and jumping rope, are excellent at burning excess sugar in the body, but to burn fat, aerobic exercises must be done for 20 minutes or more, forcing the body to use anaerobic respiration. However, short bursts of exercise, such as sprinting, rely on anaerobic processes for energy because the aerobic pathways are slower. Other anaerobic exercises, such as resistance training or weightlifting, are excellent for building muscle mass, a process that requires breaking down fat molecules for storing energy in the larger and more abundant cells found in muscle tissue.
Based on that paragraph, you’ll see that the word aerobic is being supplanted by the word “cardio” in the fitness industry. Cardio is used to describe long sustained activities like running, cycling, etc. However, the word cardio does nothing to describe what you’re actually doing to your body.
A 3 mile distance run will more likely stay within your aerobic thresholds, while eight 100 meter sprints will stay within your anaerobic thresholds. Based on the information above, the eight 100 meter sprints at maximum effort (Equals 1/2 mile), while not as far as a 3 mile run, will burn more fat.
The 3 mile run will likely burn quite a bit of sugar, but not much fat.
Both are running, but both have very different effects on your body.
So, to put it a bit more simply, look at exercise as either aerobic or anaerobic. When trying to burn fat, anaerobic exercise is better than aerobic. But all anaerobic really is is doing an activity where the cells in your body can no longer process the amount of oxygen necessary to maintain the activity. Aerobic is exercise that doesn’t push past the cell’s ability to process enough oxygen to sustain the activity.
It’s all about processing oxygen. What pumps the fluid through our bodies that transports oxygen to our cells, Our heart. The Greek word for “heart” = “cardio”.
Then the question is can your heart pump enough oxygen or not. That’s what determines what kind of exercise you’re doing. Not the word itself.
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