Cardio is any exercise that raises your heart rate and keeps it there, and it is an important part of every fitness routine: better heart and lung health, lower risk of chronic disease, easier weight management, more energy and a better mood. But the different types of cardio do quite different jobs, and choosing the wrong one for your goal is a common reason people feel they are working hard for little return. Here is how the main options compare, who each suits, and how to combine them, from the trainers at Hammer’s Gym in Nunawading.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
What it is: short bursts of near-maximal effort alternated with rest or easy work, such as 30 seconds hard on the air bike, 30 seconds easy, for 15 to 20 minutes.
What it does best: burns a lot of energy in little time, improves cardiovascular fitness quickly and produces a strong afterburn effect. It also preserves muscle better than long steady sessions.
Who it suits: people short on time and anyone with a reasonable fitness base. It is demanding, so beginners should start with one session a week and build. Try our 30 minute hybrid workout.
Boxing fitness
What it is: pad work, bag rounds, skipping and conditioning drills built around boxing movements.
What it does best: a full-body workout that improves cardiovascular fitness, coordination, upper-body endurance and core strength at once, while teaching a real skill. It is also the most fun many people have ever had while sweating.
Who it suits: anyone who finds machines boring and wants to learn something. All levels can scale it. See how fitness boxing helps you burn fat.
Steady-state cardio
What it is: a moderate, sustainable pace held for 20 to 60 minutes: jogging, cycling, rowing, swimming, incline walking.
What it does best: builds aerobic base and endurance, aids recovery, is easy on the nervous system and can be done almost daily. It burns plenty of energy over a longer session and is the gentlest way to build a cardio habit.
Who it suits: everyone, and especially beginners, people returning from injury and anyone who trains hard in other sessions and needs low-stress cardio between them.
Spin classes
What it is: instructor-led sessions on stationary bikes mixing sprints, climbs and recovery to music.
What it does best: a big calorie burn with zero impact, strong leg endurance and the motivation of a group and a coach pushing you.
Who it suits: people who thrive on group energy, anyone with joint issues who cannot run, and those who want structure without thinking about it. Read the benefits of group fitness classes.
Which should you choose?
- Fat loss: two HIIT or boxing sessions plus daily walking, alongside strength training. Lifting matters more than cardio for fat loss; see why lifting weights is essential for weight loss.
- Heart health and general fitness: two or three steady-state sessions of 30 minutes plus one harder session.
- Time-poor: HIIT, two or three times a week.
- Beginners: steady state first, adding a boxing or spin class once it feels easy.
- Bored: boxing or spin. Enjoyment is what keeps you consistent.
Mix them for the best results
Doing the same cardio every session leads to boredom and plateaus. A good week blends intensities: one HIIT session, one boxing or spin class and one or two easy steady-state sessions, all layered around your strength training. You can also combine them within a workout, such as a five-minute steady warm-up, 20 minutes of intervals and a five-minute steady cool-down. Our balanced gym program guide shows where cardio fits in the week. If you are new to exercise or have any health concerns, check with your doctor before starting.
Every type of cardio under one roof
Hammer’s Gym has a full cardio zone with treadmills, rowers, SkiErgs, air bikes and the AMT, plus daily boxing, spin and HIIT classes on the timetable, so you can try every option and find the one you love. Claim a free one-day trial in Nunawading, minutes from Mitcham, Blackburn, Box Hill and Doncaster, or ask a trainer which mix suits your goal.