Fitness training is often a balance between strength and cardio – while lifting helps build muscle and strength, cardio supports calorie burn and heart health. But not all forms of cardio offer the same benefits, and choosing the right one for your body and goals can make a big difference to your progress.
Fitness coach Chadoy Leon is breaking down the best and worst forms of cardio and how they can impact your fitness progress. In an Instagram post shared on September 11, the fitness coach ranks different cardio workouts from worst to best, explaining how each can affect your body and results.
Running – Worst
Chadoy ranks running as the worst form of cardio, highlighting that it can put excessive strain on the joints while also intensifying calorie cravings. He explains, “It cranks up your appetite so those burned calories come right back at dinner, it hammers your joints over time, and it starts eating into muscle once you overdo the mileage. The cardio everyone defaults to is actually the one working against them the most.”
HIIT classes – 6th
Daily HIIT sessions can be overly demanding on the body, leaving you feeling sluggish for the rest of the day and affecting your overall movement. Chadoy notes, “The burn is real, but the recovery cost is steep. You’re too fried to lift with any intensity or move much the rest of the day, so your overall output actually drops. Good for a once in a while push. Bad as your everyday method.”
Spin and bike sprints – 5th
Spin bike sprints can burn a significant number of calories, but they come with drawbacks similar to running. The fitness coach highlights, “Easier on the joints than running with a comparable burn, but it still ramps up hunger afterwards.”
Swimming – 4th
Swimming can be an excellent form of cardio, but it may also significantly increase hunger, making it harder to maintain a calorie deficit. The fitness coach explains, “Fantastic for your joints and hits your whole body, but it’s notorious for leaving you ravenous once you’re out of the pool. That makes the deficit harder to hold.”
Stair climber – 3rd
Using a stair climber after a weight training session can help increase your overall calorie burn while also delivering additional benefits. Chadoy notes, “Big calorie burn, low joint stress, and it shapes your legs and glutes at the same time. Tack on 10 to 15 minutes right after your lift for a strong finisher.”
Incline walking – 2nd
Incline walking offers many of the benefits of running without the same impact on your joints. The fitness coach highlights, “You get almost the same burn as running minus the appetite surge and the joint pounding. Set it to a 12 percent incline at 3 mph for 20 to 30 minutes. This is the one treadmill setting that consistently delivers.”
Daily walking, especially after meals – 1st
Post-meal walks are one of the best forms of cardio and offer added benefits, including better blood sugar control. Chadoy explains, “Hit 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day and you’ll out-burn any single cardio session on the gym floor across a week, all without wrecking your appetite or your recovery. A 10 minute walk after each meal also helps regulate your blood sugar. Sometimes the boring option is the winning one.”
The fitness coach concludes, “The cardio that actually works long term is the one you can repeat daily for a year without dreading it, and that’s usually not the one people reach for first. Figuring out which cardio fits your body, your schedule, and your goal is exactly the kind of thing a coach helps you dial in, so you’re not burning yourself out on the wrong method for nothing.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
