How Long is it ok to do cardio for?

I am becoming a frequent gym member and by that i mean, for the past 2 months ive been comming there on a daily basis, sometimes twice a day.. each time is for atleast 1 hou but i favor being there for 2.

whenever i do cardio i usually go on efx or tredmill and i dont seem to leav the machine unless i burn 500 calories. last sunday i was walking on tredmil variyng the incline and speed for 2.5 hours and left the machine with 870 calories burned. after cardio im usualy doing some weights to tone up and become stronger.

i am curious but am i dooing too much cardio? it seems that when i started running on the tredmill i could barely run for 7 mins.. now i can easily run fo 25mins.. how come my body is adjusting so quickly? is it because im 19 or is it because i am going everyday? and what is an average # of calories someone usually burns off when they are doing cardio?

1-2 hours of cardio is definitely too much. If you're doing more than an hour a day you could injur yourself and you aren't doing your body any favours.

And yes when you do the same type of activity your body gets used to it and it becomes easier.

Instead of working out longer, work out smarter and try intervals or more high intensity training. 

There are a few posts on this topic in this forum, I think a girl posted the same question yesterday and a lot of the members posted suggestions for her. Have a look and I'm sure it will help you.

Good luck!

I'm not a doctor, I'm just someone who has worked out with minimal injuries for over 20 years.

Well, my limited understanding is that a "cardio" workout maximizes benefits at a certain point, after which you are just burning calories or endurance training or some such.

Something like 45 minutes/day for 5 days per week will get you 100% of the cardio benefit. After that it's all just for fun.

Doing prolonged workouts won't hurt anything. However, any workout poses a risk of injury. Therefore it is generally recommended that you do not increase your workout times by more than 10 percent/month. Also, given the longer durations then there is a stronger need for stretching. Are you stretching? My minimal workout is 30 minutes of stretching with 30 minutes or cardio. If increase the cardio to 1 hour of training I still find the 30 minutes of stretching is fine, however, I change the stretches to match the workout.

You want to work out your entire life. I've working out for 25 years and hope to continue to do so for 25 more. That means being smart and cautious about the kinds of stress I put on my body. However, having said that, I am *training* for a marathon in 2009. This will be my second marathon. There is a training regimen I found on the web that minimizes risk of injury. I'd recommend finding some web site or book that speaks to intelligently doing long work outs for you.

I enjoy working out for an hour or two a day. and it might sound weird but loosing weight is the bonus, i dont mind being on a tredmill for two hours.. time really flys if your watching a movie or listening to music.. i dont mind if i keep the same shape that i have. I can't really explain what happens to my body when i work out.. but i definetly feel the endorphins that are released. i also started to use the gym as a way to releave my stress and anxiety with school, boyfriend drama, parents.. everything. it seems like its a big anti depressant to me. I dont want to cut out going to the gym daily. and as for stretching i didnt do it in the beggining but after a period of days not stretching and continously working out i found that i could not keep up for as long as i wanted, my lungs were working fine but my muscles felt like giving out. as a result i stretch before and after cardio, and again after im done weight lifting, sometimes i use the leg press but put on a light weight and do some reps, it seems to help my muscles absorb the lactic acid somehow.

as for me doing cardio 5-7 times a week .. i try not to let my body get used to it.. i play with the settings on the machine constantly.. and i seem to have an easier understanding of when my body is used to it.. i slow down/stop sweating.. or my muscles dont feel like they are working as hard.. so i change a setting and the sweating starts again.

i like my saturday and sunday to consist of just pure walking.. its kind of my "relax day" ill have the speed usually at around 3.0-3.7 and i play with the incline slowly increasing it every 10 or 15mins.. not sure depends on my energy. by the end of my work out im walking at an incline of 8.0 for the last 15mins.. then take a good 20 mins or so of cooling off and slow walking.. but usuallyy saturday and sundays im on the tredmill 3hrs, maybe 4..

im just curious if this is normal for some people? i mean im only 19 and everyone my age likes to go out and drink and eat junk food.. i used to be the same, but its like ive become addicted to the gym. i have not found anyone my age like this..especially not any girls.. and its not like im an athlete of any sorts.. i think the gym is the only place where i really get to workout, other than that i work at subway and stand around alot.. and when im not doing that im either sleeping or in school sitting on my butt...

im not sure if im overdoing it or not.. i can see myself doing this long term, i started doing this out of the blue.. there was no goals or anything in my mind either then to be able to jog for more then 10 mins... i had no idea i would love the gym so much.. and it makes me think its scary, because everyone else seems to hate it, especially cardio.

You mill around on a treadmill for 3-4 hours? If you're looking for exercise advice, you're wasting your time unlike anything I have ever seen. I mean this is BAD.

You mentioned you really liked it so I guess walk on a treadmill for 3 hours. It's not going to kill you if that's what you like to do in your free time.

Let's see when I was your age, I was working two jobs that involved standing on my feet all day and various amounts of lifting.

I played tennis, basketball and rode my bicycle quite a bit.

You're young. The nice thing about being young is your health is at its peak and you can enjoy it.

The only thing I would suggest is to talk with the trainers at your gym  and make sure that if things start hurting, you take time off.  I know a lot of people who get addicted to working out (running mostly) who have a difficult time cutting back when the injuries onset. Don't let that happen to you.

I would warm up for 10 min on a cardio machine  then hit your weight lifting routine for a time then do a little cardio after weights . 

If you want you could do your one workout session doing the weights and then the cardio the next visit if doing 2 times a day.

I personally think if you are just starting out you are going to either get burned out really quick or injured or both.  I worked out for many months for at least 2 hours a day but have cut down and take a couple days off

Of course if you enjoy the cardio workouts do varying degrees of intensity on different days and be sure to have some easy days in there too.

the thing is.. I started taking Firelean Not too long ago.. and its like im a race horse.. its ALOT of energy and it does not affect my apetite.. its like im one of those kids that have a sugar high rush.. and i dont play sports like tennis or w/e.. i hate playing sports mostly because im not a good team player..i have not hurt anything during cardio, maybe got a blister or two, and calves got sore.. weight lifting i hurt something from time to time.. yoga i hurt my back so i nvr want to do that again.

im a spoiled teenager.. i hae my own car.. and i hate cold weather.. so i dont get alot of exercise outside of the gym.. i mean.. i dont consider my work even that psychally active, i stand around for 5 hrs and make sandwiches.. 20 hrs a week.. and college consists of 90% sitting... oh and im not addicted to running.. im addicted to sweating.. k i know it sounds gross but i feel really good when im drenched in my own sweat and i look like i just jumped in a pool.. i cant run for too long, i mean thers older men in their 35-40's who can outrun me by alot.. i can keep a steady pace jog of 5.5 for about 30-45 mins..but i like speedwalking on an incline i dont know why.... i mean i dont have an eating disorder and i dont think im fat.. im pretty contempt with myself, i used to hate my face for having acne but it seemed to go away after i started exercising, because then i also stopped eating alot of junk food out of pity.. id feel bad if i ate something that read 400 calories especially if it was chocolate.. because to loose 400 calories at the gym, takes work. i dont want to have a thin build.. i want a musclar toned build, kind of like how female kick boxers have.. i can do about 100lbs on leg press.. and 50lbs on cable machine when working out my tricepts.. crunches are countless.. i can do alot, ill get sore for half a day.. then the next day im ok... it seems every week im getting stronger and stronger and slowly becoming more defined.. maybe one day ill have a 6pack haha.. but i doubt i can accomplish that... do u guys think this will be along term thing? or maybe a phase im going through?? to me it seems long term i mean im never TOOO busy to go to the gym, all my friends go downtown and party and i go to the gym instead... any of you guys been like this?

bambii, i'm not very good at the physiological side of this, but can i make a recommendation if you're "addicted to sweating?"  try bikram yoga once a week (or more).  you will sweat like a pig for 90 minutes and the point is you are constantly pushing yourself so your body doesn't get used the level of exercise, but rather improve upon what you can already do.

i have tried yoga.. and pulled my back pretty bad, so never again.. im looking to go get a kickboxer fem. body shape.. if it possible.. i talk to some of the body builders at the gym, and they all seem to be there everyday like me.. maybe i caught their bug or something..

Ya know if you like running and seem to be good at it you may try to train for an event like a 10K race or a half marathon.  If you enjoy weight training as well you might try for body building competitions!  There are a million options for goals.  Specific goals will bring greater meaning and structure to your workouts and a more visceral sense of accomplishment.

thats a good idea.. ive never really accomplished to much in my life.. other than what was expected of me by my parents or whatver.. i think ill look into it.. thank you :)

Don't get offended...I'm not trying to be nasty but, have you considered that you might (just might) have a bit of exercise addiction?

I disagree with those who would suggest you are wasting your time.  Doing long cardio workouts is good for you, but it is not good for it to be the only type of  workout you do.  This would suggest that doing 100 mile bike rides or running marathons (both of which take multiple hours) is a waste of time, which is absolutely not the case.  My brother is a triathlete and ultra-marathon runner who is advising me as I'm training for a half-marathon.  He told me that it is incredibly beneficial to your fitness level to do long workouts at 70-75% of your mhr once a week, especially for those who are interested in doing endurance events like a triathlon or long runs.  So I do 3 + hours of cardio once a week, and the rest of my week is mixed up with shorter cardio sessions, hiit, interval runs, elliptical and stationary bike, pilates reformer training, weight training, etc. 

Because I also have the capacity to spend 3 hours exercising and enjoying myself, my personal trainer has suggested that I have the makings of an endurance athlete (which is awfully hard to imagine at my current weight), but I think I understand her point.  I don't mind going for a long time.  Some people prefer short and intense, get out and get done.  Others enjoy the process and like to spend longer time.  I don't see anything wrong with it, as it is a matter of personal preference.  However, it seems to me that you might benefit from a particular goal, such as training for a longer run or whatever interests you.  Maybe see if there is a running or hiking club you can join.  If that is what you enjoy, then it can certainly be a hobby, so long as you are not indulging in exercise bulimia (i.e., by trying to work off every calorie you consume).  However, it is important to prevent injury to mix up your workouts (more than simply by changing the incline or speed on a treadmill).  I would recommend that you take a pilates class (if you've injured yourself doing yoga) or try spinning, spend some time on an elliptical or on weight training.  Try out different things and find other things that you like. 

Original Post by melly991:

I disagree with those who would suggest you are wasting your time.  Doing long cardio workouts is good for you, but it is not good for it to be the only type of  workout you do. 

If she is enjoying herself, she is not wasting her time. If this is her fitness routine, it's a grandiose waste of time as steady state cardio is NOT the best fitness plan, especially for women.

Original Post by bambii:

I am becoming a frequent gym member and by that i mean, for the past 2 months ive been comming there on a daily basis, sometimes twice a day.. each time is for atleast 1 hou but i favor being there for 2.

whenever i do cardio i usually go on efx or tredmill and i dont seem to leav the machine unless i burn 500 calories. last sunday i was walking on tredmil variyng the incline and speed for 2.5 hours and left the machine with 870 calories burned. after cardio im usualy doing some weights to tone up and become stronger.

i am curious but am i dooing too much cardio? it seems that when i started running on the tredmill i could barely run for 7 mins.. now i can easily run fo 25mins.. how come my body is adjusting so quickly? is it because im 19 or is it because i am going everyday? and what is an average # of calories someone usually burns off when they are doing cardio?

 I only read your first post, and skimmed through all others.  Not sure if anyone suggested, if you are going to lift weights, do it before your cardio.  Also try to break up your cardio sessions into 2 shorter (morning then late afternoon) ones.

Sorry if most of this has been said already, I'm lazy today to read replies, lol.

This does seem like alot of cardio, I think you need to allow yourself to have days off now and then and maybe on those days if you feel like you need to, go outside for a walk or something. Your body is adjusting to the cardio and if you don't do something else you probably won't get the results you want.

In the program I'm following (New rules of lifting for women), they recommend if you want to do Steady state exercise, do HIIT (just search about it) for 15 minutes of HIIT then continue with 30 minutes of steady cardio if you want too. I too used to be a cardio junkie, going to the gym four times a week and doing the eliptical/treadmill running for an hour each time. But I have learned there are more fun things out there and all that cardio is not needed.

Original Post by gilly_bean:

Don't get offended...I'm not trying to be nasty but, have you considered that you might (just might) have a bit of exercise addiction?

 no.. i definetly do not have an exercise addiction.. honestly i dont realise how much time i spend at the gym, especially when im on the tredmill of the eliptical or w/e u call it..  i end up watching whatever is on tv there.. and next thing u know.. 2 hrs passed by and i burned 700 calories.. there are days when i have to study for exams and i can only spend half hour so i just do weights then and dont bother with cardio..

i guess i just go to the gym because i am a bored person and on my spare time instead of watching tv in my room.. i watch tv at the gym.. lol im a different type of couch potato.. i dont specifially go there and tell myself.. yeah i ate 1300 calories today.. im going to burn off 1000.. no, its not like that.. im a teenager.. and i dont have a specific goal for loosing weight.. i just dont want to be over weight when im older, so im just trying to find other ways of spending my free time instead of sitting around inactively.. plus i live in canada.. and its winter here.. so where am i going to go in the freezing cold.. all everybody does is watch t, get drunk.. and eat burger king.... here its OK to be chubby anyways.. and my BMI says im in the middle.... i dont even step on a scale on a daily basis.. so personally i dont think i have an exercising addiction..more like a bordem addiction.. :P

I have to agree with you its alot better to work out while you watch tv insteadof just sitting there.  So you are not just wasting your time -- just killing time doing something more productive than just watching tv.

If its something you enjoy and are just doing it for fun its probably a lot healthier than what the other teens are doing to kill time.

Original Post by dbackerfan:

I have to agree with you its alot better to work out while you watch tv insteadof just sitting there.  So you are not just wasting your time -- just killing time doing something more productive than just watching tv.

If its something you enjoy and are just doing it for fun its probably a lot healthier than what the other teens are doing to kill time.

 

 well here its legal to go to bars and drink as soon as you are 19 years old.. so all of my friends do that, go to college or university, work part time.. and get drunk.. im such a downer on my friends because i dont like the downtown scene alot, i have nothing to show for at the end of it other then being sick the next day.... i havent found many people my age that like having fun thats simple.. and since i have to pay for car insurance out of my own pocket.. i cant really afford to spend my money on vacations left and right, clothes, hair,,makeup.. etc.. so the gym is an inxpensive way of having fun?? atleast thats how i look at it.. plus ill have something to show for it.. eventually.. :P