Types of Cardio And Ways To Train Your Heart Rate

Cardio is a more diverse means of improving fitness than we give it credit for. Here are the types of energy system development, and ways to apply them for specific goals.

A particularly awful cardio session from 2017.

Good Morning!

Cardio gets a bad rap in today’s fitness dialogue.

There are a multitude of misconceptions about this area of training; you’re either doing too much of it, not enough of it, or not the right kind.

Despite what the extremely callous echo chamber of fitness social media will tell you, it is essential, you should do it, but you have to enjoy it, too.

Today’s newsletter is an explanatory one, so if you’re on your commute to work, have some time at lunch today, or some downtime or a break, get comfy.

Ben Yanes

Ben Yanes on Instagram: “Cardio bunnies and “cardio=muscle” atrophy gym bros embody two extremes of the same spectrum that are both completely missing the point. Cardio is a tool, much like any other, that can be underused, overused, and misapplied. There is no doubt that, given an excessive amount of it, it would have the potential to take away from the productivity of your lifting; but this likely only applies to the 1% of the population that’s far enough along for their recovery to matter that much. Specific modality is also important here, so keep in mind that I’m referring to low intensity, steady state cardio (or something like sauna). And no, pro bodybuilders aren’t just able to do tons of cardio JUST because of pharmacology. Of course that’s a factor, especially during prep, but no normal human should ever need to take it to that extreme to derive the benefits that a robust heart provides anyway. My recommendation is to start with 15-20 mins, 2x per week and work your way up to 30 mins 2-3x per week (depending on goals this will vary). I personally like the sauna, elliptical and incline walking most, but rowing, stair master, reverse sled drag and jacob’s latter are other solid options.”

June 5, 2023

We’re going deep into cardiovascular training for your heart, the different ways you can use it to improve other areas of your fitness (which I think is the real reason you should use it — as an auxiliary method), and how you can progress these pieces of training down the road.

Paid subscribers will have access to specific training methods to help improve endurance for running, competition, and sport.

Types of Cardio: Energy System Development

Cardiovascular training can be redefined as Energy System Development. In layman’s terms, think of your body as a stick-shift car or an automatic car with different driving settings.

My Hyundai Elantra, for example, has a “Sport Mode” and a “Smart Mode.” In the spirit of transparency, I have no idea what the difference between these two modes is.

But, for today’s newsletter, let’s use these two modes and the “cruise control” setting as examples of your body’s energy systems.

Let’s say Smart Mode drives fast but consumes a moderate amount of fuel. Sport Mode drives and accelerates me the fastest but burns fuel like a you-know-what. Cruise control lets me coast and preserves the most amount of fuel.

These three “modes” are similar to your body’s means of cardiovascular endurance.

We all have Smart Mode — a way of moving relatively quickly but not using crazy amounts of energy, like a long-distance run, row, or cycle.

We can think of Sport Mode as the most intense energy system — continuous sprints, painful intervals like the ones in today’s header photo, the ski machine, Crossfit-style EMOM rounds, and most group fitness classes. We should probably not be in Sport Mode all the time, FYI.

Cruise control is our most underrated energy system — the long walks, the extended bouts on the Stairmaster or elliptical, or leisurely jogs at low heart rates.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to balance the training of these qualities for a healthy heart and improved fitness.

Let’s dive into the formal names of each energy system.

Joel Jamieson, a renowned endurance coach, regularly breaks down these energy systems at seminars. Consider it a privilege that you’re getting a breakdown in today’s newsletter. (He’s also a hell of an Instagram follow, if you want to nerd out!)

According to Jamieson, the three primary energy systems involved in exercise are the aerobic training system (cruise control and Smart Mode), the anaerobic training system (some Smart Mode and mostly Sport Mode), and the alactic system (Sport Mode only, or a high gear on a stick-shift).

Let's explore these energy systems and their implications for cardiovascular training.

Aerobic, Anaerobic, and Alactic (Say That Five Times Fast)

1. Aerobic Training: Aerobic training relies on oxygen to generate energy.

   This system gives you energy during longer-duration, less intense activities. Aerobic training, like walking, stairs, and jogging, focuses on developing the aerobic energy system's capacity to produce energy efficiently over an extended period.

In Jamieson's verbiage, he often refers to this system as the "oxygen system" or "aerobic base." Other aerobic activities could include long-distance running (for better-conditioned individuals), cycling, or moderate-speed swimming. It helps improve endurance, heart health, and consistent effort.

The ability to generate more oxygen is practically a superpower. It’s essentially why Lance Armstrong and many other Tour De France cyclists were (and are) dopers!

Was that too crass?

2. Anaerobic Training: Anaerobic training relies on energy production without oxygen. This system provides energy for short, high-intensity activities like sprinting or weightlifting.

The anaerobic energy system is also known as the "glycolytic system" due to its reliance on the breakdown of glucose (sugar) for energy. This is why athletes chug Gatorade in those commercials.

Examples include interval training, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), or circuit training, and some competitive sports. This style of training optimizes the way you use glucose to train.

TL;DR: A candy bar *might* not be a bad idea before some anaerobic training.

3. Alactic Training: The alactic energy system is a subset of the anaerobic system that operates without oxygen but relies on energy sources other than glucose.

   This system provides short bursts of intense energy for activities lasting only a few seconds, such as explosive movements or maximal lifts.

Jamieson calls it the "phosphagen system" because it rapidly uses a stored nutrient called phosphocreatine to generate energy. Alactic training targets this system and aims to improve explosive power and maximal strength. Activities like sprinting, jumping, or Olympic weightlifting exercises fall under alactic training.

Does Your Brain Hurt Yet? Let’s Finish With Heart Rate

If you’ve scrolled up to double-check the descriptions of each type of cardio, good job! You’re learning.

The good news is that each of these systems doesn’t operate independently of each other. You can train the qualities of multiple systems by managing your heart rate during training. I recommend a piece of wearable tech like a Whoop, Garmin, or Polar.

For heart rates, you’ll want to know the following ranges:

• 80-110 BPM = Aerobic Development. Some weightlifting sessions will also live in this range, but not long enough to develop your endurance. You should aim to stay in this range consistently (ideally above 100 bpm) for 45 minutes to an hour to see real, tangible results.

• 110-135 BPM = “Zone 2” Aerobic Development. This is where you want your easy runs to be and where you should try to drop your heart rate as a competitive runner. Competitive Distance Running Coach Phil Diaz says this is the range you should be in for the entire duration of your pre-race training and that if you pass 135 bpm, you should slow down. That’s a bit extreme, but this should also be between 40 and 45 minutes for real endurance improvement.

• 135-160+ BPM = Alactic/Anaerobic Development. Unless you're a competitive athlete, this should make up a very small portion of your training (but a portion nonetheless). If Aerobic is the underrated type of training, I might venture to say particular alactic work (HIIT, circuit work) can be overrated.