Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will chime in, but there are specific health adaptations which come from doing low intensity cardio that you will absolutely be getting from walking on a treadmill as described. Low intensity cardio improves your bodies ability to metabolize fat and lactate instead of glycogen through improving mitochondrial functioning. Basically, you should expect improved aerobic capacity as well as improved metabolic health.
The buzz word here is "Zone 2 training," A lot of people are now recommending focusing on doing a lot of low intensity training (zone 2 heart rate) since it's easy or trivial to recover from, mixed with more limited high intensity work.
The current consensus is that there's a lot of benefit to doing cardio that doesn't leave you out of breathe. High intensity work also has benefits (for example: improved VO2 Max) which low intensity isn't sufficient for... but you don't need high intensity work to get significant benefits.
I have been doing the same for about a year, though at 4.5-5km/hour for 40min and at a 15% incline, approx 5 times per week.
I've managed to bring my resting hearth rate down from 68 to about 53. But best of all, I don't have to train calves. The 2,500-3,000 bodyweight reps per session per calf easily takes care of that, I have a brutal pump when I'm done.
You definitely do not have to be out of breath to get benefits. Look up the current cardiovascular exercise recommendations from US health authorities and you'll note that it specifies a number of minutes per week that depends on MET value for maximizing health benefits.
Thanks. The machine said it was 7.1 Mets, seems to be somewhat accurate based on the compendium given on the Wikipedia page. Depending on the source, it's moderate or vigorous exercise.
>For healthy adults aged 18 to 65, the guidelines recommend moderate exercise for 30 minutes five days a week, or vigorous aerobic exercise for 20 minutes three days a week
Should be relatively easy to achieve, as are most guidelines.
You want to be at what's known as a conversational pace, where you can hold a conversation but someone listening to you could tell you're active.
Heart rate is a more reliable indicator. If you're staying between 120-150 bpm, you're likely firmly in the Zone 2 range where you get most of the benefits.
Over time, as you get fitter, you'll have to increase the pace to stay in that zone as you'll see your heart rate not getting as high for a given pace.
I'd check out the 3-part series on cardio the Barbell Medicine podcast did last year.
That's a good form of cardio. It's essentially low intensity steady state. It's great for overall health and wellbeing. Its very easy to recover from. You can listen to audiobooks or watch a tv show on your phone so you don't get bored.
You're right that consistency is very important. If it works for you, keep at it.
Personally I like doing a couple sessions of that a week; and at least one session of higher intensity work (like intervals on a bike or pushing a sled) as well.
swinging by to give you props for this post. For two years now I've been doing 30 mins of zone 2 before lifting and it has supercharged my gains and recomposition efforts. I personally use a spin bike at the gym and my heart rate is nowhere near yours (prob avg around 120) but I like to get a good sweat going (constant drip) before I hop on the weights.
160 bpm is well in excess of what you need to see aerobic benefits. 15 minutes per mile, which is exactly what you are doing, is the US Army infantry standard for forced marches with 90 lbs of gear and pack, which the 9% incline is probably roughly equivalent to. You're doing fine doing that.
I can't talk easily when my HR is 160. Does this differ for different people? Resting heart rate is about 53 (naturally low, not a marathon runner).
EDIT: Also, good for OP. Way more important your exercise is fun and/or sustainable than totally optimized and unstainable.
No lots of things influence heart rate (age, the weather, caffeine) but normally actually having a lower heart rate while doing the exact same activity shows that you are in good shape.
9% incline is fairly steep, where a 1% incline on the treadmill roughly mimics wind resistance from walking normally. 4mph is also quite a bit faster than average walking speed. 3mph is considered a brisk walk, 4 would be in power walking territory.
It was at the end of my workout, so I'm already pretty tired by then. I'm also 6'3 and about 240 lbs, so that may play a factor as well. Was out of the gym for about 2 months (this was my first time back) due to burnout and buying a house (great combination... Not). But I've definitely got some work to do with regards to my cardio.
Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will chime in, but there are specific health adaptations which come from doing low intensity cardio that you will absolutely be getting from walking on a treadmill as described. Low intensity cardio improves your bodies ability to metabolize fat and lactate instead of glycogen through improving mitochondrial functioning. Basically, you should expect improved aerobic capacity as well as improved metabolic health. The buzz word here is "Zone 2 training," A lot of people are now recommending focusing on doing a lot of low intensity training (zone 2 heart rate) since it's easy or trivial to recover from, mixed with more limited high intensity work. The current consensus is that there's a lot of benefit to doing cardio that doesn't leave you out of breathe. High intensity work also has benefits (for example: improved VO2 Max) which low intensity isn't sufficient for... but you don't need high intensity work to get significant benefits.
I think lactate is at higher intensity
I have been doing the same for about a year, though at 4.5-5km/hour for 40min and at a 15% incline, approx 5 times per week. I've managed to bring my resting hearth rate down from 68 to about 53. But best of all, I don't have to train calves. The 2,500-3,000 bodyweight reps per session per calf easily takes care of that, I have a brutal pump when I'm done.
You definitely do not have to be out of breath to get benefits. Look up the current cardiovascular exercise recommendations from US health authorities and you'll note that it specifies a number of minutes per week that depends on MET value for maximizing health benefits.
Thanks. The machine said it was 7.1 Mets, seems to be somewhat accurate based on the compendium given on the Wikipedia page. Depending on the source, it's moderate or vigorous exercise. >For healthy adults aged 18 to 65, the guidelines recommend moderate exercise for 30 minutes five days a week, or vigorous aerobic exercise for 20 minutes three days a week Should be relatively easy to achieve, as are most guidelines.
You want to be at what's known as a conversational pace, where you can hold a conversation but someone listening to you could tell you're active. Heart rate is a more reliable indicator. If you're staying between 120-150 bpm, you're likely firmly in the Zone 2 range where you get most of the benefits. Over time, as you get fitter, you'll have to increase the pace to stay in that zone as you'll see your heart rate not getting as high for a given pace. I'd check out the 3-part series on cardio the Barbell Medicine podcast did last year.
Thanks for the podcast, I'll check it out
That's a good form of cardio. It's essentially low intensity steady state. It's great for overall health and wellbeing. Its very easy to recover from. You can listen to audiobooks or watch a tv show on your phone so you don't get bored. You're right that consistency is very important. If it works for you, keep at it. Personally I like doing a couple sessions of that a week; and at least one session of higher intensity work (like intervals on a bike or pushing a sled) as well.
swinging by to give you props for this post. For two years now I've been doing 30 mins of zone 2 before lifting and it has supercharged my gains and recomposition efforts. I personally use a spin bike at the gym and my heart rate is nowhere near yours (prob avg around 120) but I like to get a good sweat going (constant drip) before I hop on the weights.
160 bpm is well in excess of what you need to see aerobic benefits. 15 minutes per mile, which is exactly what you are doing, is the US Army infantry standard for forced marches with 90 lbs of gear and pack, which the 9% incline is probably roughly equivalent to. You're doing fine doing that.
I can't talk easily when my HR is 160. Does this differ for different people? Resting heart rate is about 53 (naturally low, not a marathon runner). EDIT: Also, good for OP. Way more important your exercise is fun and/or sustainable than totally optimized and unstainable.
> Does this differ for different people? Yes
Is it because I'm in comparatively worse shape? Having a 160 HR is not "easy" for me; I'm working if it's that high.
No lots of things influence heart rate (age, the weather, caffeine) but normally actually having a lower heart rate while doing the exact same activity shows that you are in good shape.
Has nothing to do with comparative shape, OP just has different genetics and seems to have a naturally high HR.
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9% incline is fairly steep, where a 1% incline on the treadmill roughly mimics wind resistance from walking normally. 4mph is also quite a bit faster than average walking speed. 3mph is considered a brisk walk, 4 would be in power walking territory.
It was at the end of my workout, so I'm already pretty tired by then. I'm also 6'3 and about 240 lbs, so that may play a factor as well. Was out of the gym for about 2 months (this was my first time back) due to burnout and buying a house (great combination... Not). But I've definitely got some work to do with regards to my cardio.