What's the best cardio workout?

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What's the best cardio workout?
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• The best cardio workout will be one that gets
  your heart rate up but more importantly, it will
  be an exercise that you enjoy and can fit into
  your training program. Some of the most common
  cardiovascular exercises include hiking, running
  either outside or on the best treadmills(opens
  in new tab)  cycling, swimming, HIIT (high
  intensity interval training) and rowing.

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• Cardiovascular, or aerobic exercise, can be
  described as any exercise that gets your heart
  pumping. However, as most exercise does this, we
  need to look at the term aerobic, which
  basically means with oxygen, explains sports
  scientist Jamal Ramsay.

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• Aerobic exercise refers to any activity where
  your body is relying on oxygen to help with its
  energy supply. This is opposed to anaerobic
  exercise, where your body doesn't use oxygen and
  instead draws on stored glucose to provide quick
  bursts of energy. 

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• Both types of exercise have their pros and cons,
  but usually when people say 'cardio workout' they
  mean aerobic exercise. Read on to find out more
  about different cardio workouts and which are
  best for calorie burn, muscle building and
  enjoyment.

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WHICH CARDIO WORKOUT IS BEST FOR CALORIE BURN?

• HIIT training is probably the best option for
  calorie burn. It has a high energy expenditure
  and it depletes the oxygen available to the
  muscles, forcing the body to burn fat to get more
  energy to function. This puts the body in an
  oxygen debt so you will continue to burn calories
  even after your workout has finished, a process
  known as the After Burn Effect. 

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• But even studies like the above wont be able to
  account for all factors when it comes to calorie
  burn. HIIT regimes may burn more calories than
  other sports because it requires a lot of force
  and it engages large muscle groups. However, its
  repetitive impact can cause joint pain, which
  means you might not be able to sustain it for
  very long. Regular cycling sessions or swimming
  may be a better option for some people.

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WHICH CARDIO WORKOUT IS BEST FOR MUSCLE BUILDING?

• Ramsay says that cardio isnt necessarily
  designed to build muscle. To build muscle, you
  need to be working against resistance. With that
  said, swimming is good because its a combination
  of aerobic and resistance training because youre
  working against the resistance of the water.
  Cycling is also good for building muscles in the
  lower body. 

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• Remember, cardiovascular exercise doesnt have to
  mean spending hours on the Stairmaster or running
  uphill. In fact long sessions of steady state
  cardio (continuous, moderate effort) has been
  proven to increase the stress hormone cortisol
  and break down muscle, a study published in the
  journal Psychoneuroendocrinology(opens in new
  tab) found.

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WHICH CARDIO WORKOUT IS MOST TIME EFFICIENT?

• Without a doubt, HIIT wins in this category.
  HIIT training can burn up to 1,000 calories in
  an hour so is usually considered a great workout.
  Also, because you can fit HIIT sessions into very
  short periods of time, it is very effective for
  those that dont have a lot of time to dedicate
  to exercise, Ramsay told Live Science.