5 Hours a Week: Cardio Training Guidance for Recreational Athletes

You’re a busy person. Career, family, social obligations and everything else. What SHOULD you be doing for your cardio if you have just five hours a week to devote to your training? What’s the proper mix of long, slow effort, interval sessions and tempo bouts? How many times a week should you be getting out? And what’s the ideal duration per workout?

To work out the answer, Marty and Stu invite on to the show the science journalist Alex Hutchinson, who has a physics Ph.D. from Cambridge and was on the Canadian national running team. He writes the Sweat Science column, on the science of human performance, for Outside magazine. He’s also the author of the bestselling books Endure and The Explorer’s Gene. 

Together, the guys discuss:

• the challenge of cardio training when you’re not a professional athlete. 

• the current vogue for Marius Bakken and Norwegian Threshold training

• Norwegian Threshold Training’s implications for Zone 2 and other training protocols

• The optimal cardio training regimen for those who have five hours a week for training

• The challenge of intensity guidance and training thresholds   

Send us ideas for future episodes, comments and listener questions at [email protected]

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Exercise Science sponsor Precision Nutrition is the #1 most recommended nutrition certification program in the world. And now it specializes in GLP-1 coaching. For a free assessment to learn your GLP-1 type, visit GLPCoaching.com. 

EPISODE LINKS

Alex Hutchinson’s Sweat Science website. Substack. He’s also on Instagram. 

Hutchinson’s books: Endure. The Explorer’s Gene. 

1964 5,000m final Olympic final results.  

Mentioned in this episode: The Norwegian Method Applied. Book by Marius Bakken MD

Also here’s Brendan Gurd from Queen’s University. 

Recent guidance from the ACSM & ESSA: Physical Activity and Exercise Intensity Terminology. 

This episode’s listener question comes from Sandi Nypaver. Here’s here Instagram and her bio at Higher Running

SHOW LINKS

Follow or subscribe at your favourite platform @realexercisescience: Substack. YouTube. TikTok. Instagram. Apple Podcasts. Spotify. On X you can find us @realexscience. 

Stu is everywhere, too, but mostly on Instagram and X. Follow him on TikTok too!

Marty just started his own Instagram. Give him a follow! He’s also on X!Exercise Science is produced by Ghost Bureau, the Toronto content agency. 

DISCUSSION POINTS

00:00 Episode introduction

00:52 Introducing Alex

03:00 Origin story

05:52 Brain's role

08:04 Sponsor break

10:40 Program optimality

12:50 Different approaches

14:55 Norwegian threshold

16:55 Training intensity

18:32 Individual differences

22:24 Threshold domains

24:32 Sponsor break

27:10 Interval routine

30:59 Resistance training

33:14 Current project

34:14 Listener question

37:00 Episode wrap-up

DISCLAIMER

The Exercise Science podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Strength training and fitness carry inherent risks. Always consult with a physician or qualified healthcare provider before starting any new exercise program or making changes to your diet. The hosts, producers, sponsors and guests of this podcast disclaim any liability for any injuries or losses connected with the information discussed in this show.

Martin Gibala is an advisor to and holds equity in Longevity League Ltd., a US-based company whose services in part relate to exercise.