Types of Cardio: From Indoor to Outdoor, Recommended Routines by Body Weight

Various types of cardio, find the perfect workout for you

When people think of cardio, they usually imagine running outdoors or on a gym treadmill. Even if running is highly effective, is it really the right method for you?

The answer is ‘No.’ Depending on your physical condition and body weight, the necessary types of cardio and methods differ for everyone.

There are many alternatives to just running. From indoor machines and home workouts to outdoor running, we recommend the most effective and suitable types of cardio based on your body weight.

1. Types of Cardio at a Glance: Indoor vs. Outdoor

Cardio can largely be divided into indoor and outdoor activities. It is best to choose a method you can do consistently, considering weather and accessibility.

Indoor Cardio: Gym treadmill, indoor cycling, stair climber (stairway to heaven), rowing machine, swimming, boxing, home bodyweight exercises (burpee test, mountain climbers, etc.)

Outdoor Cardio: Walking, jogging & running, outdoor cycling, light hiking, taking the stairs in daily life, jump rope (recently popular in indoor jump rope gyms as well).

[+ Hobby & Sports Cardio]

If walking or running on a machine feels boring, we recommend sports activities that add fun and a sense of hitting (or competition).

Various ball games like tennis, badminton, and soccer.
Dance with upbeat music (Zumba, diet dance, etc.)

2. Recommended Types of Cardio by Body Weight

The load on your joints varies depending on your weight, so running blindly can injure your knees. Let’s choose the safest and most effective cardio based on your weight.

Overweight (Joint Protection First): Cycling (Indoor/Outdoor), Swimming (Water walking), Brisk walking (Treadmill/Outdoor)
-> Minimizes the impact on joints while using large muscles to burn fat efficiently.

Normal Weight & Skinny Fat (Fat Burning First): Jogging & running, Stair climbing (Stair climber/Outdoor), Running (Treadmill/Outdoor), Jump rope, Boxing
-> Proper resistance applied to the body helps increase bone density. Keeps the heart rate high to quickly remove body fat.

Ectomorph / Skinny (Cardio Endurance First): Interval running (Outdoor/Treadmill), Rowing machine, Air bike
-> Short, high-intensity workouts improve cardiovascular endurance and enhance the efficiency of your strength training.

3. Detailed Methods & Recommended Routines by Body Weight

Whether indoors or outdoors, the core principle is the same. Start with a routine optimized for your body type.

Overweight: ‘Safe and Steady Low-Intensity Routine

- Method: You don’t have to run. Take a half-step wider than usual and swing your arms back and forth, keeping a ‘slightly brisk walking’ feel.
- Routine [40 min]
- 1. Warm-up: Slow walk at a comfortable pace (5 min)
  2. Main: Brisk walk at 5.0~5.5km/h (30 min)
  3. Cool-down: Slow walk to catch your breath (5 min)

Normal & Skinny Fat: ‘Fat-Burning Moderate-Intensity Routine’

- Method: Instead of just walking, use an ‘incline’ or ‘stairs’ to raise your heart rate. You need an intensity that makes you break a sweat.
- Routine [30 min]
- 1. Warm-up: Light jog (5 min)
  2. Main: Stair climbing / Treadmill walking at a 10% incline (20 min)
  3. Cool-down: Flat walk to catch your breath (5 min)

Ectomorph: ‘Muscle-Protecting High-Intensity Intervals’
- Method: Prolonged exercise can actually cause muscle loss. The key is to finish your main strength training first, and then ‘shortly and intensely’ raise your heart rate at the end.
- Routine [15 min]
- 1. Main: Sprint until you are out of breath (1 min)
  2. Rest: Do not stop completely; recover by walking very slowly (1 min)
  3. Repeat: Repeat the above process for 7 sets.

💡 Pro Tip: When is the best time for cardio?

If your goal is fat loss, remember the order: ‘Cardio after strength training.’

After using carbohydrates as energy through weightlifting, doing cardio will reduce body fat much faster and more effectively.

🔥 Track with BurnFit and Build a Cardio Habit

If you don’t see results, exercising quickly becomes boring. Let’s specifically record the fact that you walked for 30 minutes yesterday and ran faster for 20 minutes today.

Leave the types of cardio and routines you did today in the easy and intuitive workout tracking app, ‘BurnFit’.

As your workout logs pile up on the calendar, your sense of accomplishment will naturally grow, and before you know it, exercise will become a healthier habit.

Image Source: Unsplash, GIPHY, BurnFit

[References]

American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM): Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription
World Health Organization (WHO): Global Action Plan on Physical Activity
Harvard Health Publishing: “Best cardio exercises for weight loss and heart health”
Mayo Clinic: “Aerobic exercise: Top 10 reasons to get physical”