Exercising. A word that makes most people cringe, because who wants to go out and move their body when they can lay down on a couch with a bowl of chips while watching TV shows? However, if you do want to lose weight, then you really need to ditch the laziness and start getting on your feet and perform some exercises. Steady state cardio is the most common form of cardio that almost anyone can do. But just like other forms of cardio, they do have their own pros and cons. 

1, Burn lots of calories.

一，燃烧很多卡路里。

While performing steady state cardio, your body starts burning fats until the moment you stop exercising. Depending on your weight, the type of exercise and the duration, it can help you burn a lot of calories. Say the simplest steady state cardio, walking. Do you know by just walking for 30 minutes a day you can burn 90 calories? Although it doesn’t seem like a lot, imagine if you walked at a faster speed, or you walk more in a day? That would totally help you burn even more calories than you think.

2, Less taxing on your body.

二，不会费太多力气。

Steady state cardio are usually less taxing on your body, unlike high-intensity interval training (HIIT) which requires more resting time. After performing steady state cardio, you might just need 30 minutes to an hour and your body will return to its original state. This also means that if done within an appropriate amount of time and intensity, your body will be less likely to get injured. That is why you need to make sure you do not strain your body too much, especially for running or using the elliptical.

3, Great for beginners.

三，适合初学者。

As steady state cardio is lower in intensity as compared to HIIT, they are great for people who are just starting out with exercising. There is almost nothing you can go wrong with steady state cardio, anyone can do it without getting them wrong. It is also a great cardio for people to build up their intensity, say from walking to running, before attempting any exercises or weight training that are too high in intensity for their level.

4, Can be done more frequently.

四，可以时常做。

Since steady state cardio is less taxing on your body, they can be done more frequently, in fact, it is advisable to perform steady state cardio at least 5 days a week to keep your body moving and to improve your heartbeat. For exercises that are lower in intensity, such as walking or jogging, they can certainly be done every day of the week. Just watch out for exercises that are higher in intensity.

5, Useful in relieving sore muscles.

五，能纾解肌肉疼痛。

Steady state cardio and HIIT work together to give you the best body you wished for. Since HIIT cannot be done every day of the week, you can definitely use steady state cardio to fill out the days where you are “resting” from HIIT. By performing low-intensity steady state cardio on your “rest days” you can relieve any sore muscles from HIIT, and you are still keeping your body moving. Killing two birds with one stone.

6, Improve cardio endurance.

六，增强心的耐力。

Both steady state cardio and HIIT are great in improving our cardio endurance, but usually, steady state is the winner in this case. This is because steady-state keeps your heart rate elevated over a longer period of time and gradually increases your heart rate, as supposed to a burst of heartbeat when performing HIIT. Aside from your cardio endurance, they are also great for your heart keeping your heart healthy and strong.

7, Can recover faster.

七，能更快的恢复。

Unlike HIIT, steady state cardio is less taxing on your body, thus your body can definitely recover from it quickly. HIIT usually requires a day or two for your body to recover, but steady state cardio only takes up less than a day, which is why you can definitely perform steady state cardio twice a day, say once in the morning and once in the evening. 

1, Takes up a lot of time.

一，消费比较多时间。

One of the downsides of steady state cardio is that steady state cardio usually takes up a whole lot of time as compared to HIIT. Performing a 15 minutes HIIT can be really effective, but any steady state cardio needs to be at least 30 minutes long in order to see a significant difference in time. This can be a hassle for many people who have jobs or schools, it can be difficult to find even 30 minutes out of their days to go out and take a walk.

2, Can be boring and repetitive.

二，会感觉郁闷和很重复。

The act of steady state cardio can be boring to some people because you are just doing the same movements over and over again for a long period of time, as supposed to HIIT which incorporates many different high-intensity exercises. This can also be a reason many people failed to keep up with the workout, as the repetitive action decreases their motivation.

3, Can be harmful to your body if done too much.

三，如果运动太多会对身体有害。

Steady state cardio, just like HIIT, can cause injuries as well. If you are performing a higher intensity steady state cardio, say running, and you continued running despite the feeling ache in your legs, you will definitely cause your body more harm than good. Just make sure to keep your body in check. Only continue if your body allows it. If your body calls for a rest, then listen to your body.

4, Might increase your appetite.

四，可能会增加胃口。

It has been said that many people do not feel hungrier after a more intense workout, such as HIIT or weight training, however, this is the opposite for steady state cardio. Studies have shown that steady-state cardio actually triggers a hormone in our body that is associated with hunger, which explains why after performing steady state cardio, you might feel the need to eat a lot and might even cause overheating.

5, Can cause muscle loss.

五，会导致肌肉的损失。

If you are only performing steady state cardio (without toning or muscle building exercises), this can be bad news for your muscles. Performing long hours of steady state cardio only would cause your muscle mass the be reduced, leaving your skin less toned and weaker, and the loss of muscle might even cause a decrease in calories burn when your body is in rest. To prevent this, make sure you are performing both body toning and steady state cardio to keep your muscles strong.

6, Long duration will cause stress on your body.

六，太过长久运动会对身体有压力。

Performing an overly long duration of steady state cardio will actually do your body more harm than good. Say if you run every day for two hours, this will only cause stress on your body and even injure your muscles. Try to keep the high-intensity exercises shorter and perform low-intensity exercises for a longer period of time to make the most out of them.

7, Can cause a weight loss plateau.

七，可能无法继续减重。

One of the most common problems people encounter when performing steady state cardio is a weight loss plateau, which is a state where your body stopped losing weight because your body gets used to the exercise. Our body is excellent in getting used to steady state cardio, so to prevent a weight loss plateau, try changing up your exercise, say increase the intensity or the duration. Just make sure to change things up.

There is no perfect types of workout. All kinds of exercises do have their own pros and cons. The best way is still to do a combination of workouts. Don’t tie yourself down to performing just one type of exercise. Explore and try things that work for you. As long as you enjoy what you’re doing, it is really all that matters.

“Without those things you wouldn’t be you. And why would you want to be anyone else? Be confident with who you are. Smile. It’ll draw people in. If anyone hates on you because you are happy with yourself then stick your middle finger in the air and say screw it. My happiness will not depend on others anymore. I’m happy because I love who I am. I love my flaws. I love my imperfections. They make me me. And ‘me’ is pretty amazing.”

*Disclaimer: The writer is not a trainer, body builder or any health expert. These exercises, like any other exercises, could be dangerous and could cause injuries. Before attempting any of these exercises, make sure they are appropriate for your strength, flexibility, endurance and overall health. If these exercises are too hard on your body or are causing you pain in any way, do not continue working out with them. Only proceed with them if they make you feel right. These exercises are just based on the researches done and experiences of the writer, and please take into account that they might not be suitable for everyone. The writer would not be responsible for any physical, emotional, or medical issues that have happened due to the extracted information shown.