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Let's Make Cardio FUN Again
September 21, 2025

Let's Make Cardio FUN Again

Why Cardio Still Matters

Strength training is the foundation for lasting fat loss, muscle gain, and body composition changes. But cardio still has a role — just not in the extreme way most fitness plans push it.

At Sesh, we use cardio as a tool for heart health, recovery, and sustainable calorie burn — not as a punishment or a way to “earn” your food.

The Sesh Cardio Philosophy

✅ Start small: 3 cardio sessions per week, 20 minutes each

✅ Focus on quality, not quantity: More isn’t always better

✅ Pair with strength training: Cardio burns calories during exercise, while strength training boosts your metabolism all day

Doing too much cardio can lead to:

❌ Slower recovery

❌ Increased inflammation

❌ Difficulty building or maintaining muscle

❌ Plateaus if you can’t keep increasing cardio over time

Read more about our full Cardio Philosophy here.

How Much Cardio Should You Do?

  • Beginner or strength-focused: 3x/week, 20 minutes (start here)
  • Advanced or fat loss-focused: Increase by 5 minutes/week after 3+ weeks of consistency if you’re plateauing. Working with a Sesh+ Coach is ideal if you're experiencing this.
  • High-intensity cardio: Limit to 3x/week max and spread sessions out

Fun Cardio Ideas That Don’t Feel Like Work Cardio doesn’t have to mean hours on the treadmill. When you choose activities you enjoy, you’ll naturally stay consistent. Try these options to make cardio more fun and less like a chore:

Solo Sweat Sessions

  • Incline walking or jogging outdoors
  • Jump rope (start with singles, work up to double-unders!)
  • “Deck of Cards” workout (assign a move to each suit and draw cards to determine reps)

Move Like a Kid Again

  • Dance party in your living room
  • Trampoline workout (mini-trampoline or trampoline park)
  • TikTok dance challenges

Get Outside

  • Hiking or long nature walks
  • Roller skating, biking, or ice skating
  • A stair-climbing challenge at a local park or stadium

Make It Social

  • Join a volleyball, kickball, or pickleball league
  • Play a game of basketball, tennis, or soccer with friends
  • Frisbee or tag with your kids

Make It Low Impact

  • Swimming laps or water aerobics
  • Fast-paced walking in the pool (harder than you think!)

What Counts as Cardio?

Cardio = any activity that raises your heart rate to around 110–150 BPM. Examples:

  • Low intensity: Walking, incline treadmill, light cycling (usually 30 min)
  • Moderate intensity: Jogging, Stairmaster, jump rope, elliptical (20 min)
  • High intensity: Sprints, cycling intervals, HIIT-style EMOM workouts (limit to 3x/week)

The Bottom Line

You don’t need hours of cardio to lose fat or get fit. Start with 3x20 and focus on strength training as your foundation. From there, adjust based on your goals and recovery.

Remember: Fitness is personal. Find the cardio options you enjoy, and they’ll never feel like punishment.

Next Step: Pick a fun cardio option this week and log your session in the Sesh App.