OK chronic cardio. How much IS too much/

So I keep reading on here about the issues of chronic cardio and am not quite sure of a definition.

Would appreciate some input :)


Is chronic a term applied the duration of training you do, or is it only for when you go above 70% of max heart rate?

Basically, per week I train:

weight lifting (total of 2 hrs/wk). Intense.

Sprinting (total of 30 mins/wk). Intense.

FUN exercise e.g. jogging with mates, rock climbing and yoga/posture exercises (total of 3.5 hrs/wk). Light to medium cardio.

Total duration around 6/7 hours per wk.


On top of that I do general life activities.


Does this sound like too much or am I ok?

Charlie

Sounds fine. Chronic cardio is when you go out for a run/medium intensity activity without enjoying it for sustained periods.

Gotcha, thanks!

If you keep your heart rate below 180-age it will never be "chronic cardio".

[QUOTE=sbhikes;990824]If you keep your heart rate below 180-age it will never be "chronic cardio".[/QUOTE]

Is it not 220 - age? Or is that the 75% max heart rate thing?

Running itself isn't bad for you. Even a couple times a week.

Running 7 miles, 6 days a week. That's too much.
(Speaking from experience.)

I think it becomes cronic when it stops being fun. I actually think no-one should 'do cardio' it just sounds so dull. Run if you enjoy it, cycle if you enjoy it, swim if you enjoy it. Do it for as long as it's fun.

Mark is coming at it from a very different place than most people - years and years of intense training to be a top international althlete, though I agree no-one should train like this - even top professional would benifit from more recovery time IMO.

At a hotel, hitting their gym each morning...

People watching is fun. The gym door opens and they invariably walk right to the treadmill, cycle machine or elliptical.

Then they sit there forever, looking low energy, doing some incredibly moderate cardio while watching TV, reading the newspaper, or playing with their phone.

That does *NOTHING*.

Only one guy in two weeks hit the weights with me, dude was also the only person without a zombie-like expression on his face.

IMO unless you are running a 5 or 10K, 1.5 miles jogging is about it. And this only serves as a warm-up for your normal exercise routine. If on a treadmill (I know I know) I like to pace at 8.2 (about 7:15 miles) which is only 11-12 minutes of your time. Twice per week for me, but I "play" so i get lots of extra cardio and have a sprint/legs day.

Hotel gyms are depressing, I agree 100%. If the weather allows, I hit the streets and jog/run push-up jump wherever I can.

Again I think it depends on the person, but have fun with it. Jogging sucks.

I prefer calling it running. If it feels like fun and not over exerting, you are fine. It's good for your cardio vascular health.

CrossFit can become addictive (from what I've heard and read) and chronic overstress on the body. And yet no one in the Paleo/Primal community ever bashes CF.