January 6, 2026, 7:05 pm | Read time: 5 minutes

According to findings from the Federal Statistical Office in 2024, cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in Germany.¹ It’s all the more important to promote cardiovascular health and prevent diseases. This can be achieved with cardio training—if done correctly.

The Definition of Cardio Training

The word “cardio” is derived from the Latin word “cardia,” meaning heart. Cardio training or cardio fitness is thus the targeted enhancement of the cardiovascular system’s performance to prevent diseases and maintain heart health. To achieve this, it’s important to regularly integrate endurance training into daily life. Endurance here describes the ability to sustain a given load, such as running or cycling, for as long as possible without physical and mental fatigue.

Also interesting: How Long and Fast Should Men and Women Be Able to Run

Effects of Effective Cardio Training

Regular cardio fitness leads to many adaptive effects in various organs. While the lungs adapt with improved breathing economy, lung circulation, expansion of the lung capillary network, and strengthening of the respiratory muscles, the heart is strengthened in terms of reducing resting heart rate, increasing stroke volume, improving circulation, and enhancing heart work efficiency. Additionally, blood pressure can be lowered through regular cardio training—this is particularly important for people with high blood pressure.

Cardio fitness also increases blood volume and fluidity while improving acid tolerance and immune cell activity. The circulation of skeletal muscles is promoted, and their number of mitochondria is increased.

Mistakes and Misunderstandings About Endurance Training

Endurance training is often done after a strength training session or without proper planning. Walking is also often seen as a form of cardiovascular training. No question—walking as a form of movement is good, but it should not be considered cardiovascular training. This requires thoughtful planning and dosing, which is regularly intensified.

What Makes Effective Cardio Training?

When it comes to strength training, a well-thought-out training or split plan is usually created and divided with care for the training days. However, this is often not the case with cardio training. To effectively strengthen heart health and benefit from the positive adaptations mentioned earlier, proper dosing and planning are of great importance.

An Endurance Test Should Be Conducted Before Any Training Plan

A training plan should always be preceded by an endurance test. Ideally, this is conducted with the help of a trainer or another suitable person. The goal of the endurance test is to determine the current training status. Only when this is established can the correct duration, intensity, and frequency of cardio sessions be determined. Suitable endurance tests include the bicycle ergometer test, the Cooper test, or the walking test, where the current training status can be determined using pulse monitoring or distance.

Influence of Heart Rate on Training Planning

To determine the maximum heart rate that can be reached while running or walking, subtract your age from 220—this gives the maximum heart rate. For cycling, it’s slightly lower, calculated by subtracting your age from 200. A 40-year-old person should thus reach a maximum heart rate of 180 while jogging. To set the intensity of the training, the maximum heart rate can also serve as a guide. For beginners, an intensity of 60 to 70 percent of the maximum heart rate is recommended.²

Person, 40 Years Old, Jogging:

• 220 – 40 = 180 (maximum heart rate)
• 180 x 0.60 = 108 (60 percent)
• 180 x 0.7 = 126 (70 percent)

The heart rate of the 40-year-old untrained person should be between 108 and 126 during the endurance session. For trained individuals, the heart rate can be between 70 and 85 percent of the maximum heart rate.

More on the topic

Fitness Trainer Recommends Light Cardio After Strength Training–Here’s Why

FITBOOK Author Wanted to Know What My Apple Watch Reveals About My Training: I Tested It While Rowing

Structure and Duration of Effective Cardio Training

I generally recommend prioritizing the frequency of endurance training. Only then should the duration of the training session and intensity be increased.

Example for Beginners:

• Week 1: 1 training session of 15 minutes with low intensity
• Weeks 2 and 3: 2 sessions of 15 minutes with low intensity
• Weeks 4 and 5: 3 training sessions of 15 minutes with low intensity
• Weeks 5 and 6: 3 training sessions of 20 minutes with low intensity
• From week 7: 3 training sessions of 20 minutes with medium intensity
• Weeks 12 and 13: 3 training sessions of 25 minutes with medium intensity

Advanced athletes can start with a higher number of training sessions, increased duration, and intensity. However, the progression can be similar to the example provided.

Types of Endurance Training

Suitable sports that strengthen heart health and endurance, and can be easily increased, are:

• Jogging
• Cycling
• Swimming
• Hiking
• Walking
• Aerobic classes
• HIIT sessions

When choosing the right sport, training status, age, and any pre-existing conditions should definitely be considered. Thus, cycling is particularly suitable for beginners or older people with joint problems. However, the enjoyment of the respective sport should not be neglected, as it supports mental endurance and can positively influence psychological perseverance.