While cardio can often feel like a slog, maintaining your cardiovascular fitness with age is vital to living a long, healthy life. But exactly how much cardio you need by age isn’t always clear, nor is what kind of exercise counts. Below, personal trainer Michael Baah, who is also a qualified Level 4 Oncology Exercise Specialist, explains how your exercise needs shift in each decade – and how to choose the right activity for you.
Why is cardio fitness important?
‘Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), often measured via VO2 max, is one of the strongest independent predictors of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality,’ says Baah. ‘Large prospective cohorts, including the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, and more recent analyses demonstrate that individuals in the lowest fitness categories have significantly higher mortality risk – independent of smoking, BMI, hypertension or diabetes.’
Your VO2 max – the maximum amount of oxygen your body can absorb and use during exercise – declines by roughly 5-10% per decade after the age of 30, says Baah, with sedentary individuals and those 60+ experiencing steeper declines. Maintaining cardiorespiratory fitness through regular aerobic training helps slow that decline, he adds, and is associated with:
Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.Improved insulin sensitivity and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.Lower risk of colon, postmenopausal breast and endometrial cancers, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and World Cancer Research Fund reviews.Improved cognitive preservation and lower dementia risk.Greater functional independence in older age.How much cardio should you do in each decade?
According to WHO guidelines, adults 18+ should do 150-300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, 75-150 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity activity or an equivalent combination. ‘These recommendations remain consistent across adulthood, but application changes by decade,’ says Baah, who outlines what those shifts might look like below.
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How much cardio should you do at each age?
20s-30s
‘Aim towards the upper end of the range [of those WHO guidelines] if recovery allows. This is the decade to build peak VO2 max. Including 1-2 vigorous sessions weekly can meaningfully improve long-term aerobic capacity.’
40s-50s
‘Maintain at least 150-300 minutes weekly. Joint-friendly activities such as cycling, incline walking, rowing or swimming can reduce overuse risk. Interval training remains effective, though recovery may require more structure.’
60s-70s
‘Target a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate activity weekly. Evidence shows maintaining aerobic fitness in this decade is strongly associated with preserved independence and reduced cardiovascular events. Add balance and coordination work alongside cardio.’
80s-90s
‘The focus shifts to autonomy and function. Meeting the minimum 150 minutes weekly is ideal, but in previously sedentary adults, any increase above baseline inactivity produces meaningful health benefits. Walking, aquatic exercise and stationary cycling are effective and low impact.’
How to increase cardio when you don’t like cardio
For those who have tended to shy away from cardio-based exercise, or who only associate it with running, Baah’s best tip is to ‘redefine cardio,’ and to recognise that ‘aerobic benefit can be accumulated in shorter bouts throughout the day.’ He recommends trying:
10-15-minute brisk walks after meals, which help manage blood sugar levels.Resistance circuits or loaded carries that elevate heart rate into moderate zones.Incline treadmill walking while watching television.Dance, racket sports or recreational sports.
Research has also shown the benefits of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on VO2 max, adds Baah, which can often be a more time-efficient option for people.
Related StoryThe importance of strength training
Despite the huge health and longevity benefits of cardio in isolation, it’s ‘insufficient for healthy ageing,’ says Baah. Indeed, WHO guidance also recommends at least two muscle-strengthening activities per week for all adults.
‘Muscle mass begins declining from 40 and accelerates after 60,’ adds Baah. ‘Loss of lean mass is strongly associated with metabolic dysfunction, falls and loss of independence.’
How much cardio is too much?
‘For most adults, exceeding 300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity provides additional cardiovascular benefit,’ says Baah. Indeed, WHO guidance goes by the motto that ‘more is better’ and that everyone who can, should exceed 300 minutes. But it’s not a one-size-fits-all situation – people have different priorities, needs and schedules, so should aim for the above target recommendations where possible and only do more if and when they can.
‘However, extremely high volumes of prolonged high-intensity endurance training, particularly over many years, have been associated in cardiology literature with a higher incidence of atrial fibrillation [a heart rhythm disorder where your heartbeat is unsteady],’ adds Baah. ‘The absolute risk remains low, but volume and recovery matter.’
Persistent fatigue, declining performance, sleep disruption, elevated resting heart rate and recurrent injury could signal excessive training, he adds, and you should always progress gradually and seek medical clearance if you have existing heart issues.
‘Cardio is protective at almost every dose above inactivity. The risk profile shifts only at extremes of volume or in predisposed individuals.’
Note that all advice in this article is general exercise advice only, not medical advice.
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Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women’s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis. She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner’s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity. A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She’s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.