Cardio can often be a boring and dreadful part of your workout routine, but it’s obvious that you can’t neglect it completely. Even if you’re hitting the weight until your arms fall off, you aren’t quite maximizing your physical potential with a consistent cardio aspect in your workout.

It’s no surprise that runners live longer than nonrunners—up to 3.2 years more with a 25-40% reduced risk of premature mortality, according to research published in Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases. But you don’t have to be a marathoner to reap the benefits. Even those who ran only about two hours a week (that’s 12 miles at a 10-minute-mile pace) saw these positive changes. 

Topics: