We know cardio is essential to improve the cardiovascular system. This goes without saying. What many people don’t realize, is that cardiovascular exercise can be useful for losing weight as well as gaining weight; for increasing endurance as well as increasing power, size, and strength. The difference is in training energy systems. You can train your anaerobic energy system (builds power and strength) while participating in a cardio workout, just as easily as training you can train your aerobic energy system by performing super-high-rep circuit training on the weight machines (boo).

When trying to determine which form of cardio you should do, you need to evaluate your goals. Are you trying to:
* Lose as much weight as possible without regard for muscle or strength?
* Train for a specific athletic event such as track or a marathon?
* Improve leg power and leg speed along with cardiovascular endurance?
* Build as much muscle as possible in the shortest amount of time?
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