‘Cosy Cardio’ offers a gentler way to exercise

HOW about a light round of jogging with a feel-good podcast in your earbuds? Or a little workout in your living room with fairy lights and your favourite TV show on?

If these exercise sessions don’t sound intimidating, but even kind of cozy, it’s because they are – literally. They’re examples of Cosy Cardio, a new fitness trend that can be followed on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.

“Cosy Cardio is low-intensity aerobic exercise you enjoy,” explains sport scientist Dr Daniel Kaptain, an instructor at the BSA School for Health Management in Saarbrücken, Germany. The trend was started by TikToker Hope Zuckerbrow (@hope_zuckerbrow).

It’s meant to make you feel good and offset a stressful, fast-paced daily routine – a ritual of self-love you look forward to, be it a jog in the woods or a half hour on your ergometer at home. What it’s not about is pushing your limits, driving up your heart rate and generally punishing yourself.

The trend has been going strong on social media for several months now, which Kaptain says doesn’t surprise him. It’s the kid sister of what in recent years has been all the rage in the fitness world, namely high-intensity workouts.

But high-intensity interval training (HIIT), in which you alternate between giving it all you’ve got for 45 seconds and then resting for 15, for example, isn’t doable by everyone. Cosy Cardio is.

The question remains: Does the trend have health and fitness benefits? Yes, says Kaptain, because it makes it easier to fit exercise into your daily routine.

“The low-intensity physical activity gives your cardiovascular system a boost, lubricates your joints and activates your muscles – all very gently,” he remarks.

By making a point of taking time out to get in some exercise, you’ll reduce stress and thereby help prevent stress-related illnesses, according to Kaptain. If you really want to improve your endurance though, he says you’ve got to combine this with more intensive workouts. – dpa