Do You Need More Cardio if You Already Do CrossFit?
If you're doing CrossFit a few times a week, you're probably getting plenty of cardio, right?
After all, anyone who's finished a workout involving thrusters, burpees and a rowing machine knows CrossFit can leave you gasping for air.
But here's something worth understanding.
Getting your heart rate through the roof and building a strong aerobic base aren't exactly the same thing.
And while CrossFit can improve both, there's a good argument for including some easier, steady-paced cardio alongside your regular training.
Let's explain why.
Not all cardio is created equal
When most people think about cardio, they picture running, cycling or spending half an hour on a machine.
But cardio training covers a pretty broad range of intensities.
At one end, you've got hard efforts — things like intervals, sprints and those CrossFit workouts where you're staring at the clock wondering why time has suddenly stopped moving.
At the other end, you've got easier aerobic training.
Think a steady BikeErg session, a brisk walk, an easy jog or a swim where you're moving continuously without feeling like you're fighting for survival.
Both can improve your cardiovascular fitness.
They just place different demands on your body.
What is Zone 2 training?
You've probably heard people talking about Zone 2 cardio.
It's become pretty popular, although the concept of easier aerobic training has been around for a long time.
Zone 2 generally refers to a relatively comfortable aerobic intensity that you can maintain for an extended period.
There are different ways of defining heart-rate zones, so rather than getting too caught up in percentages, here's a simple way to think about it.
You should be working, but still able to hold a conversation.
Your breathing is elevated, but controlled.
You could keep going for 30–45 minutes without needing to stop every few minutes to recover.
For most people, this feels surprisingly easy compared with a typical CrossFit workout.
And that's kind of the point.
Why bother with easier cardio?
Regular aerobic training helps develop your body's ability to deliver and use oxygen during exercise.
Over time, this can improve your endurance and make sustained physical activity feel easier.
It can also support recovery between repeated efforts, although how much it improves your CrossFit performance depends on your current fitness and training.
For CrossFitters, that can be useful.
Think about a workout involving several rounds of rowing, running or cycling.
The better your aerobic fitness, the easier it may become to maintain a consistent pace without feeling completely cooked halfway through.
There's also a bigger picture.
Cardiovascular fitness is important for long-term health, not just your performance in the gym.
And you don't have to train at maximum intensity to improve it.
Doesn't CrossFit already improve aerobic fitness?
Absolutely.
CrossFit includes plenty of movements and workouts that challenge your cardiovascular system.
Longer conditioning sessions, mixed-modal workouts, rowing, running, cycling and interval training can all contribute to aerobic development.
And if you're training consistently, you're already doing something positive for your health and fitness.
The question isn't whether CrossFit provides cardio. It does.
The question is whether your particular training week includes enough sustained aerobic work to support your goals.
Some weeks might include plenty.
Other weeks might be heavier on strength work, short intervals and high-intensity workouts.
That's where an additional easy aerobic session can be useful.
Not because CrossFit is missing something fundamental, but because a little more targeted training can complement what you're already doing.
You don't need to smash yourself every session
Here's where people sometimes get it wrong.
They assume that if a workout doesn't leave them exhausted, it wasn't particularly useful.
But training harder isn't automatically training better.
Your body responds to different types of exercise in different ways.
Hard sessions have their place.
So do easier ones.
And if you're already doing several demanding CrossFit sessions each week, adding another high-intensity workout isn't necessarily the smartest option.
Sometimes the most useful thing you can do is spend 30 minutes moving at a comfortable pace.
No racing.
No leaderboard.
No collapsing on the floor afterwards.
Revolutionary stuff, really.
How much extra cardio should you do?
For most busy adults, the answer is to start small.
If you're already attending CrossFit three times a week, you don't necessarily need to overhaul your schedule.
You could try adding:
• One 30–40-minute easy BikeErg, row, walk, jog or swim each week.
• A second easy session if your schedule and recovery allow.
• More walking throughout your normal day.
You can also build aerobic work into your existing training when appropriate.
For general health, Australian adult physical activity guidelines recommend accumulating 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75–150 minutes of vigorous activity each week, or an equivalent combination, alongside muscle-strengthening activity on at least two days.
Your CrossFit sessions may already contribute substantially to those targets.
The goal isn't to pile on unnecessary training.
It's to find a sensible balance between strength, conditioning, aerobic fitness and recovery.
What if you're just starting CrossFit?
If you're new to CrossFit, don't read this and think you suddenly need to add another three cardio sessions to your week.
You don't.
For someone getting back into exercise after years away, simply attending two or three coached classes consistently can be a fantastic starting point.
You'll be developing strength, improving your fitness, learning movements and building a routine.
As your fitness improves, you can look at whether some additional aerobic work would be beneficial.
And that might be as simple as going for a walk on the days you're not at the gym.
Start with what you can manage.
Build from there.
The bottom line
CrossFit is a great way to develop a broad range of fitness qualities, including strength, endurance and cardiovascular fitness.
But that doesn't mean every session needs to be hard.
Some easier, steady-paced aerobic training can complement your CrossFit workouts and help develop your endurance without adding another demanding session.
Train hard when it's time to train hard. Train easy when it's time to train easy.
And remember, the best training program isn't the one that looks most impressive on paper.
It's the one you can keep doing consistently.
At CrossFit Prolific in Merewether, we help people build strength, improve their cardiovascular fitness and train in a way that suits their experience and goals.
Whether you're completely new to CrossFit or have been training for years, our coaches can help you find the right starting point.
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