Does ‘Cozy Cardio’ Really Work for Older Exercisers?

Anybody who’s stepped foot on a treadmill, power-walked their way around the neighborhood or suited up for an aqua aerobics class knows, cardio — short for cardiovascular exercise — is many things. Sweaty. Challenging. Invigorating. Intense. But cozy? Hardly ever.

And yet a type of exercise dubbed “cozy cardio” is looking to redefine what it means to get your cardio.

Instead of exercise that feels punishing, cozy cardio is a kinder, gentler means to the end, putting as much emphasis on self-care and enjoyment as on getting your heart rate up. The trend was started by Hope Zuckerbrow, a Texas-based social media influencer, in search of a form of exercise that isn’t just about losing weight but a type that could actually “spark joy when it came to movement,” she told CNN in 2023.

Her favorite way to do that? Stroll on her at-home walking pad while watching television and sipping iced coffee, sometimes still in her bathrobe and fuzzy socks.

In the year or so since the phrase was coined, cozy cardio has become shorthand for any lower-impact, lower-intensity at-home exercise that involves getting your heart rate up in a way that feels good. All of which sounds great in theory (and on TikTok), but is it challenging enough to satisfy the goal of cardio?

Cardio — a.k.a. aerobic exercise — is meant to be at least moderate-intensity exercise involving larger muscle groups that’s done over extended periods to improve your overall cardiovascular system.

To learn more about the cozy cardio fitness trend, from AARP, CLICK HERE.