A man over 40 should do at least 150 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous cardio, which is what Canada’s movement guidelines recommend, plus two or more strength sessions. For most busy men that’s three 30-minute sessions and two or three brisk 20-minute walks, or two longer sessions and one hard interval workout. More than 150 minutes is fine and often better, as long as it doesn’t eat into the recovery your lifting needs.
What the 150-minute target means
Canada’s 24-Hour Movement Guidelines ask adults for at least 150 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity, at least two muscle-strengthening sessions, and several hours of light activity such as standing and walking (CSEP).
“Moderate” means your breathing is up and you can talk in short sentences. “Vigorous” means you can only manage a few words. A slow walk to the subway doesn’t count toward the 150; a brisk walk up the Avenue Road hill does.
The guidelines say “at least.” The 150 minutes is a floor for health, not a target for fitness.
Why cardio matters more after 40
Cardiorespiratory fitness is one of the strongest predictors of how long you live. In a study of 122,007 patients who did treadmill tests, the least-fit group had about five times the risk of death of the fittest group over the follow-up, and even moving from below-average to above-average fitness was linked to a meaningfully lower risk (Mandsager et al., 2018). Fitness declines with age, so a man who does no cardio in his 40s loses ground every year.
The good news is that the first minutes matter most. In a 15-year study of 55,137 adults, people who ran even 5–10 minutes a day at slow speeds had lower risks of death than non-runners (Lee et al., 2014).
How to split your cardio across the week
| Weekly cardio | Easy (conversational) | Hard (intervals) | Example week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out: 150 min | 120–150 min | 0–30 min | Brisk walk 30 min × 5 |
| Most men: 150–240 min | About 80% of the time | About 20% | 2 × 45 min bike, 1 × 25 min intervals, 2 brisk walks |
| Fitness goal: 240–300 min | About 80% | About 20% | 3 × 50 min easy, 1 interval session, a long weekend hike or ride |
The mostly-easy, some-hard split is a coaching convention widely used in endurance training. It works for men over 40 because easy cardio builds your aerobic base without draining recovery for lifting, while a small dose of hard work drives VO2 max up. The two pieces are covered in detail in zone 2 training and VO2 max for men over 40.
Fitting cardio around strength training
Lifting comes first for most men over 40, because muscle is harder to build and easier to lose. Arrange cardio so it doesn’t sabotage it:
- Put hard intervals on a non-lifting day, or after an upper-body session, never right before heavy legs.
- Easy cardio can go anywhere, including after lifting, and often helps recovery.
- Choose low-impact modes if your knees complain: bike, rower, incline treadmill walk, swimming.
- Count your steps. Walking 7,000–10,000 steps a day doesn’t replace structured cardio, but it fills the “several hours of light activity” part of the guidelines.
A simple week for a man lifting three times:
- Monday: lift, then 15 min easy bike
- Tuesday: 40 min brisk walk or easy ride
- Wednesday: lift
- Thursday: 25 min intervals on a bike or rower
- Friday: lift
- Saturday: long walk, hike or sport, 60+ min
- Sunday: off, or an easy walk
Choosing a cardio type your body will tolerate
The best cardio is the one you’ll do three times a week for years. For men over 40, impact and joint comfort decide more than calorie burn:
- Stationary or outdoor bike: low impact, easy to keep at a steady intensity, good for heavier men and sore knees.
- Rowing machine: works legs, back and arms; learn the technique first so your lower back doesn’t take over.
- Incline treadmill walking: raises your heart rate without running impact.
- Running: the most time-efficient, but build up slowly.
- Swimming: zero impact, though it’s harder to keep the intensity steady if your stroke is rusty.
The bottom line
Aim for 150 minutes of cardio a week as your floor, mostly at an easy conversational pace, with one short hard session once your base is built. Keep it from crowding out your strength work, and choose modes your joints like. If you’d like your training, cardio, nutrition and recovery planned together and adjusted each month, that’s what monthly 1:1 coaching covers. For the lifting side of the week, see how often to lift after 40.
Questions people also ask
Is walking enough cardio for a man over 40?
Brisk walking counts toward the 150 minutes if it raises your breathing so that talking takes some effort. Strolling helps your step count but doesn't build much fitness. Adding hills or a faster pace turns a walk into real cardio.
Does cardio kill muscle gains after 40?
Not in normal amounts. Two or three moderate sessions a week barely affect strength gains. Problems show up with long, hard sessions done right before lifting legs or with very high weekly mileage.
Should I do cardio before or after weights?
After, or on a separate day, if strength is your priority. A short 5–10 minute easy warm-up on a bike or rower before lifting is fine.
How much cardio do I need to lose weight?
Cardio helps, but food drives most fat loss. The 150-minute target is for health. For fat loss, daily steps plus two or three cardio sessions alongside a modest calorie deficit work better than adding hours of cardio.