As an avid Apple Watch user, I’m always looking for new ways to stay active and get the most out of my workouts. Recently I’ve become interested in the concept of mixed cardio, and I wanted to share what I learned about it. Mixed cardio is a type of workout that combines multiple different types of cardio exercise into one session, providing a more balanced and effective workout. In this blog post, I’ll explain what mixed cardio is, how it works, and how you can get started with it on your Apple Watch.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Mixed Cardio | Combines multiple types of cardio exercises in one session for a balanced and effective workout |
| Tracking | Monitors heart rate and estimates calories burned during various activities and exercises |
| Benefits | – Improves cardiovascular health |
What Is “Mixed Cardio” on Apple Watch?
Mixed Cardio is the name of one of the exercise modes listed under the “Others” section on your Apple Watch.
This means that you won’t typically see the “Mixed Cardio” among the initial list of suggested workouts that are found in the Apple Watch Workouts menu.
While some exercises and workouts on Apple Watches are highly specific, this one refers to a more generalized variety of exercises that you can do anywhere, whether you’re using special equipment or not.
Mixed Cardio mainly tracks your heart rate and estimates the number of calories burnt while doing various activities and exercises.
Ideally, any type of aerobic training that aims at increasing your heart and respiratory rate is considered cardio, but the term mixed cardio is usually geared towards relatively mild to medium aerobic exercise.
In fact, a lot of users use Mixed Cardio mode in order to keep track of the number of calories burnt while doing daily chores as well!
Read more: How good is Apple Watch for weightlifting?
What Are the Benefits of Mixed Cardio Workouts?
Several studies have been conducted to find out more about the benefits of mixed cardio workouts.
Surprisingly, the perks of mixed cardio didn’t stop at physical advantages, but it also includes mental benefits.
According to an extensive report by Cleveland Clinic, mixed cardio training offers a variety of advantages, such as:
- Improving and preserving the health of your cardiovascular system
- Helping in weight loss, bodybuilding, and maintaining a healthy figure
- Lowering blood pressure
- Regulating your blood glucose level
- Supporting mental health and reducing symptoms of anxiety and insomnia
- Strengthen your immune system
Of course, some of these benefits are directly proportional to the amount of work you put into training, especially the physical aspects.
Read more: Is it worth buying an Apple Watch without cellular?
How Does Mixed Cardio Compare to HIIT Workout Mode?
HIIT is another workout mode that you can find on Apple Watches. This one stands for High Intensity Interval Training, and while it’s technically a cardio exercise, it’s quite different from Mixed Cardio.
As the name suggests, in HIIT workouts, your workout is in the form of sudden bursts of aerobic activity that are characterized by their high intensity. It’s also usually followed by an extended rest period to replenish your energy again.
In other words, HIIT workouts are shorter than Mixed Cardio but much more intense, so they’re ideal for serious athletes while the latter is better suited for casual users.
How to Set Up Mixed Cardio Workout on Apple Watch?
Now that you know more about Mixed Cardio, its benefits, and how it compares to similar aerobic modes, it’s time to set it up on your Apple Watch. Here’s a simple step by step guide that will show you how to do it:
- Open the Workout app on your Apple Watch, then scroll down to “Others”
- Tap the “Add Workouts” button, and scroll down until you find “Mixed Cardio”. Now Mixed Workout should be present in your Workout menu
- Open the Mixed Cardio App
- Set your workout goal. You can skip that step, which automatically puts you on the open goal mode.
- Press start once you’re ready to start your workout. The watch will be ready to track your activity afterward.
Is Mixed Cardio Workout Mode Accurate?
Apple Watches uses various sensors and advanced programming and technologies in order to track all your movements while working out.
Not only that, but Apple also continues to update the WatchOS software in order to improve its accuracy and fix common problems.
For that reason, the Mixed Cardio mode is decently accurate and will help you get a good sense of progress while training.
However, it’s also important that you choose the right workout mode before exercising because each type of training has its own calibrations, which gives you the most accurate results.
Final Thoughts
This wraps it up for today’s guide that walks you through everything you need to know about Mixed Cardio mode on Apple Watch.
As you can see, this mode is ideal for tracking your heart rate and calories burnt during casual cardio workouts, such as walking, working machines, aerobics, or even some house chores.
However, if you’re doing serious cardio that raises your heart rate to the max, you might want to switch to the HIIT mode for more accurate results.
