Cardio gets a bad rap—and to be fair, most of us have earned that bias the hard way. But in this episode of Build for Health, Pete and trainer Srdjan Injac get practical about what cardio actually does for your health, your strength, and your long-term quality of life. It’s not punishment. It’s not penance. And it’s definitely not the hour-long treadmill slog you remember from the ’90s. Instead, Srdjan breaks down why cardiovascular training is as essential as lifting: stronger heart and lungs, better recovery, improved metabolism, deeper sleep, and sustainable longevity.

From there, they get honest about mindset—why so many people avoid cardio, how to find the version that doesn’t make you miserable, and how to build a routine you’ll actually stick to. Srdjan explains how overdoing cardio can sabotage strength and muscle, why 15 minutes of real effort beats 60 minutes of coasting, and how interval-based training fits perfectly into a strength-focused program. They dig into weekly targets, training zones, the American Heart Association’s recommendations, and the surprising data hiding in your smartwatch—especially resting heart rate and sleep quality—as reliable markers of your cardio fitness.

If you’ve ever felt embarrassed walking up a flight of stairs, wondered whether cardio really matters if you lift, or just need a reason to stop sprinting for the parking lot before your trainer notices you skipping the rower, this conversation breaks it all open. Practical, actionable, myth-busting—classic Build for Health.

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