What’s the ideal length of a cardio session for heart health: 20, 30 or 60 minutes?

Health guidelines recommend adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous—so how long should one session be? A 30-minute workout is often ideal: it’s achievable and spreads the load across the week.^[2]

If you’re aiming for extra heart benefit, particularly to strengthen cardiovascular fitness, doubling to 300 minutes of moderate cardio per week is an option—this can mean 60‑minute workouts daily, or six 30‑minute sessions a week, depending on your schedule.^{[1] [2]}

Remember: Short bursts of movement—even 10‑minute walks—count toward your weekly total and are great when longer sessions don’t fit your day.^[3]

If you can’t manage one 30‑minute block, breaking it into 10‑minute chunks still counts—and still helps.

Disclaimer: If you have chronic conditions or health concerns, be sure to consult your healthcare provider before changing your exercise routine.