Should Tradies Do Cardio? (Honest Answer for Blokes Who Are Already Knackered)

You're on your feet from 7am. You've been lugging stuff around, up and down scaffolding, in and out of vans, crouching under sinks. By the time you get home, someone on the internet is telling you to go for a run.

Is that actually necessary?

Short answer: kind of, yes — but not in the way you think.

Here's the honest breakdown.

You're Already Moving — But It's Not Enough on Its Own

Physical labour keeps you lean (up to a point) and burns plenty of calories. That's real.

But here's what all-day site work doesn't give you: cardiovascular fitness.

There's a difference between being physically active and having a strong cardiovascular system. Your heart, lungs, and blood vessels adapt to specific types of effort — and walking around a site with gear doesn't push them hard enough to actually improve.

Why does that matter?

• Heart health. Tradesmen are at higher risk of heart disease than desk workers, partly due to physical stress, smoking rates, diet, and stress hormones. Proper cardio training strengthens your heart muscle and reduces that risk significantly.
• Energy levels. A stronger cardiovascular system means your heart moves blood more efficiently. Less effort per beat, more oxygen delivered. You feel less knackered at the end of a long day.
• Recovery. Better cardio fitness = faster recovery from both training and physical work. Your body bounces back quicker.
• Mental health. Sustained moderate-intensity cardio is one of the most effective tools for lowering cortisol and improving mood. It works like medication for stress and low-level depression.

You need it. Just not as much as someone who sits at a desk all day.

The Difference Between LISS and HIIT

LISS — Low Intensity Steady State. Steady-paced effort for 20–40 minutes: walking at pace, cycling, swimming, rowing at a comfortable intensity. You can hold a conversation but you're working.

HIIT — High Intensity Interval Training. Short bursts of maximum effort followed by rest. Think 30 seconds of sprinting, 90 seconds of walking, repeated 8–10 times.

Both work. Here's which one makes sense for tradies:

If you're already exhausted from work, HIIT is a bad idea. It's a significant additional stressor on top of an already high-load day. LISS is the better choice — it improves your cardiovascular system without hammering your recovery.

If you have more in the tank — say on weekends or lighter working days — a HIIT session can be highly time-efficient and gives you more bang for your training buck.

The mistake most people make is thinking HIIT is superior. It's not, it's just faster. And for blokes who are already physically ground down, LISS is more sustainable and less likely to cause injury.

What Actually Works for Tradies

2 sessions per week is genuinely enough. If you're working physically all week, you don't need 5 cardio sessions on top. Two sessions of 25–35 minutes maintains and improves cardiovascular health without adding excessive fatigue.

Walk more on your lunch break. Not a session, not structured, just 15 minutes. Your daily steps are already high — keep them high on rest days too rather than being completely sedentary.

Saturday LISS, Sunday off. That's a simple structure. A 30-minute bike or a brisk walk/jog on Saturday. Properly rest Sunday. You'll feel the difference within a few weeks.

Don't run if you hate running. Cycling, rowing, swimming, even a fast-paced walk on a treadmill with an incline — they all work. Pick something you'll actually do.

Protect your joints. If your knees or back are already taking a hammering on site, running on pavement 4 times a week is a recipe for injury. Low-impact options (bike, pool, rowing machine) give you all the cardiovascular benefit without the joint stress.

Signs Your Cardio Is Already Paying Off

• You're less winded carrying gear up stairs or ladders
• You recover faster after hard physical graft
• Your resting heart rate is lower (if you track it)
• You feel sharper and less fatigued mid-afternoon
• You sleep better

None of that requires you to become a runner or sign up for half marathons. Two sessions a week, done consistently, will move the needle.

The Bottom Line

Yes, tradies need cardio. No, you don't need to do loads of it. Two sessions a week of LISS is the sweet spot for most blokes — enough to protect your heart, boost your energy, and support recovery without grinding you down further.

Do it. Just don't overdo it.