Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Health & Fitness

TikTok thinks ‘cozy cardio’ is a thing – but is it? We find out

Sounds like nonsense, but cozy cardio might be on to something

By
Man treadmill running
Thai Yuan Lim / EyeEm / Getty Images

In the past few years, “self-care” is a term in the health and wellness industry that has continued to hold new meanings. Today, TikTok’s newest “cozy cardio” trend combines self-care with cardio gym routines, creating a new way to make movement enjoyable and encouraging. 

Cozy cardio, a name coined by TikToker Hope Zuckerbrow, involves creating an appealing environment in your home to provide motivation for cardio exercises. This trend highlights that gym settings are not appealing to everyone; as some may find the environment overstimulating, while others may struggle with self-image issues when working out in public settings.

Recommended Videos

What exactly is ‘cozy cardio’ and what are its benefits?

Whether it’s working out in your favorite exercise clothing, lighting a candle, or playing soothing music, this recent TikTok trend is all about creating an environment that encourages you to get your cardio in. The goal of this trend is to help people get in more tune with their personal best environment, helping to reduce the intimidation associated with doing cardio in public settings.

Low-impact cozy cardio can apply to any type of cardio activity, from cycling to walking. For those who struggle to find movement enjoyable or can’t stick to a regular exercise routine, cozy cardio has the potential to encourage a wide array of people to adhere to more regular routines. Further, this trend is all about performing that cardio workout at home.

Given that about half of Americans face workout anxiety when working out at gyms, it’s not difficult to see why the cozy cardio trend has taken off. Beyond its ability to help improve physical fitness, it also has the power to improve mental health and help people overcome their fear of exercising. 

The ultimate goal of this trend boils down to a basic premise of creating a comfortable environment surrounded by “cozy” items that help people feel more motivated to work out.

Person holding a candle
thevibrantmachine / Pexels

Limitations of cozy cardio

TikTok’s latest cozy cardio trend certainly poses many benefits, including improved physical health, emotional wellness, and mental health. While these benefits certainly sound promising, we must also acknowledge the long-term implications this new workout trend can pose.

Cozy cardio promotes low-impact and light exercise, surrounded by a comfortable environment. Although this can serve as a way to encourage people who aren’t currently exercising to start, it may not be challenging enough for long-term cardiovascular health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. Casual cozy cardio, while still effective, may not provide enough intensity to help achieve weight loss goals and body composition changes. Those trying the cozy cardio trend must understand that balance is key, and cozy cardio workouts should be combined with higher-intensity workouts for optimal success.

The bottom line

The cozy cardio TikTok trend surely has room for potential, encouraging people to take charge of their health, fitness, and overall wellness. Finding new ways to personalize cardio routines and create comfortable workout environments may help people overcome barriers that were once holding them back from activity. All in all, when used in moderation, this method of an at-home cardio workout could be the next biggest fitness trend, posing benefits for a vast array of people.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Emily Caldwell
Emily Caldwell
Contributor
Emily is a freelance writer with a special focus on health, fitness, lifestyle, food, and nutrition topics. She holds a B.S…
Why strength training should be an essential part of your gym routine
Resistance training benefits: 13 great reasons to go to the gym
Man doing curls

Strength training (also referred to as weightlifting or resistance training) involves more than just building muscle. Getting stronger is certainly a plus, but there are numerous benefits to strength training beyond that. And whether you are a gym goer or you prefer outdoor workouts or exercising at home, you can participate in this activity. You don't need a ton of expensive equipment; general resistance is the only thing required.
In fact, any form of resistance works, from dumbbells to barbells, kettlebells to weight machines, and resistance bands to just your own body weight. The key is just to place your muscles under a load.
A good set of resistance bands, adjustable dumbbells, or even a TRX suspension trainer can be all you need at home to get in a challenging, total-body strengthening workout. If you’ve been counting yourself out of strength training workouts because the gym just isn’t your scene or you’ve been reluctant to venture over from the cardio equipment at your gym to the weights, keep reading for a list of the benefits of strength training, which may be just the inspiration you may need to diversify your workout routine and take your fitness to new levels.

Benefits of strength training
In addition to its versatility and convenience, strength training is an efficient and effective workout that provides a variety of physical and mental health benefits, including the following.

Read more
Working out at a gym is overrated: The best at-home workout equipment for men
All the at-home workout equipment you need for the ultimate home gym
Shirtless man exercising at home

Working out in the comfort of your own home easily tops going to the gym when it comes to convenience, time efficiency, and privacy (you can blare your own music unapologetically, too). And, rather than be subjected to the temperature and vibe of a jam-packed gym, you’re able to fully customize the environment of your home workout space according to your preferences, fitness goals, and needs.

However, if you want the functionality and options you get at the gym, you have to invest the money and space to equip your home workout space with the exercise equipment you need. The good news is that the increasing popularity of working out at home in recent years has driven an explosion of high-quality, commercial-grade home gym exercise equipment with functionality and features that rival what you get with a hefty gym membership fee. With such a wide range of options available, you can outfit your home gym with all your favorite exercise equipment and have varied, challenging, and effective workouts right from the comfort of your own home.

Read more
Are pre-workout supplements safe? (Plus, more of your questions answered)
Everything you need to know about pre-workout supplements
Man squatting down with pre-workout supplement

Gone are the days when the only question you got asked in the gym is what brand of whey protein are you taking? The world of sports supplements and athletic performance aids is becoming increasingly complex and vast. Walk the aisles of any supplement store, and you’ll quickly realize there are supplements for pre-, post-, and inter-workouts with innumerable options and iterations to keep track of.
Even your own gym, where you once would have only seen other guys drinking water or basic sports drinks during and after workouts, now is filled with sights of water bottles filled with all sorts of powdered mixes and enhanced fluids, tubs of protein powders, and electrolyte drinks, and even various bottles of capsules and pills. Some gyms even have dedicated “nutrition bars” where you can order pre- and post-workout smoothies, juices, and energizers. Clearly, the ever-present quest to get the most out of our bodies and maximize physical performance has been answered by supplement companies and fitness marketing businesses.
One said type of supplement to enter the athletic performance market over the last decade is pre-workouts and they are becoming more and more popular amongst the general gym population. As the name describes, pre-workout supplements are taken before a workout and are intended to boost athletic performance and output. Though they may not be as common as energy or electrolyte drinks and protein shakes, if you’ve seen other guys sipping a pre-workout drink or popping a few capsules before hitting the weights and have found yourself wondering if doing the same will improve your own fitness, keep reading to learn the basics of pre-workouts and whether pre-workout supplements actually work.

What are pre-workout supplements?

Read more