Cardio

Look into HIIT. If you have access to a bike (stationary or normal) you can use that, or just run sprints. Studies have shown that this type of training actually burns more calories. I'd put a link to one of the articles but it may cause triggers (pictures and whatnot), I can send it to you privately if you want.

Unless you just like running or jumping rope, then go for it, if you can jump rope for 20 minutes straight that would be really impressive haha.

 

my experience is to make sure you do your stretch exercises.. they will prevent you from getting muscle pains the next day ! I know that was not answering your question, but indirectly has to do with it ! if you have not worked out for a longer period of time than take it easy, time and weight both. build it up is best ! if it has only been a few weeks without.. you will be allright with a lower programm, but still can do longer time of exercising !

 

I recommend also HIIT. 20 minutes for HIIT is good enough. As CrimsnBlade said you can do bike or sprinting, in the gym I also like doing HIIT on elliptical machine or even on rowing machine. It is the fastest and most effective way to burn the fat and not to burn any hardly gained muscles. As you would definitely burn some of them if you for example run for hour.

 

You can do strength/resistance training and you won't get huge. If you're just doing cardio, tbh, you aren't going to build any significant muscle. If you want to build some muscle you need to do resistance training and make sure you're eating the right diet in order to feed your muscles the nutrients they need to grow.

 

I'm in the same boat with figuring out my calories and proteins with a scale and all that so... we can figure that out together I guess haha. Do you know who Mike Matthews is? He has a lot of good articles on his website about cardio and losing fat, cutting fat and maintaining muscle and all that, I'd check him out if you get the chance.

They also have a lot of workouts on bodybuilding.com. If you are looking at a particular workout, you can find it and they'll list alternative's to it at the bottom, so you can find something that may be a little more back friendly that way.

 

As a poster beneath me said it already, do it but only HIIT.

In my opinion, cardio is overrated for both cardio-vascular health and burning off body-fat.

The only positive you get from cardio is the release of endorphins which is legit.

But if you choose to do cardio, you can do a more effective 15 minutes workout doing jump rope than somebody else running for an hour.

Jump rope for 7-8 minutes for a warm-up then start going as fast as you can for 30 seconds. Then return to your baseline for 30 seconds before your "fast" cycle starts again. Stop at the 15 minutes mark. There it is, the best cardio that will leave you dead tired !

Also, to prove that I am walking the walk:



200 Lbs at minimal body-fat with no cardio whatsoever, simply because my weighlifting is so intense that I'd lose too much muscle.

Good luck !