Is Growwithjo Cardio? Heart Rate Test
I tested a 30-minute Grow with Jo workout wearing a Polar chest-strap heart rate monitor. Then I compared the numbers to a HupSix workout. Here's what happened.
Is Grow with Jo Cardio?
- Grow with Jo: ~46 to 47 cardio minutes in 30 minutes
- HupSix: 40 to 60+ cardio minutes in 30 minutes depending on the class
Yes, Grow with Jo is cardio. The numbers are real and solid. Jo has built a genuinely good workout that is free, accessible, and better than doing nothing. The cardio numbers are solid, but how each workout gets there and what it builds beyond that is different.
Does the Music Matter?
In the Grow with Jo workout the music runs continuously in the background for the entire 30 minutes including the cooldown. It never stops and it never changes. That is common in a lot of online workouts.
Research shows that moving in sync with music reduces perceived effort by up to 15 percent. That benefit only comes from synchronized movement, not background music. With HupSix the clicks guide you to step on the beat of the song. The music is not in the background. It is integral to the move itself. That is what makes it more fun and what makes the hard work feel easier.
Is Steady State or Interval Training Better?
Grow with Jo runs continuously the whole time. That is steady state cardio. It works and it has real benefits. HupSix is structured as interval training with built-in rest between rounds. Those are two different types of cardio with different physiological effects. Neither is wrong. They just do different things.
Do the Moves Actually Matter?
The moves in the Grow with Jo workout keep you moving and get your heart rate up. That is the job and it gets done. The moves feel somewhat arbitrary. There is no instruction before you do them and no progression from one to the next. With HupSix there is a purpose behind every move. You are working on coordination, agility, and reaction time. We do this by introducing one or two new moves each round. You learn it. You practice it with clicks. Then you go full out to a song. Each round builds on the last until you finish with a complete combination in round six. You feel yourself getting better at the moves with each round and each class.
What Is Cardio Actually For?
This workout stayed mostly in zone 3. That is legitimate cardio. HupSix pushes into zones 4 and 5. My max heart rate has gone from 169 to 176 since doing HupSix. A higher max heart rate means the heart is getting stronger and more efficient. That is the real goal of cardio. Not the scale. Not calories burned. Heart adaptation.
Is Grow with Jo Enough Cardio?
For steady state cardio at a consistent moderate to vigorous intensity, this delivers. Jo has created something genuinely useful and the fact that it is free and online is a good thing.
But there is a difference between a workout that raises your heart rate and one that teaches you something while it does it. With Grow with Jo you move. With HupSix you learn, you improve, and your heart rate goes higher because of it. Watch the full test in the video above.
