Cardio exercise is an exercise that raises your heart rate. Your heart rate is a muscle, working it makes it stronger. The stronger your cardio-vascular system, it means more capillaries delivering more oxygen to cells in your muscles, which enables your cells to burn more fat during exercise and even when inactivity. It is important before starting any new exercise program to know if you are healthy enough to increase your activity level.
Cardio Workouts
Rowing – This program works on both the upper and lower body, which low stress on joints and ligaments.
Stair Climbing – Uses more muscles than walking.
Circuit Training – At high intensity the blood starts to pump a lot harder, which challenges the elasticity of the arterial wall.
Running – Steady running burns calories while sprints take it to the next level.
Bike Riding / Cycling – Cycling uses large muscle groups in the legs and helps elevate your heart rate.
Walking – The easiest of all and safest way to start cardio
Swimming – It is a total body workout, swimming laps would be best and change up the strokes you use so that you work all different kinds of muscles, continuous pace works on your heart and lungs. It also increase overall blood flow and provide our minds with fresh energy and oxygen.
Elliptical – Minimal Impact on the knees and hips but calorie burning is high.
Jumping Rope – Relatively cheap, easy and burns massive tons of calories.
Benefits of Cardio Exercise
Stronger Heart – Teaches the heart to work more efficiently
Increase Bone Density – Aerobic exercise such as walking helps decrease the risk of osteoporosis
More Energy – You will increase your stamina and reduce your fatigue. It will put you on your way to a more active lifestyle
Reduce Stress and Depression – When you exercise your body often, it releases endorphins which are natural pain killers
Maintain Muscle Strength – strong muscle as we age keep us independent longer
Reduces the Risk of Heart Disease – Being physically active prevent heart disease and stroke
Less Likely to Get Illness – Exercise activates our immune system
Better Sleep – A good workout make us tired, we sleep better when tired.
Lowers Blood Pressure and Cholesterol – When your heart beats faster it increases blood flow, when working out the blood vessel become elastic and small blood vessel widen to deliver more oxygen to your muscle.
Longer Live – Studies shows that those who regularly exercise live longer
Strengthens Lungs – When exercising, we breathe faster and more deeply it improves lung function
Aerobic exercise (cardio), if done properly, can lead to as much muscle growth as you’d expect with resistance exercise. It also “has a unique capacity to exhilarate and relax, to provide stimulation and calm, to counter depression and dissipate stress,” according to an article in the Harvard Medical School blog “Mind and Mood.” A study from researchers at McMaster University found that people over age 40 who engaged in regular cardio activity tended to have healthier skin than their sedentary peers.
However, It is very important to start small and increase the time you are active and the intensity of your workout gradually. To start small, walking is the safest and easiest way to get started. You can gradually increase the amount of time you walk and at the speed you are walking in due time you will reap all the rewards that comes with cardiovascular exercise.
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