Cardiovascular Health: Unleashing the Power of Regular Workouts
Cardio workouts mean exercising to work your whole cardiovascular system. This means that you exercise hard enough to get your heart beating faster to pump oxygenated blood from the lungs around your body to deliver oxygen to the muscle. You need to be able to work hard enough to break into a sweat, increase your heart rate but still be able to hold a conversation. By exercising regularly your cardiovascular system will adapt and your heart and lungs will become stronger, you will be able to exercise for longer durations with great long term health benefits. These are some of the benefits you should expect to see from cardio workouts if you train regularly :
Benefits of Cardio Workouts
• Become aerobically fitter, able to work at higher intensity, or train for longer
• Get stronger, your muscles will become stronger and it will take them longer to fatigue
• You will feel more energised
• Greater stamina
• Reduced resting heart rate
• You will be able to cope better with everyday stress
• It will help lift mood
• Improve sleep
• Improve general health and wellbeing
• Protective benefits against cardiovascular disease and certain cancers
• Helps reduce blood pressure and improved blood cholesterol levels
• Increases metabolism, burns fat and helps with weight maintenance
• Get stronger, your muscles will become stronger and it will take them longer to fatigue
• You will feel more energised
• Greater stamina
• Reduced resting heart rate
• You will be able to cope better with everyday stress
• It will help lift mood
• Improve sleep
• Improve general health and wellbeing
• Protective benefits against cardiovascular disease and certain cancers
• Helps reduce blood pressure and improved blood cholesterol levels
• Increases metabolism, burns fat and helps with weight maintenance
The American College of Sports Medicine recommendations:
Moderate intensity cardio workouts 30 minutes a day, five days per week or vigorous intensity cardio 20 minutes a day for 3 days per week and include 10 strength training exercises of eight to 12 repetitions each twice per week. It should be noted that to lose weight or maintain weight loss, 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity may be necessary. The 30-minute cardio workouts recommendation is for the average healthy adult to maintain health and reduce the risk for chronic disease.
How to get started:
• Start with a fitness plan and set your goals.
• You can start slow and increase the amount of days of cardio once you are able to achieve this, eventually aiming for the recommendation above.
• You can set weekly goals and update them as you become fitter.
• Set a weekly schedule, so it fits in around your normal routine for example cycle to work and run at lunchtime, or make it a family affair. You are more likely to stick to it if cardio workouts become routine.
• You can start with walking, cycling, running, or an exercise or dance class, swimming or playing sports, make sure it’s an activity you enjoy.
• Mix up the activities so you don’t get bored.
• The strength session can be done with free weights, resistance bands, resistance machines if you have access to a gym.
• You can start slow and increase the amount of days of cardio once you are able to achieve this, eventually aiming for the recommendation above.
• You can set weekly goals and update them as you become fitter.
• Set a weekly schedule, so it fits in around your normal routine for example cycle to work and run at lunchtime, or make it a family affair. You are more likely to stick to it if cardio workouts become routine.
• You can start with walking, cycling, running, or an exercise or dance class, swimming or playing sports, make sure it’s an activity you enjoy.
• Mix up the activities so you don’t get bored.
• The strength session can be done with free weights, resistance bands, resistance machines if you have access to a gym.