Cardiovascular training should be an important part of a health regime. It significantly improves the performance of the lungs and the heart in distributing oxygen to the body and the muscles. To maximize its benefits, exercises under this category should hit the target heart rate for a minimum of 30 minutes. This training can be used to tone the body, lose weight and to boost over-all health.
Aerobic exercise, as cardiovascular training is more commonly known, is any workout involving the increase in heart rate together with increasing the blood flow throughout the body and also in speeding up one’s breathing. This activity strengthens the cardiovascular system allowing the body to burn calories faster and optimizing the body’s ability for endurance.
The most common type of exercises under cardiovascular training includes walking, running, biking, swimming and jumping rope. It is easy to underestimate the good effects of walking to the body. Walking one mile means burning about 70 – 90 calories.
Running can be done for leisure or with others as a competitive sport. For cardiovascular training, it increases the body’s endurance gradually and steadily. It is important to pace ones’ self when it comes to running. Also, taking the time to warm up before starting this activity is also highly recommended.
Biking is an activity done for a variety of reasons. It can be for transportation or as part of an exercise program. Be for whatever reason, it has the same effect and it is a great addition to any cardiovascular training program. For those who prefer to do this activity indoor, stationary bikes are available in most fitness centers or gyms.
Swimming is great for cardiovascular training for patients who need to limit stress on their lower limbs and joints. With the water as a buoy, this activity is perfect for toning muscles of the arms and the legs.
Jumping rope is an activity popular not only with the kids but with adults as well. As part of cardiovascular training, it is effective in strengthening the cardio respiratory system. In 30 minutes, the patient can easily burn 300 – 450 calories.
Doing cardiovascular training regularly stimulated the production hormones and endorphins of the body that can help improve one’s mood and can relieve pain as well. This can also help in reducing the risk for obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer.
A weekly cardiovascular training plan should be consistent with workouts lasting up to 30 minutes. Stretching time should be included before and after every exercise to reduce stiffness and prevent risk of over-straining muscle groups.
