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Improving Your Cardio

Page history last edited by Helena Baert 15 years, 2 months ago

 

Cardiovascular Fitness

 

The most important aspect of a person's fitness program is cardio.  It should be the main element of any fitness program.  "Cardiovascular fitness also called cardiorespitory fitness is the ability of the lungs to provide oxygen to the blood and the heart to transport the oxygenated blood to the cells of the body.  It is also the ability of the body to sustain an activity for an extended period of time."[1]

 

How much aerobic exercise do you need to improve your level of cardiovascular fitness?

 

  • The American College of Sports Medicine's general guidelines recommend three to five days for most cardiovascular programs.
  • The second component is duration, the time you will spend on each session. Not including the warmups or cooldowns from as little as five minutes to as much as 60 minutes or more. The duration needed for cardiovascular benefit depends on the third component, intensity, which refers to how hard your body is working during the activity.
  • If you are a beginner, train at a low intensity (50 percent to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate). You should be somewhat winded, but still able to carry on a conversation. As you get into better shape, increase the number of minutes of the exercise before you increase the speed or other intensities, such as walking hilly terrain.
  • Frequency of three to five times per week, with a duration of 30- 60 minutes is sufficient to increase endurance, burn body fat and improve cardiorespiratory fitness.
  • If fat burning is your goal, increase the duration of your aerobic sessions instead of increasing speed of movement. If you also weight train, do your aerobic conditioning after weights, not before. Regular exercise of any type is a challenge and requires a change in lifestyle.

 

 

Benefits

 

  • Losing weight
  • Slowing the age process
  • Prevent muscle and bone loss
  • Fight diseases
  • Maintain and improve general health
  • Stress relief
  • Gain confidence/Increase self-esteem
  • Improving coordination
  • Better moods

[2][3]

 

 

Top Ten Cardio Workouts                                   How Many Calories You Burn in 30 Mins[4]

 

1.   Running                                                                                                         300 (at 5.2 mph)          

2.   Cross-Country Skiing                                                                                             330

3.   Bicycling                                                                                                            250-500

4.   Elliptical Trainer                                                                                                    300          

5.   Swimming                                                                                                            400               

6.   Step Aerobics                                                                                                       400     

7.   Rowing                                                                                                                300

8.   Rock Climbing                                                                                                      380

9.   Walking                                                                                                               180

10.  Handbells                                                                                                           400+

 

 

Varying your cardio workouts has a number of benefits.  You can do this by changing your speed, incline, resistance, and alternating high intensity periods with with periods of recovery.  This will help burn more calories and increase your endurance.  It also keeps you from being bored and becoming un-motivated.[5] Another way to keep up with cardio is to work out with a friend or do something fun and different besides the machines at the gym.

 

 Quick Cardio Workout

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Having good cardio health can not only improve you're life in the present but also in the FUTURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

Footnotes

  1. http://www.fitzones.com/members/Fitness/fitness.asp
  2. http://ririanproject.com/2007/10/22/10-benefits-of-running-and-how-to-do-it/
  3. http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Health-Benefits-Of-Running&id=534855
  4. http://exercise.about.com/od/cardioworkouts/tp/cardioexercise.htm
  5. http://exercise.about.com/cs/cardioworkouts/a/burn300calories.htm

Comments (5)

Katie Todd said

at 8:28 pm on Dec 2, 2008

I am wanting to start running again so this article was very interesting!! I loved learning about all of the health benefits of cardiorespiratory excercise.

Emily Akin said

at 10:37 pm on Dec 2, 2008

I'm trying to start running again and want to start training for a 5k! This was a great article and is good to know that cardiorespiratory exercise helps to slow the aging process, every girl has to love that!

Jessica Scott said

at 2:31 am on Dec 3, 2008

I really enjoyed reading all the facts on this page! I really want to start running again and this page helped me realize all the benefits i would receive once I do start my cardio workout again!

Kim S said

at 6:41 pm on Dec 3, 2008

I thought this article was very helpful to those that are trying to improve their cardio. There are specific ways that are easy to do and also benefits which are always a plus!

Lacy Poe said

at 4:06 pm on Dec 4, 2008

I never realized how important cardio workouts really were. Good information and I like the different exercises that you can do.

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