Cardio is an abbreviation for Cardiovascular. Aerobic exercise is another name for it. The term “aerobic” implies “oxygenated.” In a nutshell, cardio is any sort of action that increases your heart rate and causes you to sweat and breathe more heavily. You are engaging all of your major muscle groups, and your lungs are breathing deeper and faster. Your heart will beat faster as it circulates blood throughout your body.
Here are some examples of cardio exercises:
- Running or jogging
- Brisk Walking
- Bicycling
- Dancing
- Playing Team Sports like kickball or soccer
- Follow Fitness India Show and keep yourself updated with the challenges
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How much cardio should I do every week?
The Mayo Clinic recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity every week. This equates to 30 minutes of activity to raise your heart rate five days a week. If you want to go hard, 75 minutes of intense cardio is recommended, or a mix of the two.
This advice is for ordinary, healthy folks. If you have additional health issues or if this is above your current fitness level, your doctor may recommend something else. It is important to note that this activity should preferably be spaced out over the week rather than crammed into a single heart-pounding aerobic session.
Examples of moderate aerobic activities:
- Mowing the Lawn
- Swimming
- Water Aerobics
- A Brisk Walk
- Examples of Vigorous Aerobic Activities:
- Jumping Jacks
- Running on a Treadmill
- Cycling
- Jump Rope
What if I get more? Or less?
Exercising above the recommended quantities might provide additional advantages. Health advantages can be shown for up to 300 minutes each week. However, if you push yourself too hard, you may get overtraining syndrome and overuse injuries. The quantity of activity you do should be appropriate for your health and fitness level. Begin slowly if you are a newbie.
Even if you are unable to exercise for 30 minutes every day, small bursts of intense activity can benefit your health. Don’t have time for a lengthy training period? That’s fine; research has proven that even a few minutes of vigorous breathing action will benefit your body in a variety of ways. Three ten-minute brisk walks, for example, will have similar outcomes.
14 Cardio Exercise Advantages
What benefits can a cardio workout provide? Cardiovascular activity lowers your resting heart rate and blood pressure, which is a considerable advantage. This implies that your heart does not have to work as hard, which helps your entire body. Here is information about the health advantages you will receive.
Cardiovascular Health
Exercise is beneficial to heart health and the prevention of heart disease. Exercise helps to strengthen your heart. And, as previously said, exercise can help reduce your blood pressure.
High blood pressure is an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Individuals who exercise consistently enhance their muscles’ capacity to extract oxygen from the blood, reducing the workload on the heart. This aids in the prevention of heart attacks.
Weight Management
Being physically active can also help you lose weight. If you want to lose weight, cardio is a great way to burn calories. Alternatively, if you have already reduced your body fat and want to keep it off, regular activity can help you do so.
Because obesity may cause a slew of issues, studies suggest that losing weight can improve long-term health.
Increases Aerobic Capacity
Aerobic capacity refers to how effectively your body absorbs and utilises oxygen. You can perform more when you have a high aerobic capacity since your body does not fatigue or run out of gas as soon.
Walking from your car to the store might feel like a burden if your aerobic capacity is inadequate.
The good news is that your efficiency may be increased with time. Exercisers who make it a habit to exercise often perceive an increase in their ability to perform more as their aerobic capacity grows and weariness reduces.
Improves Endurance and Strength
Regular cardio exercise, like aerobic exercise, improves lung and muscular fitness. If you haven’t done much exercise, you may be exhausted after your first day of action. However, your conditioning and endurance will increase over time.
People with chronic lung diseases, such as asthma, may benefit greatly from frequent physical exercise. (Author’s note: My sports sir had asthma, yet he was able to run a marathon by gradually increasing his exercise levels every day.)
If you have a diagnosis of one of these illnesses, see your doctor before beginning aerobic exercise or any new activity.
Cognitive Function
Exercise has been proven in studies to slow the degradation of brain cells in older persons. It can improve memory and cognitive capacity by assisting the brain in replacing cells. Again, increased blood flow helps to reduce the health risks of disorders such as stroke.
Improved brain function alone is a compelling reason to include fitness in your daily routine.
Reduces The Risk Of Diabetes
A study conducted by Johns Hopkins researchers found that combining cardio activity with strength training might cut your chance of acquiring Type 2 Diabetes by more than 50%.
Blood pumping action improves glycogen processing in the muscles. When this mechanism fails, it results in elevated blood sugar levels and, eventually, diabetes.
Reduces Stress
Did you know that exercise causes the release of endorphins? These are brain chemicals that help to increase your mood. It may also be used as a moving meditation. Have you ever played a group sport and felt like you were in “the zone”? This concentration of your attention has the effect of assisting you to shed anxious ideas.
Improved Sleep
Exercise can also help you sleep better. Better sleep has also been proven in studies to aid cognitive performance, sadness and anxiety, weight loss, and stress reduction.
However, you should avoid exercising before going to bed because it might excite your thoughts and make it difficult to sleep. Determine the optimum times and intensities of movement for you.
Reduces Arthritic Joint Pain and Stiffness
People with arthritis and joint pain symptoms may use this as an excuse not to be active; nonetheless, a person with arthritis should exercise for many of the advantages described in this article.
People with arthritis frequently have weak muscles, low pain tolerance, and tight joints, all of which can be improved by activity. If you have arthritis, see your doctor for the best advice on how to begin.
Reduces the Risk of Disease
Consistent cardio exercises to aid in the decrease of a wide range of ailments. In addition to the previously listed benefits, it can help lower the risk of stroke and some forms of cancer.
Furthermore, regular cardiac activity might help to boost your immune system. It may also assist to minimise the risk of osteoporosis.
Can Improve Your Skin’s Condition
Yes, regular exercise can help you have cleaner, healthier skin. Aerobic exercise increases blood flow and circulation, resulting in healthier and more beautiful skin. Good skin is great for boosting confidence.
Enhances Sexual Function
Another one of the advantages? Did you know that one of the benefits of high-intensity aerobic exercise is improved sex life? Again, exercise improves blood flow through your blood vessels. This suggests that an exercise programme can help reduce the occurrences of erectile dysfunction in males and boost arousal in women.
Enhances Balance
In a research published in Age and Ageing, women aged 72 to 87 were given a dance-based aerobic lesson that included balancing on one leg, squatting, and marching. The idea was to test if a lesson like this, held three times a week for a period of 12 weeks, would make a difference.
They discovered that when compared to others in a control group. These ladies exhibited enhanced balance, stability, and grip strength.
Bones and Joints
Physical activity mixed with resistance exercise can aid in the development of strong bones. Weak bones are a typical issue among the elderly. A healthy diet and cardiovascular activity can help you increase your bone density. Aerobic exercise not only raises your heart rate and lung capacity, but also promotes the formation of new bones.
Joints also harden with ageing. One way to combat this is to move your joints on a regular basis through cardio exercises. Exercise may also help to reduce inflammation, which is important for ageing bones.
