Cardiovascular Exercise Benefits
Cardiovascular exercise, also known as aerobic exercise is about getting your heart rate to a level that your body’s usage of oxygen is enhanced. The main focus in ‘cardiovascular exercise benefits’ is generally on burning fat and losing weight, as well as on increasing endurance to be able to perform better during the exercise sessions and after.
Cardiovascular exercise increases your heart rate and improves your fitness performance and endurance and it certainly is not just about getting on a treadmill and running at the gym. Walking is a type of cardiovascular exercise, so are jogging, cycling, rowing and swimming. Any type of exercise that is light or moderate is cardiovascular by nature.
Thirty minutes of moderate aerobic activity three to four times a week would be sufficient for most people. It has to be definitely more than twenty minutes of elevated pulse to get some benefits out of cardio. If you only have five minutes, it is better than nothing and you will burn some calories.
Cardiovascular Exercise Benefits
- Most people that do cardio exercise are aiming to lose calories and fat- men mostly belly fat. It helps you lose weight by also releasing hormones that decrease your appetite.
- It helps to increase your metabolism- metabolic rate, your heart to pump more blood and your muscles get more blood as well.
- You will be less likely to catch colds and flu as it makes your immune system stronger and you will recover quicker as your body will be able to fight off the cold better.
- Cardio exercise done regularly decreases depression, anxiety and stress as it releases hormones that make you happy temporarily. You feel better about how you look and feel, you have more energy and you also sleep better at night.
- A Harvard University research linked regular cardiovascular activity to increased life span, by improving the functioning of heart, decreasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and strokes, decreasing the risk of osteoporosis by increasing bone density (decreasing the risk of developing disability and back pain), reducing the risk for diabetes and improving the levels of good- HDL and bad blood cholesterols (LDL, triglycerides).
- It diminishes the disturbance of any muscle pain by helping the growth of capillaries. Cardiovascular exercise releases endorphins- natural painkillers in your body.
- Men are less likely to experience erectile dysfunction when they perform cardiovascular activity regularly and both men and women will have improved libidos. This is clearly the result of looking and feeling better and being more energized as well as the hormones released in the body.
- If you perform cardio regularly, you may feel exhausted at first but by time you will have an overall increased stamina and feel less tired, you will perform your daily tasks better with increased energy levels.
- It allows you to save fats and carbs as energy sources in your muscles and makes it easier to use especially fats during exercise, to provide you with better endurance.
- Cardio training is proven to improve the muscle recovery speed from a heavy resistance – strength training.
** Next time you’re walking on a treadmill, do it fast for three minutes, then slow down for one minute for recovery then fast again for three minutes, then slow for one and continue until you can handle.. This will give you the maximum results for your efforts.
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