Example of Cardiovascular Fitness
“I run every day to maintain my cardiovascular fitness.”
“Depending on your previous level of fitness, walking briskly for 20-30 minutes a day is usually enough to maintain cardiovascular health.”
You can see that both statements talk about doing some physical activity which is beneficial to the heart. However, if you cannot do this daily physical activity due to ill health or injury, taking medication may help your heart instead.
This medication helps lower the risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or obesity. It may also help treat existing health conditions like angina (chest pain) or diabetes symptoms. However, your doctor will be closely monitored if you are prescribed these medications because they can have side effects.
The difference between “cardiovascular disease” and “cardiovascular fitness” is that the first deals with heart problems or diseases, whereas the second implies exercise or physical activity beneficial for your heart.
The difference between “cardiovascular health” and “cardiovascular fitness” is that the former refers to the general well-being of your heart. At the same time, the latter suggests you stay physically active (e.g., running, walking) daily to maintain this wellness.
You can achieve cardiovascular (“heart”) fitness by doing enough training so that your heart becomes more substantial and more efficient at pumping blood around your body.
This means doing moderate activities without feeling out of breath or tired after about 10 minutes. Not everyone needs to be a fitness fanatic for this. However, the more you do, the fitter your heart will become and the healthier you’ll end up being in general.
In other words, cardiovascular disease implies something wrong with your heart, while cardiovascular fitness suggests that you are doing a physical activity that strengthens your heart. In either case, both terms indicate that you should consult a doctor if the problem persists or gets worse.
Cardiovascular exercise Benefits:
When it comes to getting the best cardiovascular benefits, you need to choose your exercise carefully. Unfortunately, many people think that just because any form of exercise is good for you, it’s all they should be doing – wrong!
The fact is that although there are many benefits associated with cardiovascular exercise, including improving your heart function and giving you more energy, not every type of cardio workout will provide you with these results.
So today, I will take a look at the six most popular cardiovascular exercises and highlight which ones offer the best benefits. With this knowledge, you’ll know exactly how to get started on the road to getting fitter faster.
Jogging:
Jogging is one of the easiest ways of exercising as there are no special requirements for this type of workout. All you need is a good pair of running shoes, comfortable clothing (or none!), and the willpower to get out there and do it!
Apart from making you fitter, jogging has been found to significantly reduce the risk of heart disease by removing plaque build-up in your arteries. It also gives your overall health a significant boost as it improves digestion, energy levels and even boosts circulation (reducing that unpleasant heavy feeling in your legs).
However, not all joggers are the same, so here are some tips on how to go about jogging effectively:
– Always warm up adequately before you start jogging, as this will help to prevent injuries. Also, stretching is essential (see image below).
– If you’re starting, it’s often beneficial to jog for only five minutes at a time. This not only gives your body time to adjust but also breaks up the monotony of your workout.
– Once you’ve got used to jogging, try joining in with other people. Not only will this keep you motivated, but if there are any problems along the way (e.g., getting lost), someone else will be able to help out.
Cycling:
Cycling is an excellent exercise form that comes high on many people’s list of effective cardiovascular routines. Cycling has been described as one of the best forms of exercise for losing weight and toning up all over your body.
Aside from getting into better shape, cycling can also improve your mental health as it releases endorphins into the bloodstream, which are responsible for making you feel happier! This is what’s known as a ‘runner’s high.’
Cycling isn’t without its problems. However, many cyclists struggle with knee pain due to spending long periods in one position. Also, if you don’t have the proper footwear or bicycle, this could quickly become uncomfortable and even lead to injury.
Swimming:
Swimming might not seem like the most obvious choice for cardiovascular exercise, but in fact, it offers some great benefits over other forms of cardio workouts. For example, swimming helps lower cholesterol levels thanks to being an excellent form of low-impact exercise.
Also, you don’t need any expensive equipment to swim, so if you are on a budget, this might be the exercise for you! One problem with swimming is that your choice of the pool is restricted when it comes to pool-based workouts. However, this shouldn’t put you off as many benefits are associated with swimming in open water (see later).
Walking:
Walking is one of the simplest ways of getting into better shape and reducing the risk of heart disease, not just because it’s cheap but also because it can be done anywhere at any time. All you need is shoes that provide some support and let your feet breathe! As well as improving cardiovascular fitness, walking has been found to help lower blood pressure and even aid in relieving stress.
However, it’s important to remember that walking isn’t the only type of exercise you should be doing. If you walk for too long without giving your body any other form of workout, it will soon adapt to the workload, which will limit your progress.
Cycling:
As well as being a great way to get into better shape, cycling is also an excellent opportunity for travel. There are many different bicycles to choose from, so before considering this form of cardiovascular exercise, think what kind would suit you best!
Running:
Running is high on the list of best cardiovascular exercises for many reasons; not only can it help to reduce your weight, but it can also be an excellent form of stress relief. However, unless you are particularly fit, running might not always be the best choice as it can put a lot of strain on your body.
One advantage of running, though, is that it’s something you can do almost anywhere at any time, so if you’re looking for exercise that doesn’t tie you down to one location or time, this could be just what you need!
No matter which cardiovascular exercise you choose, any improvements in your health and fitness will provide long-term benefits, so try out some new forms of cardio today! Remember, even if you’ve never exercised before, speaking with your GP first is essential.
Martial Arts Training:
Martial arts are an excellent way of getting fit, as well as learning practical self-defense skills that will help keep you safe in almost any situation. The best martial arts forms for cardiovascular training involve a lot of high-intensity movements such as Karate, Taekwondo, or Kung Fu.
Walking Outside:
It might sound odd, but there is something about walking outside versus inside that makes all the difference in cardiovascular exercise! Although the health benefits of walking are essentially the same whether you take this form of exercise indoors or out, there is reason to believe that walking in nature provides even better results.
Over ten years, one study involved more than 2,000 participants who walked outside or through an indoor mall. The results showed that those who took their walkout were less likely to suffer from high blood pressure than those who walked inside.
So why does walking in the great outdoors provide such excellent benefits? Well, aside from the fact there’s so much to see and enjoy when you take your walk outside (unlike when you’re stuck indoors), it could be down to the negative ions found in nature which help reduce stress and boost energy levels!
Yoga and Pilates:
While yoga can be somewhat expensive to keep up with, it can be well worth the investment as this form of exercise has many advantages to offer.
Usually practiced in a quiet space where you are free from distractions, both yoga and Pilates provide excellent cardiovascular workouts that not only increase flexibility but help tone muscles throughout your body.
Therefore, if you’re looking for low-impact cardio training that helps improve strength and stability without straining your joints or muscles, this could be the perfect workout for you!
Stationary Bike Riding More often associated with reducing stress rather than improving health and fitness levels, stationary biking is another great way to get fit while also getting some fresh air. Not only does cycling benefit your heart, but it can also strengthen your legs and burn off excess fat.
However, unlike running, where you need to find a space outside that is large enough for the activity, you can cycle indoors with no problems.
Getting started with your stationary biking workout will be easy as well as most bikes are now equipped with their console, which provides data on how fast you’re cycling, the distance traveled, and even how much time has gone by. Therefore, if you want to get fit but don’t have much free time or much space to work with, this might be the perfect cardiovascular exercise for you!
Jumping Rope When it comes to high-intensity exercises, there are a few things quite like jumping rope. Not only does this form of cardio your heart rate exceptionally quickly, but it also tones the legs, improves balance, and even helps you lose weight.
Although boxers have used jumping rope for years to improve their coordination and strength, don’t let that fool you into thinking this is an intense workout where you would be pushed to your limits!
Unlike other cardiovascular exercises, which require significant learning before they become accessible, jumping rope is one of the easiest ways to get fit, as all you need to do is jump over a string without touching the ground.