The Beginner’s Guide to Cardiovascular Fitness

Do you want to lose weight, build muscle and feel fitter? ‘Cardio’ or ‘aerobic’ exercises are best for starters, as they rapidly burn calories.

Being a health fanatic, I can proudly share that cardio exercises pioneer my fitness regime!

It is highly recommended to start with simple cardio exercises like walking, cycling, climbing stairs, swimming, running and likewise. Cardio do the following: Increase the functional capacity of the heart, improve respiratory functions, reduce bad cholesterol and enhance the body’s ability to absorb glucose.

What is cardio exercise?

Cardio fitness is the nickname for cardiovascular fitness. This form of exercise stimulates the heart to beat at a higher rate, enabling oxygenated blood to reach all working muscles and tissues. This the reason experts recommend slowly increasing the duration and distance in your cardio workouts.

Adults should do at least 150 minutes to 300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes to 150 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. While children and adolescents aged 6-17 years should do 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily.[1]

This data might have you wondering why is there so much emphasis on exercising? Well, because they come with benefits that you might not want to overlook.

Cardio exercise benefits include:

One of the best advantages of cardio exercise is that you don’t have to work out for an hour at high-intensity to get benefits. Even a 15- minute walk can keep blood pressure and mood in check. Let’s get started for the next step on how to choose your cardio exercise.

Essentials to Choosing Your Regimen

-Decide on activities. Before you schedule your cardio program, it will be important to start narrowing down activities of interest. Interest options vary depending individual’s lifestyles. Here are some great fitness options to get you started. 

No need for a lifestyle overhaul. For instance, with my hectic schedule, a full-fledged cardio workout is just impossible. So, I opt for a quick bike or jog at the park. Both of which are good for my body.

-Fit exercise in your schedule. One of my friends, like myself, is an avid fitness fan. You can find almost every machine you can think of at her home like a treadmill, stationary bike and rowing machine, to name a few. Even while traveling, she is either in the pool or working out using elliptical trainers, climbers and more.

Keep in mind-cardio doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. It’s nice if you have access to a host of machines, but the good news is-you don’t need them. Cardio exercise can be any physical activity or movement that increases your heart rate. It can easily be accomplished with simple activities like speed walking or taking the stairs. Or, you can opt for other options like cardio workout videos, online exercises, fitness apps and home cardio exercises like burpees, jumping rope, jumping jacks, etc.

-Don’t force yourself. Dragging yourself onto a treadmill early in the morning is more than likely going to prompt negative feeling about exercise rather than positive ones. Identify the activities you enjoy. It may be as simple as taking your dog for a long walk, or joining a fitness centre with your buddies. The key is avoiding “forced fitness” at all cost. In gist, forcing yourself to do something you don’t like can eventually strain your body, which will inevitably hinder your results.

–Ignite your motivation. To get desired results, you need to exercise at least 3 days a week. For motivation, try choosing activities that are convenient for you. If you love music, then create an environment where you can have a musical cardio workout.

-Keep it simple and sweet. Confused? Start with the basics. Try finding 20 minutes on three different weekends, anything that fits your schedule. Stick with it until it becomes a habit. Later, work on increasing the time and intensity of your exercise.

As per guidelines, 20-60 minutes of cardio is a healthy time frame, depending on the workouts you choose. Starting could be a little tough if you haven’t been exercising in a while. It’s totally fine to increase duration incrementally with time. Remember, this is your workout regimen. Pick it! Own it! Do it!

Helpful Advice for Beginners 

It may be useful to start a program using treadmills or stationary cycles. You can also decide from a variety of other physical activities. A 20-minute elliptical workout would also be a great way to start.

Takeaways:

So, Are You Ready?

Remember, the harder smarter you work, the shorter your workouts should be. High-intensity cardio exercises will take you around 20 minutes while moderate ones maybe 60 minutes.

Disclaimer: Never overdo it. It can backfire by adversely impacting your health. Keep it to 3-6 days a week without compromising on your sleep and diet.