What is Cardio?
Introduction
Any type of exercise that raises your heart rate to a consistent level for a given period of time is called cardiovascular exercise. Cardio is sometimes also called aerobic exercise, and in this article I give some of the benefits of a cardio routine and some basic info on a few of the most common exercises.
Health benefits
Regular cardiovascular exercise provides many health benefits. The strength and efficiency of the heart are improved, lung capacity is increased, and the metabolism is elevated which helps to burn fat. Those who regularly participate in cardio exercise are usually less likely to suffer from symptoms of stress and anxiety, and are more likely to possess a general sense of well-being. Regular cardio usually leads to better quality sleep, which means that you can concentrate to a greater degree and for longer periods.
Image benefits
The main reason that many people start a cardio exercise regime is to improve their image as well as their fitness. Fitter people tend to be slimmer and healthier looking (for the reasons stated above) and gain an overall confidence boost as a direct result of this. This usually leads to a person looking and feeling more attractive and therefore gaining more attention from the opposite sex.
Running
Running is usually the first exercise people think of when cardio is mentioned. The reasons for this are simple – you can do it anywhere, you don’t need a gym subscription, and the only required items of equipment are some loose clothing and a decent pair of running shoes. Running can be very beneficial for weight loss and general fitness, but it does have its downsides. Running is an impact activity, meaning that a lot of force is put on your knees, ankles and feet. The heavier you are, the greater the affect of this. For some people, it’s better to start off with brisk walking until the weight comes down and fitness improves, but better than both of these is to start off with swimming.
Swimming
Swimming is considered by many to be the best cardio exercise of all. Swimming is a zero impact activity, as all your joints are supported by the water. It’s also a total body exercise and therefore pretty much every muscle in your body is used. Proper technique is very important (otherwise you’ll tire very quickly) so a few weeks of swimming lessons is a very good idea. Swimming is an excellent form of exercise and you’ll regularly see people in their 60’s and even 70’s in the pool doing lap after lap. Start off slowly, and you’ll soon be catching up with them!
Jump rope
As a martial artist, jumping rope (or skipping as we call it) is my personal favourite cardio exercise. Jumping rope properly is a skill and will take a few weeks to get to grips with, but when executed correctly the impact is far less than running due to the fact the your feet barely leave the ground during each jump. Add in the fact that your arms are also doing a lot of work and you’ve got a very useful compound cardio exercise. Again – start slow, learn correct technique and build up gradually. As a guide to the level of fitness that can be achieved with skipping, Muay Thai fighters regularly jump rope for 30 minutes as a warm up!
Closing comments
There you go then. I’ve briefly answered the question ‘what is cardio? told you about some of the benefits and given some example exercises to get you started. I hope this article has been useful
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