According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cardiovascular disease-coronary heart disease (heart attack) is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. Lack of exercise and poor eating habits contribute to the poor heart health of many individuals. Engaging in some sort of cardiovascular exercise regularly will improve overall fitness and the ability to complete normal tasks, such as climbing stairs. Additionally, when performing a cardio workout, it's important to understand your personal heart rate in relation to the exercise.
Benefits of Cardio
Performing cardiovascular exercise strengthens the heart--the largest muscle--and improves the condition of your heart. Additionally, cardio increases your metabolism, therefore allowing your body to maintain or lose weight effectively. Also, engaging in an aerobic activity results in the body producing positive hormonal changes; the more you exercise, the happier you will feel. Moreover, cardio helps the recovery process and prevents soreness after completing an intense strength-training session.
Resting Heart Rate
Your resting heart rate is when you are at rest. The best time to measure your resting heart rate is first thing in the morning before rising from bed. Your resting heart rate helps you establish your target heart rate and where you need to be when partaking in cardiovascular exercise. According to the American Heart Association, the heart beats an average of 60 to 80 beats per minute while resting. Furthermore, your resting heart rate will increase with age; active individuals will have a lower resting heart.
Target Heart Rate
Target heart rate allows you to gauge your progress while performing aerobic activity. Knowing your target heart rate will help with pacing yourself to prevent exhaustion before your workout is complete. Generally, you want to stay within 50 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate to gain benefits from your cardio workout. According to Mayo Clinic Medical Editors, your maximum heart rate is the "upper limit of what your heart can handle during physical activity." To lose weight or maintain your current weight, it's important to train within your heart rate zone to maximize on your workout and burn calories. To calculate your target heart rate zone, visit the Resource section.
Types of Cardio Exercise
There are two main types of cardio exercise that you should incorporate into your fitness regime: low intensity and high intensity. Low-intensity cardio, 60 to 65 percent of your maximum heart rate, usually ranges from 45 to 60 minutes. While performing low-intensity exercises--such as walking or swimming--you burn more calories from fat, but you are only burning those calories while exercising. On the other hand, high-intensity cardio, 75 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate, can range from 20 to 30 minutes or less depending on intensity. Additionally, high-intensity physical activity increases your metabolism even after exercise and builds muscular mass; therefore, you burn more calories longer.
Recovery Heart Rate
Recovery heart rate is determined by how long it takes for your body to return to its resting heart rate after cardiovascular exercise. To calculate your resting heart rate, visit the Resource section.
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