Raising your heartbeat on a regular basis, whether through sports or a typical gym workout, not only strengthens the heart and improves circulation, but it helps prevent chronic illnesses later in life. But boosting your heart rate, and sustaining an elevated heart rate for half an hour or more, takes some effort. Thankfully, you can probably find a sport you enjoy that will help raise your heartbeat without leaving you bored.
Jogging or Running
Running is the most basic exercise and it's how doctors measure your heart rate in an office setting. Running on a treadmill, with electrodes and blood pressure equipment monitoring your heart's response to the running, helps provide physicians your number of heartbeats per minute and a snapshot of your overall heart health. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends jogging at a rigorous level for 20 minutes a day, three days a week, to meet American Heart Association guidelines for physical activity.
Swimming
The Cleveland Clinic recommends 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise three to five days a week, and swimming can quickly get your heartbeats-per-hour numbers growing. For the beginner, swimming laps may be impossible because the burden on the heart may be too difficult to maintain for 30 to 60 minutes. But more fit individuals should look upon swimming as one of the top sports to help raise their heartbeats.
Team Sports
Team sports and racket sports that demand a lot of running can raise your heartbeat frequency. For example, basketball, soccer, tennis, squash and volleyball are all known to raise heartbeat levels more than sports such as bowling, golf and light walking.
Cycling
Cycling can raise your heartbeat in a comparable way to jogging or running, with one extra benefit: Cycling doesn't put as much stress and strain on the joints as running does. That's especially encouraging news for people who are at least 50 lbs. overweight, but want to burn fat and raise their heart rates without over-burdening their knees, ankles and hips.
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