Whether you're planning your exercise routine to boost your health, tone your body or lose pounds, incorporating cardio into your workout regimen can help you achieve your fitness goals. Because cardio exercise offers several health benefits, it's an important part of any well-rounded fitness program.
Identification
Cardiovascular exercise, also known as aerobic exercise, describes any workout that increases your heart rate, boosting the flow of blood through your body and speeding up your breathing, explains TeensHealth, an online resource maintained by the Nemours Foundation. Walking, biking, jogging, using an elliptical machine, rowing and aerobics are all types of cardio exercise.
Significance
During cardiovascular exercise, your deeper, faster breathing increases the amount of oxygen in your blood. At the same time, your increased heart rate sends more blood pumping through your muscles, causing your blood vessels to expand and making it easier for your body to dispose of waste products like carbon dioxide and lactic acid. Cardio exercise also stimulates your body's production of endorphins, hormones that relieve pain and boost your mood.
Benefits
Cardio exercise has several significant health benefits. In addition to improving your cardiac strength and helping keep your arteries clear, aerobic exercise can reduce your risk for serious health problems, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and certain types of cancer. Cardio exercise can also help lower your risk for viral illnesses, boost your mood and may even help you live longer, according to MayoClinic.com.
Considerations
To get maximum benefits from cardio exercise, you should plan to engage in at least 30 minutes of moderately intense cardio activity at least five days a week, recommends Brigham Young University's BYU Wellness website. Start with a few minutes of low-intensity activity to warm up your muscles and your heart, and finish your workout at a lower intensity. Follow cardio activity with a series of stretches to maintain muscle flexibility.
Warning
Although cardio exercise has health benefits, it's a good idea to check with your health care provider before starting any new fitness regimen to make sure you are healthy enough for the workout plan you have in mind, recommends MayoClinic.com.
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