Cardiovascular exercises are aimed at boosting the health and efficiency of your heart and blood vessels. Experts such as Dr. Michael Lam, author of "Five Proven Secrets to Longevity," suggest that getting your heart rate to about 60 to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate is optimal for a cardiovascular workout, though you'll want to warm up gradually to get your heart beating at that rate and then cool down gradually toward the end of your workout. Your maximum heart rate is calculated by subtracting your age from 220. So, if you're 40, your maximum heart rate would be 180, and 60 percent of that would be 108 beats per minute.
Interval Training
It may sound tricky, but it's a simple concept and a good way to add variety to your workout. The Mayo Clinic reports, "Interval training is simply alternating bursts of intense activity with intervals of lighter activity." A 40-minute workout could look like this: Walk for five minutes, run for 15 minutes, walk for five, run for 10, walk for five. Mayo Clinic experts add that by adding bursts of intense activity, like running, into a brisk walking routine, you'll burn more calories and increase your aerobic capacity.
Component Training
Also designed to keep things varied, a component training workout breaks up your routine into very different exercises aimed at keeping you mentally involved, as well as giving your muscles a range of challenges. Dr. Lam suggests a "mini-triathlon" of 15 minutes of running, 15 minutes of biking and 15 minutes of lap swimming, all while trying to maintain a heart rate of about 60 to 80 percent of maximum.
Indoor Cycling
Indoor cycling on a stationary bike emerged in the 1990s as an indoor alternative to cardiovascular workouts on the treadmill, stair climber and other equipment. Classes typically last 40 to 60 minutes and often involve fast-paced music, lighting effects and a very enthusiastic instructor. Like interval training, they mix up the intensity of your effort, usually requiring you to stand and sit and pedal fast and slow as the instructor dictates. An article about cardiovascular workouts on FamilyEducation.com notes that each rider adjusts the tension of his or her own bike, so people of varying fitness levels can all get a good workout in the same class.
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