What are the definition and benefits of cardio?

Cardio is one of the most popular types of physical activity and aerobic exercises. It is a very easy and highly effective type of physical activity. Cardiovascular exercise increases the number of breaths per minute. Also, it speeds up the heart rate and blood flow. Therefore, our respiratory system is working harder and our breath is faster and deeper. That’s why after cardio exercise our cells and muscles are better oxygenated, which results in a lot of health benefits.

What is cardiovascular exercise?

Cardiovascular exercise is a type of physical activity that increases heart rate. Using big groups of muscles and repetitive movements, cardio exercise raises blood flow. It results in more oxygen circulating in our blood.

It can be anything from aerobic exercise to a simple thing like a brisk walk. Cardio is a very important element of health promotion. Any exercise program based on the cardiovascular system is very beneficial to our health.

It is strongly advised to every person and especially to those who are in the high-risk group of heart disease.

What equipment is used during cardio?

The essential thing about cardiovascular exercise is that we don’t really need to buy anything at all. We can practice cardio exercise by just walking or running. Still, various equipment might be used to improve our cardio exercises.

There are the most common cardio types of equipment:

• Weight machines,
• Jumping rope,
• Rowing machine.

What are the benefits of cardio exercise?

Cardiovascular exercise plays a big role in disease prevention. Any kind of physical activity is good for our health, but cardio exercise might have even more health benefits than other sports.

Cardiovascular health is important for those at high risk of heart disease. Aerobic exercise that counts as cardio might also help, especially in lowering high blood pressure.

Is it a good way to lose weight?

Even moderate-intensity cardio exercise is known to help in our journey to weight loss. By increasing exercise intensity, we can achieve even better effects. High-intensity interval training is advised to those of ours who aim to reduce the level of body fat.

Is it good for diabetics?

The next benefit of cardiovascular exercise is not only diabetes prevention. It also helps with disease control. Weight loss linked to cardiovascular exercise is good for both – prevention and management. But this kind of aerobic fitness also significantly lowers blood sugar levels.

Does it improve the immune system?

Any type of aerobic exercise is very good for the immune system. The physical activity of this kind makes our bodies ready to fight any upcoming threats. It not only reduces the chance of injuries, but also makes our immune system work better.

Does it help with shortness of breath?

Nowadays, a lot of us suffer from respiratory system diseases. Luckily, even moderate activity cardio exercise improves lung function and upper body ergometer. Over time, it makes breathing easier and reduces symptoms such as shortness of breath.

Does it help to reduce the risk of heart disease?

If we notice any alarming symptoms that might be connected to heart health, it is the best time to start working with cardiovascular exercise. It is one of the best ways to control a disease. During any heart disease, it is important to stay physically active. Cardiovascular exercise will help to maintain desirable blood pressure. Remember to always start your exercise program with stretching exercises.

Is it good varicose veins prevention?

Cardio is a very good kind of sport for those who are worried about their blood vessels. Through the increase in the heart rate, it makes our blood circulate more effectively. It improves cardiovascular health in general and is extremely important for the well-being of our blood vessels.

Is it a good way of staying in shape?

Most of us use cardiovascular exercise for a simple reason such as staying in good shape. It helps to keep our muscles in good condition, and even makes some of the muscles more trained. Calf muscles are a good example. By keeping our bodies active, we spare ourselves a lot of trouble and inconveniences, like shortness of breath or joint pain.

What are typical cardio exercises?

There are a lot of types of cardiovascular exercise. Even such simple activity as walking slowly counts as cardio exercise. If we are interested in the ways to increase exercise intensity, we can always add more movements or even equipment. It doesn’t need to be just walking or jogging.

Other examples of cardio exercises are:

• Resistance exercise,
• Core workouts,
• Lifting weights,
• Jumping rope,
• Aerobic exercise.

What is resistance exercise?

In this type of exercise, large parts of our muscles work against the force of weight. We can use our own body weight while doing push-ups or pull-ups. Also, we may apply equipment such as weight or row machines.

What are core workouts?

Core exercises are any exercises that aim to strengthen our lower back and abdomen muscles. They also tend to work best for the balance and stability of our bodies.

These are some good examples of core exercises that are also a type of cardio:

• Pike twist,
• Planks,
• Squats.

What does cardio lifting weights look like?

Not everyone knows, that weights lift is also a type of cardiovascular exercise. It is essential to choose the appropriate weight of equipment though. If we want to combine weight lifting and cardio exercise, we need to lift weights at a steady pace.

How to use jumping rope?

Another simple way to practice cardio exercise is using a jumping rope. This well-known children’s toy makes excellent cardiovascular exercise. All we need to do is make it move around our body and jump over the circulating rope.

What is aerobic exercise?

For those who like aerobic fitness, there is some good news. Taking part in an exercise program a few times per week is also a very good example of cardiovascular exercise.

Does aerobic exercise count as cardio?

Yes! Aerobic exercise is definitely a very effective kind of cardiovascular exercise. What are aerobic exercises exactly? Honestly, they are just another cardio exercises, but this time they are usually transformed into an exercise program.

Moderate-intensity aerobic activity is linked to improved heart health, making us less exposed to heart disease. Higher exercise intensity is advised to those, who struggle with unwanted excess weight. Vigorous aerobic activity is also known to reduce stress and improve the quality of our lives.

Can cardio be bad for health?

Even though cardiovascular exercise is good for the body’s ability, it is important to pay attention to our general comfort. It is essential not to exercise beyond our current ability. Overworking can be very tempting. Who would not like to see the results faster? But sports medicine states very clearly that it’s the best not to stretch our body beyond its limits. It rarely brings us anything useful. Most frequently, all it does is harm.

What if cardio causes pain? A lot of discomfort such as joint pain that may occur during cardio can be avoided thanks to stretching exercises. They should be done before and after the exercise session.

What might be concerning? We need to remember that any unusual pain can be alarming, especially if it’s joint pain. Sports medicine also mentions a few other alarming symptoms. Any sign of swelling, bruising or redding of the skin should be looked into.

What if we do not want to lose weight?

If we do not want to lose weight, it is vital to eat more calories than we burn during exercise. What is even more essential, we need to control our water intake.

How to stay hydrated?

During any exercise session, it is extremely important to stay hydrated. Do not forget to take a bottle of water, even if it’s just brisk walking. During any exercise, our bodies lose a lot of moisture through sweating. It is vital to drink some clear water every ten to fifteen minutes.

We also need to remember about proper hydration before and after training sessions. College of Sports Medicine advises drinking about 500ml of water 2 hours before the exercise. This way we make sure that our bodies are best hydrated and at their highest aerobic capacity.

All in all, always remember not to hesitate to seek professional medical advice. If anything seems odd or concerning, it is always better to go through minor examination than to harm ourselves.

It is a strongly advised form of physical activity, because it has a lot of health benefits. Cardiovascular exercise reduces blood pressure and the risk of heart disease. It is always important to match our exercise routine with our personal abilities.