There are a lot of reasons to exercise, but the most important is to make sure that your heart and body are in the best shape possible. Many different exercises target different areas of your body. Including exercises that focus on improving and maintaining your heart health in your routine is essential. There is a common misconception that all forms of exercise are the best for your heart, but there are some exercises that target your heart specifically. These are commonly referred to as “Cardio” and target your cardiovascular system to allow it to fight diseases such as heart disease or blood flow problems.
Walking
If you are looking for a cardiovascular exercise that is not too brisk, walking is an excellent exercise to get started. Walking helps get your heart rate up and is easier on your body than many other forms of exercise. It is low impact and can be done for extended periods of time. You can walk almost anywhere, such as parks, city sidewalks, forests and also on a treadmill. The only workout accessory that is highly recommended for walking is some good, supportive shoes.
Most of the difficulties that people have is finding time to fit walking into their day, but the truth is that opportunities to walk are endless. When you find yourself on a break at work, you can take advantage of this time to get some steps in. You can also fit in a nice walk around the block after a meal and can have fun doing it! Bring your favorite music, podcast, or audiobook with you and focus on it while walking to help pass the time. The flexibility of walking mixed in with how enjoyable it can be makes it easy for anyone to do!
Cycling
Cycling is an excellent method to get your heart rate up and can be extremely fun and relaxing. Your bicycle no longer has to be only a mode of transportation but can be a form of entertainment and exercise. Cycling uses large muscle groups in the legs that easily elevate your heartrate when being exercised. Cycling provides a unique opportunity to see more of your surroundings while giving your body an excellent workout. A nice bonus to cycling is that it has even shown to be a great way to improve mental health.
As an aerobic activity, cycling helps you breathe deeper, increase your body temperature, and helps improve your overall fitness while promoting heart health. If you have been looking for a new way to get around while having fun and improving the health of your heart, cycling could be the answer that you have been looking for.
Interval Training
Interval training can be a great workout when you begin to push yourself. Interval training is a way to switch up your workouts and alternate between intensity. This interval training method combines short, high-intensity bursts of speed with slow recovery periods of mild activity or rest and helps to improve your performance incredibly. By varying the intensity of your workout, you’ll reap the benefits of both aerobic and anaerobic training. Overtime, Interval Training can help improve your speed, strength, and endurance.
Interval training offers new benefits to your heart’s health, such as a decrease of strain on your heart. This allows your heart to increase how much blood it can pump per beat. Interval training also strengthens your heart to be more efficient in the long run. Intervals maximize cardiovascular health and decrease the risk of both heart disease and the development of high blood pressure.
Weight Training
Lifting weights can lead to a significant increase in heart health. Weightlifting uses muscle resistance to build muscle and strengthen your body. It also helps to improve your overall circulation. When you lift weights, it does not have to be an excessive amount of weight. Pick a weight and exercise that you are comfortable with and start from there.
Weight training and other forms of strength training increase lean muscle mass; it gives your cardiovascular system places to send the blood being pumped. This results in less pressure on your arteries, which helps reduce the chances of heart-related problems. These exercises are more effectively paired with cardiovascular exercise but don’t necessarily have to be. If you have not been one to life weights in the past, you can join a gym with a trainer who can teach you all of the proper ways to use weights with the utmost safety in mind.
Increase your Heart Health
Exercise is an excellent way to make sure that you are training your heart to be the healthiest it can be. A good rule of thumb is to get 150 minutes of mild exercise into your week. This can be any exercise that you feel most comfortable doing. Weight Training, Cycling, Interval Training, and even Walking can be excellent workouts that you can alternate through and take advantage of.
Improved heart health can make all of the difference in the world to how you feel on a day to day basis. Continuous work and improvement will work wonders in your everyday life. If you are ever looking for a way to feel better and work your heart, these are the best exercises that you can use to do just that.