Cardio also known as `aerobic exercises’ primarily means relating to or involving free oxygen. It is a low to high intensity workout depending on the aerobic energy–generating process. Here, carbohydrates are aerobically turned into energy.
In a cardio workout, the heart and lungs supply oxygen-rich blood to the working muscle tissues. A person’s ability to deliver oxygen to the working muscles is affected by many physiological parameters, including heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, and maximal oxygen consumption.
There are many cardio workouts like brisk walking, running, jogging, swimming and cycling. Before you embark on any cardio workout, it is better to find out what pulse rate matches your moderate to maximum heart rate zone for your age. There are target heart charts available which you can avail of from your trainer or doctor. You should ideally be working in the 50 to 70 per cent of your maximum heart rate.
Different types of Cardio Workouts.
For many, hitting the treadmill is the best way to get a good cardio workout. There are other machines at the gym like the elliptical and cycle which one can use. Also, many people have cardio machines at home.
Brisk walking for about 40 minutes is a good cardio workout. It is beneficial for all age groups. You can even combine walking and jogging intermittently for better results.
Loads of people run for fitness. For them, investing in training to be a long distance runner is very important. Running is more of an athletic pursuit and a passion. For e.g a Marathon run, is not about just burning some calories but you are working hard and accomplishing goals. So, there’s a definite difference in running and jogging.
Simple Cardio workouts
Just walking up and down the stairs for a good 20 minutes can be a good cardio workout. Just this small change can have a huge impact on your fitness levels. Using a jumping rope to do some skipping can be a good cardio blast. It looks easy and is not so for adults. You have to regularly practice to last skipping for more than a few minutes. You can do variations too, like one leg and two leg, cross and backwards skipping.
Remember our old time favorite Jumping Jacks? They elevate your heart rate in no time and can be very effective. You can burn fat at a rapid speed. You can take breaks in between and start all over again.
Cycling has huge returns for a very minimum investment. It burns calories and builds endurance.
Dos and Don’ts
Remember slow and steady wins the race. Since, cardio workouts are related to the heart and our heart rate rises up, one has to remember that you have to listen to your body always. Don’t push yourself beyond a limit. How far and how much of cardio you should be doing? It all depends on your age and fitness levels.
We suggest you always start with low impact workout. A good cardio workout for about half an hour can help you burn 200 calories. Jumping Jacks, Skipping can be high impact and require practice. Remember to do a good 10 minutes warm up and stretches for different parts of your body before you embark on your cardio workout. And, of course, invest in a good pair of shoes.
