The physical and mental benefits of indulging in cardiovascular exercise are almost endless. Unfortunately, very few people understand what cardio is all about, and that’s why we are here to help.
So, what is cardio?
Cardio refers to any form of exercise or activity that raises your heart rate and keeps it pumping for a prolonged period. Interestingly, the workout does not have to be strenuous. It could be as simple and as fun as dancing to more intense activities like weightlifting. The objective is to make your cardiovascular system work harder than usual.
The Benefits of Cardio
Including cardio in your regular workout routine can go a long way to improve your physical health and mental wellbeing. Here is a list of the top benefits of cardiovascular exercise:
Improves Heart Health
As you probably know, your heart is a muscle, and just like any other muscle, it needs to exercise to stay in shape. Cardio will pump up your pulse rate and make your heart work harder for improved efficiency. In any case, a healthy heart is a healthy life.
Increases Circulation
As discussed earlier, cardiovascular exercise increases your heart rate, meaning your heart will pump blood throughout your body more efficiently. The increased blood flow goes a long way to reduce blood pressure and help regular blood sugar for a better and more efficient circulatory system.
Boosts Endurance
Including cardio in your regular workout routine can boost your endurance significantly. If you could only jog for a mile before, you should expect to do a couple more without panting after starting on cardio. This exercise essentially trains your heart to pump harder and deliver more oxygen to your muscles for improved endurance.
Cardio also opens up the lungs for improved respiratory function, meaning you won’t have to gasp for breath during intense workouts.
Enhances Sleep
A regular cardio exercise routine can go a long way to enhance your sleep. With better blood circulation, enhanced metabolism, and improved respiratory function, you can be sure of enjoying a good night’s sleep. Moreover, you will take less time to fall asleep once you get into bed. However, do not exercise too close to bedtime to benefit from this.
Strengthen Your Muscles
If you need to build stronger and bigger muscles, you must increase the intensity of your training. Cardio can help boost your energy for more intense workouts. Starting your routine with cardio can give you the natural energy boost you need to perform more strenuous physical activities.
Relieves Stress and Anxiety
Cardio exercise can trigger the release of your feel-good hormones, subsequently boosting your mood. It can make you a happier person, and when you are glad and boisterous, there is no chance of feeling stressed or anxious. You can also fight depression easily by indulging in cardiovascular exercise.
Builds Mental Strength
As you probably know by now, cardio has so many mental health benefits. Working out can boost your confidence and self-esteem. Above all, it can help you build your mental strength through your resilience in training. As you continue working out, you’ll overcome mental obstacles and realize that nothing can stop you from achieving your goals.
Aids in Weight Loss
If you are struggling to lose weight and nothing seems to work, consider doing cardiovascular exercises. Cardio training can help burn lots of calories in a short period, subsequently helping in your weight loss efforts. Depending on the activity, you can burn up to 1000 calories per session. Cardio can also help manage your weight once you achieve the mass you want.
Boosts the Immune System
Aside from preventing heart attacks and stroke, cardio can help reduce the risk of various chronic ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, cancer, and arthritis. Cardio exercise deals with the risk factors associated with these ailments and boosts the immune system by triggering the production of various antibodies. By regulating blood sugar and burning extra calories, cardio is also helpful in managing conditions like diabetes.
Helps in Mental Clarity
Cardio exercise prevents cognitive decline and improves mental clarity by supplying more oxygen to the brain and promoting the production of neurons. People who work out their cardio regularly are less likely to develop dementia or Alzheimer’s due to improved cognitive function. Cardio can also help you focus and think more clearly.
Now that you know about the benefits of cardiovascular exercise, it is time you take cardio classes near you. The Studio at Killian is a great place to start your journey in cardio and learn more about how to include it in your workout routine.
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