Top 10 Cardio Exercises
February 14, better known as Valentine’s Day, is a holiday in which lovers exchange samples of their love from the heart. However, this will not be the only work of hearts on this special day. The heart will also pump on average about 1,900 gallons of blood a day, which travels throughout the body delivering oxygen and nutrients while removing waste and carbon dioxide, sustaining life. The stronger your heart, the more likely you are to live a long, healthy, and disease-free life. Here are my top 10 cardio exercises to help keep your heart strong and efficient.
1. Running: The best and most effective way to lower your resting heart rate, running also helps burn calories, strengthens bones, improves joint stability, relieves stress, and improves coordination. Running is great for the mind, body, and soul.
2. Spinning: Spin bike classes are high intensity, challenging and extremely motivating. Keeping the beat and adjusting resistance levels and speed to the music creates an endless amount of exercises that will never leave you bored.
3. Rowing – A popular indoor water sport, rowing on a good rowing machine is an above-average cardio workout that also helps strengthen your back, shoulders, arms, legs and core.
4. Kick-Boxing – An interactive and fun way to increase your fitness level, cardio kick-boxing will have you punching, kicking, kneeing and elbowing your way to a healthier heart while teaching you basic but valuable techniques of Self Defense.
5. Stairs: Whether on a stair treadmill or the stairs at home or work, climbing or stair climbing has long been a popular way to burn calories while toning your lower body and training your heart and lungs.
6. Skipping: A once-popular schoolyard game is now an intense cardio warm-up often used by boxers, mixed martial artists, and other professional athletes. Jumping is great for timing, balance, speed, and agility, as well as getting a good sweat.
7. Aerobics: Step aerobics have been around in the fitness industry for decades and are a very popular and energetic way to train in a group, with friends, or alone. A good instructor or DVD is a great way to get the most out of the timeless wonder known as the step platform.
8. Cross-Training: As an effective alternative to wear-free running, elliptical cross trainers simulate a running motion but keep your feet in contact with the pedals. They offer various levels of resistance to make your workouts more difficult.
9. Incline Walking: For those who can’t handle the high impact of running, adding a hill to your regular walk or an incline to your treadmill can effectively maximize your heart rate during workouts.
10. Swimming: This is an enjoyable, non-impact form of exercise, excellent for the mature, motivated client, children, and anyone rehabbing from injury.
So if you want to be around to spend many more Valentine’s days with your loved one, take the time to exercise your heart regularly. My recommendation would be a minimum of 30 minutes of activity per day. It doesn’t have to be all at once either. Remember, if you can’t take care of your own heart, how can you take care of someone else’s?