By Niluka Perera
Everybody dreams of leading a healthy life without any illness and a fraction of us have launched into a daily routine of maintaining good health. Even though we have been constantly reminded that exercise is an integral part of leading a healthy life, we have omitted this all-important component from our daily lives due to numerous reasons. However, those who have taken-off on the flight of good health via exercises sometimes don’t think about what exercises are best in boosting up their health.
Most of us walk, jog, run, or cycle, and go to gym as means of exercising and sometimes spend a considerable amount of cash on personal trainers. We all believe that sweating ourselves is the visual proof of a good work out. A strong and active heart is the main component of healthy living and exercise is the main contribution to a strong heart. In order to build up a strong heart it is indispensable that it should be worked out properly, where “cardiovascular exercise” plays a major role.
What is “Cardio”?
Do not alarm yourselves by the mere presence of “Cardio” since it is the same type of exercises that we usually engage ourselves in. Cardiovascular exercise is any kind of exercise that increases the rate of your heart beat and your breathing pace—resulting in increased blood circulation. The heart is also a muscle just like the other muscles in our body and needs to be exercised to make it stronger and healthier. The more you work it out the more strong it gets. On the other hand it also helps to reduce muscle stress since it cleans up the collected lactic acid through the increased blood circulation.
There are a variety of cardiovascular exercises that you can adapt to your daily routine.
Running/jogging
This is the easiest and commonest means of getting enough cardio exercise. It does not require any equipment and allows you to get more fresh air (only if you run under green cover) and also meet people on your way. However, do not stress yourself with excess running since it might result badly on your knees and legs.
Swimming
Swimming is one of the best exercises if you can find the right means, precisely a swimming pool. It not only increases your heart beat and circulation but also tones your body by giving a full body workout.
Cycling
Cycling combines both effects from running and swimming. It greatly helps you to get rid of your unwanted love handles. However, take care of yourselves when riding and do not forget to wear your helmets at any given point.
Skipping
One of the best ways to burn calories and have your heart beat raised. It only requires a skipping rope and enough space to swing it. It is been used by many boxes to lose weight and to maintain their fitness levels solely because of its practicality. Try using different ways of skipping; forward, backward and perhaps with your arms crossed.
Shadow boxing
Another method that requires no equipment and it simply means boxing with your own shadow. To make it more interesting you can shadow box in front of a mirror
Dancing
Dancing is an absolutely great way to burn fat, and it doesn't have to be professional dancing. Stand in your room, put some of your favorite music on loud, and you can have a great time just shaking your hips and free styling. The good thing about this too is that you can put as much effort as you want into your dancing in order to have a big workout, or just a short one.
What you can gain
Cardiovascular exercise also helps you lose weight. Since the blood circulation is being raised, it allows more oxygen to be carried to all parts of your body. This phenomenon accelerates the burning of extra fat cells to generate energy, which consequently results in weight loss. There are a number of benefits that you can experience through cardiovascular exercise, such as:
Improved heart health
Our heart being a muscle needs exercise just like the other muscles in our body. If you fail to work it out, over time it will weaken and result in numerous heart conditions. However, by making it beat faster you can work out the muscles of your heart, leading to a healthier and stronger heart.
Increased metabolism
Metabolism is a set of chemical reactions that take place in the cells of a living being to keep it alive. The more metabolism you have the healthier you are. So by engaging yourself in more cardio exercise, you increase your metabolism, making you healthier.
Improved hormonal levels
Exercising yourself to raise the heart beat and to increase your breathing pace helps to release ‘happy hormones,’ which will eventually reduce your symptoms of stress, depression and fatigue.
Burn calories
Cardiovascular exercise invariably helps you to lose weight by burning your extra calories. If you can engage yourself in 30 minutes of cardio a day, you will start burning fat right in front of your own eyes.
A healthy life is a better saving than any other saving we could manage to do in our entire lives. However much we exert ourselves in earning money, it is also vital that we spend a minimum of 30 minutes daily to raise our heart beat, breathing pace and blood circulation. It is a misconception that a gym is indispensable to engage in exercise. You only need self-motivation to possess a healthy and strong heart. So shed your lazy feelings and kick start your exercise habit today for a healthier and stronger tomorrow.
(Source: www.bodybuilding.com, www.healthguidance.org)
