The heart and lungs work together during exercise to provide us with the energy we need to sustain an activity. During exercise your heart pumps blood out to the arteries, which act as transport mediums to deliver the nutrients (namely oxygen) to the working muscles and cells.
Individuals that spend a lot of time doing cardiovascular-type training have more efficient hearts that are capable of delivering greater amounts of nourishment to working tissues with less stress placed on their hearts.
In addition to having a greater amount of working capacity, regular aerobic-type training can help prevent certain diseases and disorders that can impair an individual’s cardiovascular system.
Take a look at the following list of reported benefits of cardiorespiratory fitness. It should make you feel good to know that your physical activities are lengthening your life span and improving your quality of life because you will have more endurance and energy to do what you want to do.
Reported Benefits of Cardiorespiratory Fitness
– Reduction in blood pressure
– Increased HDL-cholesterol (the good one)
– Decreased total cholesterol
– Decreased body fat stores
– Increased aerobic work capacity
– Decreased symptoms of anxiety, and depression
– Increased heart function
– Possible reduction in mortality in post myocardial infarction patients
Beginning and Continuing a Cardiovascular Exercise Program
The following guidelines are tools to use when your trainer and you design an exercise program to train your heart. As with all types of exercise it is important to check with your physician before starting a new fitness routine.
How often should you work out? The ideal is 3-5 days per week. For optimum health results and to improve cardiovascular fitness, try to exercise aerobically at least three days per week with no more than two days rest in between sessions.
At a minimum, you can work with a personal trainer one day a week and two days on your own. If you can work in five days in a week, that is great! However, do not feel defeated or quit if you miss a day or two in a week. This happens to everyone. Just get back to your regular schedule when you can. It is better to exercise a little than not at all.
How long should each workout be? A cardio workout should be between 20 and 90 minutes a session. Trainers usually recommend a 50-60 minute session to get optimal results. If you cannot get to the gym, jog for at least 20 minutes. Or do interval training, in which you alternate between a faster jog or run and a slower paced walk. If take a 20-minute walk, walk at a pace fast enough so it is not a leisurely stroll.
As with most things in life, consistency is key. Put your workout times into your calendar like you would any important appointment or meeting. Make cardio exercise part of your life. Your trainer can help you do that. He or she will encourage you to work at a comfortable pace, never do anything that hurts, and the most important training rule — have fun! Enjoy your cardio program and you will also keep your heart healthy.