The term “cardio” is short for cardiovascular. Cardiovascular involves the heart and the blood vessels. The ability for the body’s organs to transport, consume and use oxygen is cardiovascular fitness. By engaging the appropriate exercises for cardio fitness an individual can become more efficient at utilizing the oxygen. The heart becomes increasingly efficient at pumping blood and oxygen to the body.
Participating in a conditioning program for the cardiovascular has many benefits for the individual. The good cholesterol will increase, while the bad cholesterol decreases. Other benefits include lowering blood pressure, decreasing body fat, increasing heart function, decreasing anxiety and reactions to stress, as well as stimulation of insulin and reduction of glucose. An individual can only gain these results with the appropriate mix of frequency, intensity and time.
The number of times each week that an individual exercises is the frequency. The recommended frequency for cardio fitness is a minimum of three days a week. Of course, when first starting out with a program, the type of exercises will be a bit different so that you do not overdo it. Slow and efficient progress is the most beneficial for those just starting out with any type of exercise program. If possible, an individual should try to perform some type of cardiovascular activity every day.
Another important aspect of a good cardio conditioning program is the level of intensity. The amount of work put forth during the work out and how quick you work out define intensity. Keeping the appropriate level of intensity when exercising can define the effectiveness of a work out. A program utilizing an inappropriate level of intensity enhances the process of burning fat. Too much intensity in a cardio fitness program can cause injury, but a certain level of intensity should be sustained in order to maximize potential for burning fat and improve cardiovascular.
The amount of time spent to complete each particular exercise and the duration of the overall session of exercise. As with the other aspects of a cardiovascular workout, the amount of time spent on certain exercises or session duration should gradually increase. A beginner would start out with spending a total of 20 minutes on a cardiovascular workout. That includes warm up and cool down time.
Monitoring your heart rate is key when making the decision to undertake a cardio fitness program. This helps you to assess the progress toward your overall goals so that you know in which direction to regulate the different aspects of your conditioning plan. Each method of cardiovascular training will have a different overall impact on the individual.
The methods of cardiovascular conditioning include aerobic composite training, circuit training, continuous training, fartlek training and interval training. Each method has sub-methods that you could mix up through your work out.
By engaging the appropriate exercises for cardio fitness an individual can become more efficient at utilizing the oxygen. The heart becomes increasingly efficient at pumping blood and oxygen to the body. By choosing the method of cardio fitness training that you prefer, and maintaining the appropriate levels of frequency, intensity and time a person could improve their fitness level and overall quality of life.
