Our heart is a muscle that is responsible for blood circulation in our body. In order to keep our heart healthy, we need to ensure this muscle gets a good amount of movement every day. While our lifestyle tends to become more sedentary the effects of such a lifestyle can be seen nationwide with an increase in the number of heart issues and deaths caused. There are plenty of ways to keep our hearts strong and healthy. One of the advised ways is to spend at least 30 minutes every day exercising by doing some cardio workouts which help us in increasing our heart rate giving it a good amount of movement.
Here are a few cardio exercises for better heart health:
Brisk Walking:
One of the easiest ways to keep us active is going for brisk walks. Incorporate brisk walks with your daily chores or get up in the morning, breathe in some fresh air while you take a walk in a park. Brisk walks can not only help us keep our heart strong but also help in alleviating our mood, strengthening our bones, and improving body balance. You can start off with walks and increase the pace as per your stamina and comfort.
Running:
Not everyone might be comfortable with the idea of running but it has great benefits to offer. It can help in stress reduction, improvement of overall health, and weight reduction. Running every day for 30 minutes can help you feel better and set the right amount of energy to start off your day.
Cycling:
Cycling is something that can be done both outdoor or indoor(stationary). Doing a good 20 – 30 minutes of medium pace cycling can help you burn around 80-100 calories. Cycling every day can help you build muscle strength, keep you happy and improve posture. It not only offers physical benefits but also helps an individual feel more relaxed and happy. People with arthritis can benefit from cycling as it places a low impact on joints.
Skipping:
A great cardio exercise that can burn up to 200 calories in 20 minutes depending upon the pace. Although it looks very easy, people often trip over the rope and fall. Hence this form of exercise can take a while before you master the skill to jump rope without having to take a fall. While skipping ropes always ensure the rope is turning using your wrists and avoid jumping too high. You can start off with 5 – 10 counts of the jumping session and move higher as the body gets used to it.
Climbing up the staircase:
To incorporate some activity into our busy schedule try climbing staircases whenever possible. Be it at your apartment or at work, try taking the stairs as it is an excellent cardio workout. It helps our body produce a hormone known as endorphin responsible for the sense of happiness. However, be mindful to watch your step stairs and always use the handrailing to avoid falling.
Jumping Jacks:
A fun cardio exercise, jumping jacks is a full-body workout that can be done anywhere. Jumping jacks involve a lot of muscle movement hence they increase the heart rate quickly. Apart from heart health they also help you improve muscle tone and help reduce stress.
Swimming:
One of the famous cardio exercises is swimming. When done in continuous laps it can help you burn a high amount of calories by keeping your heart rate up. Even leisurely swimming is considered a cardio exercise. Swimming can help you maintain a healthy weight, healthy heart, and lungs. It also takes impact stress off the body.
Dancing:
Dancing your heart out can help you keep your heart stronger as it is a high-intensity workout. You may not need a dance floor every time, you can also dance at home with the music of your choice. This activity is more of a fun and relaxing one. It can be done for an hour per week or a few minutes every day. Dancing is considered to be a great workout for both our mind and body.
These cardio exercises can be followed by some strength and stretching exercises in your daily exercise routine to keep your mind fresh and maintain a healthy body. Remember every exercise needs the patience to see the results, while you are on your way to maintaining a healthy heart and body don’t forget to appreciate yourself.
