Cardiovascular Exercise
Workout
What is Cardio Exercise?
Cardiovascular exercise (also called cardio-respiratory
or aerobic exercise) is any type of physical activity that causes the
heart to beat faster and lungs to breathe harder. Point is, if your heart
isn’t exercised regularly it becomes weak and vulnerable to disease.
Regular cardio training makes the heart and lungs work harder, causing
them to become more efficient in delivering oxygen-rich blood around the
body. As a result, the heart muscles become more powerful and able to
cope with everyday tasks as well as more intensive exertion.
What Exercises are Cardio-Aerobic?
Cardiovascular, or aerobic, exercise generally
uses large muscle groups, like abs, gluteal and quadriceps muscles, and
works the torso and lower body. Several cardio routines (eg. walking,
jogging, stepping, cycling) involve mainly the lower body, but some cardio-training
(eg. elliptical training, power-walking, rowing, swimming, stair-climbing
and cross-country skiing) involve total body workouts.
Two Basic Types of Cardio Exercise
Cardiovascular training may be divided into
two separate types: weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing.
Weight-Bearing Cardio
During exercises referred to as weight-bearing,
(eg. running, walking, jogging, dancing, stair climbing and rope jumping/skipping),
your body weight is supported by your legs. This type of cardiovascular
exercise helps to strengthen bones, thus reducing the risk of fractures
and osteoporosis in later life, although meanwhile it carries a higher
risk of muscle/joint strain.
Non Weight-Bearing Cardio
During exercises referred to as non-weight-bearing,
(eg. cycling, rowing, swimming) the body is not carried by the legs. As
a result, such cardiovascular routines are typically easier on your back,
knees and other joints, and therefore carry a lower risk of injury than
weight-bearing exercises.
Next, see Advice
About Cardio Workouts
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