Participating
in a cardio exercise is a super way to lose weight, build muscle, heart
and lung capacity and improve overall health. There are numerous cardio
exercises to choose from and the best one depends on what you enjoy
doing. Since all cardiovascular workouts provide good health benefits,
it’s important to perform one which you will stick with on a regular
basis.
However, it is also good to change up your exercises in order to work
out other muscles and to keep yourself from becoming bored by routine.
Since various cardio exercises are seasonal due to the weather or can be
replicated in the gym, it’s quite easy to practice several workouts
over the course of a year.
1. Running/Jogging
Running,
or jogging, has always been a great way to get in shape. You can run
practically anywhere and the only extra equipment that is required is a
good pair of running shoes. It also aids in the development of strong
bones and joint tissue due to it being a high impact exercise.
Running also increases your heart rate rapidly and keeps it at a high
rate for an extended period of time which is good for increasing your
metabolic rate. When your metabolism is increased, you burn a ton of
calories, both during the cardio workout and for hours afterwards.
Running will burn around 300 calories over a 30 minute period and you
can burn even more calories by adding hills or including periods of
sprints throughout the exercise.
Running can be duplicated in the gym via a treadmill, although the
exercise isn’t as beneficial due to the lack of terrain change and
obstacles to maneuver around.
2. Walking/Hiking
Walking,
like running, can be done practically anywhere and anytime without the
need for additional equipment. Walking is different from running in that
it is a low impact exercise which requires a bit more effort to
increase your heart rate to a point where it will produce good fitness.
However, there are several things you can do to make walking more
beneficial for your health which, if done, will burn 180 calories on
average over a 30 minute session.
When walking, resist the urge to take a casual stroll. Instead, pick up
the pace and walk like you’re in a hurry to get somewhere and swing
your arms as you go. The more body parts you involve in the exercise,
the more calories you will burn. You can add hills or even head out
across a forested trail which will provide more of a challenge due to
the uneven terrain. Take along a pair of walking poles to get your arms
involved.
Walking can be duplicated in the gym via a treadmill, but is less effective than the real thing.
3. Bicycling
Cycling
is another great choice for cardio exercise because it can be done
either indoors or outdoors, is low impact and easy on your joints and
burns a lot of calories. Depending on the amount of resistance and how
fast you peddle, bicycling can burn up to 500 calories in a 30 minute
ride. Because most bikes today have multiple gears, you can change
resistance regularly and really get fit and build endurance.
Cycling can be extra enjoyable and challenging if you get out and take
routes that wind through the country or encircle a lake. You can also
take advantage of it being a form of cheap and clean transportation and
get in shape while going to and from work or running errands.
Cycling can be duplicated in the gym via stationary bikes. Spinning
classes are another super cycling option that incorporates pumping music
and various difficulty levels which are directed by the instructor.
Spinning classes also provide the extra element of performing healthy
cardio exercise in a social setting which makes pushing harder and
getting in shape more fun.
4. Swimming
Swimming
is not only a good cardiovascular workout, but is also fun and can be
done in a variety of places. And, because you use both the upper body
and lower body to propel through the water and can utilize a variety of
strokes, you get a full body workout that exercises a large number of
muscles.
Swimming is a super cross-training activity which can be done either
outdoors or indoors. It burns a large amount of calories, although the
total amount varies depending on the strokes used and the intensity of
your workout. For example, swimming the breaststroke for 30 minutes will
eat up roughly 400 calories.
5. Cross-Country Skiing
Another
excellent total body workout, cross-country skiing incorporates the use
of both upper and lower body to propel through the snow. A 30 minute
session will burn over 300 calories which, of course, can be elevated
further by altering your terrain.
Although cross-country skiing is best done outdoors during the winter
months where you get the benefit of fresh air and gorgeous scenery, it
can also be closely duplicated in the gym. A crosstrainer will give you
many of the same exercise benefits, but it isn’t exactly the same.
6. Kickboxing
With
the rise in popularity of mixed martial arts, kickboxing workouts have
also become a fun fitness exercise. Kickboxing provides a total body
workout because it requires the use of both lower and upper body through
punches and kicks. The exercise not only burns a good amount of
calories, but also increases coordination, quickness and muscle power.
Kickboxing exercises are mostly done in a class setting with director assisted move choreography.
Class workouts provide a lot of motivation for many people due to the
social element. The distraction of being around others lessens the pain
and increases competitiveness which causes you to workout harder and
longer than if you performed the exercise alone.
7. Step Aerobics
This
is another aerobic exercise that is normally done in a class setting
with choreographed moves provided by an instructor. However, many videos
exist now so that the exercise can be done from the comfort of home.
Step aerobics offers an intense workout without the hard pounding of
other high intensity workouts which makes it a popular fitness exercise.
Step aerobics is especially good for toning up the hips, legs and butt
and consumes approximately 300-400 calories in a 30 minute high
intensity session. You can also add more challenge to stepping by adding
risers to the step platform.
8. Elliptical Trainer
This is a popular gym activity for cardio exercise because it allows
the body to move naturally and it is often combined with treadmill
workouts. Most elliptical trainer machines allow you to adjust the
intensity and resistance for even better fitness abilities. You can also
rotate your steps backwards which works the muscles in a different way
as well as adding variety to your cardio routine. An average workout
will burn around 300 calories over 30 minutes.
9. Rowing
Rowing
is a good aerobic workout which benefits both lower and upper body due
to the pushing off with your legs as you make the rowing movements. This
multi-muscle workout helps to burn around 300 calories per half hour of
rowing exercise.
Of course, rowing requires a rowboat, lake and good weather, but is a
great exercise if you can do it outdoors. If you don’t have access to a
rowboat, rowing machines are available at gyms and fitness centers and,
like stationary bikes and elliptical trainers, they can be adjusted for
more challenging workouts.
10. Jump Rope
Jumping
rope is a good do-anywhere cardio exercise that gobbles up the
calories. A full 30 minute session will consume over 300 calories,
although building up to that length of time can take awhile.
Another positive aspect of jumping rope is that there are numerous
jumping techniques which provide a broader spectrum of cardio activity
and variety. You can double jump, triple jump, jump on one foot, cross
jump, run while jumping and many more variations. The more variety,
energy and difficulty you place in your jump rope workout, the more you
will burn calories and enjoy greater fitness benefits.
This shows there is a big challenge to overcoming overweight , and
the goodness is that this can be done with a simple change of lifestyle
like eating habits, exercise accompanied by discipline and
determination to achieve that goal of losing weight, and in so doing one
is in a position to reclaim their health and appropriate weight.
