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Why is Cardio Exercise Important |
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Written by Roys
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Saturday, 26 August 2006 |
Cardio exercise is important for a healthy heart and weight loss. Check with your doctor before beginning exercise if you have any medical conditions or are pregnant. Everyone has wondered at some point in time which cardio exercise is better. To put it in simple terms, both low and high intensity exercises will help you to burn off body fat. In order for an exercise to be considered "cardiovascular" or "aerobic," it needs to elevate your heart rate to 60 to 85 percent of its maximum rate (the fastest it could possibly beat). When you're in the aerobic zone, you should be able to talk, but not able to carry on a long conversation.
Cardio exercise has numerous health benefits. In addition to burning calories and lowering your body fat, it will strengthen your heart and lungs. Since heart disease is the leading cause of premature death for both men and women, cardiovascular fitness is a very important. The scientists were right when they said the human body burns more body fat during low intensity
exercises like walking or swimming. During a high intensity exercise such as running, the body will burn a lot more calories. Even if some of the calories burnt are from glycogen, there are still many fat calories burned as well.
Good examples of cardiovascular activities are walking, running, swimming, biking, aerobic dance, step aerobics, kickboxing, rowing, jumping rope -- you get the idea!
Tips for Better Workouts
* Make sure you have quality shoes for your chosen activity.
* Start slowly. Doing too much too soon can lead to injuries and misery.
* Try new activities. Doing the same thing can lead to plateaus, boredom and injuries.
* Be ready for exercise by feeding your body regularly throughout the day and by staying hydrated.
* Always stretch both after you warm up and after your workout!
* If you're sore or tired, give yourself extra recovery days if needed.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 26 August 2006 )
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