Why Should I Do Cardio Exercise?
The reason cardio training is called cardio training is because it simply relates to your breathing and heart- cardiovascular system. It lets you achieve a good physique by helping you burn fat and lose weight but you do need to do it regularly to get results. Simply moving, sweating and getting short of breath is good for your health and during the exercise your body will burn sugar / glucose in your body first then will start burning the stored fat in your body. Cardiovascular exercises should be made part of any complete exercise program, which means you can’t just lift weights without doing any cardio and get the maximum benefits. But as opposed to what many people think, it is not just long term activities like walking, cycling or running on a treadmill at moderate intensity, but any type of activity including resistance training / weight lifting is also cardio if it increases your cardiorespiratory rate.
Treadmills, exercise bikes, rowers, steppers and elliptical trainers are the major fitness cardio equipments you will see at the gyms and they all have similar and varying benefits. The most simple way to know what you’re doing is aerobic is if you start breathing faster and when your heart rate goes up. All of these exercises improve metabolism, enable efficient calorie burning and strengthen your lungs and heart muscle and regulate the rhythm which can change by age or due to other factors and a weaker heart can mean weaker immune system, less endurance and breathing loss. You should prefer low impact exercises that will not be a burden on your joints and if you don’t have a lot of time to run or walk long distance then you should opt for those you can do at the gym that will increase your heart rate in a shorter time.
So you just need to reevaluate what is meant by cardiovascular or aerobic exercise before avoiding it for whatever reason, as you will find something you will enjoy. You should try and work on your major muscle groups like legs, chest, arms or legs and one upper body part simultaneously as when these major muscles work, they will need oxygen and hence your heart rate will increase. How often do you need to do cardio will depend on you and of course the more you do, the better it will be but we recommend at least three times a week. As anything that makes you breathe faster and enhances your heart rate is classified as cardio, you can also do it outdoors or in the comfort of your home, such as dancing to music and you will still be able to burn calories and fat and lose weight. Other benefits include warding off viruses and diseases (especially high blood pressure and heart complications), better self-esteem, being less likely to be depressed, enhanced reflexes and coordination.