You will often see the words "cardio exercise" used interchangeably with aerobic exercise. Whatever you choose to call it, the activity is still the same -- you move your body in a repetitive motion for an extended period of time with little resistance. Aerobic exercise is well-known for its ability to keep disease risk at bay. It can also boost your mood and reduce feelings of depression and anxiety.
Choosing a Form
All types of cardio are effective at burning calories and improving your health. The most important factor is that you do something that you enjoy. Exercise needs to be engaging for you to do it for the long haul. Otherwise, you will fall off the wagon or battle with boredom and not achieve favorable results. Running, walking, kickboxing, stair stepping, jumping rope and versa climbing are all options. If you like a group atmosphere for motivation, attend spinning classes, cardio-sculpt classes or step aerobics. If you have issues with your joints, stick with low-impact forms of cardio, such as elliptical training, rowing and swimming.
Duration of Exercise
The amount of cardio you do depends on your current situation. If your goal is to lose weight, then you are going to have to exercise for a longer period of time. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 30 minutes of cardio for health benefits and 60 to 90 minutes for weight loss. The higher amount might sound difficult to obtain, but you do not have to do it all in one session. Exercise in shorter bouts throughout the day to accumulate your time if this better suits your schedule.
Stretching Beforehand
Before you start a cardio session, take the time to loosen up your muscles and connective tissue. If you don't, you run the risk of suffering a muscle pull or some other type of injury. These stretches help acclimate your body to the motions you will go through with exercise. Perform stretches like walking lunges, leg swings, arm circles, alternating toe touches, knee highs and ankle bounces.
Executing Good Form
When you perform cardio exercises, good form is of utmost importance. Take stair stepping, for example. If you rest your arms on the handrails and slouch forward, you will take work away from your body. This will also subject you to muscle imbalances if performed on a regular basis. With any exercise you do, maintain good posture and move in a steady and smooth fashion.
Intensity
When you do cardio, your goal is to break a sweat and get your heart rate elevated. To boost your results, experiment with interval training. This type of workout involves a mixture of high-intensity and low-intensity bouts throughout your training session. Interval training not only boosts your caloric expenditure while you work out, but it also ups your metabolism once you are done.
