Cardio training, also known as endurance training, is a form of exercise aimed at improving the efficiency of the heart. It is recommended to all people, regardless of age or level of physical fitness. Cardio training helps to lose weight, has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, oxygenates and has a positive effect on the functioning of the entire body.

Cardio trainingis any kind of exercise that stimulates the heart to work harder. Regular endurance training strengthens your heart so it can pump more oxygen-rich blood. This process translates into better oxygenation of the body, and thus - better well-being, lower risk of cardiovascular diseases and increased efficiency of metabolic changes in the body.

The greatest benefits of cardio training can be obtained by people who are slimming, because during a long exercise the body draws the most energy from the stored fat stores. Moderate cardio exercise in less than half an hour is the most effective way to quickly lose unnecessary calories.

Cardio training - he alth benefits

Cardio training is said to extend life. There is no exaggeration in this statement - practicing endurance sports makes the heart muscle work better, it tires less, and therefore it wears out slower. This, in turn, translates into better functioning of the circulatory system until old age. Regular cardio training increases the capacity of the veins, which lowers the risk of diseases such as heart attack, stroke, as well as chronic diseases: atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, overweight and obesity.

Cardio training and slimming

Cardio training is the most effective weapon in the fight against overweight. Diet alone is not enough to get rid of unwanted kilograms - for weight loss to be effective, you need to use exercise to burn the residual fat in the body.

The most popular cardio workouts are running, cycling, walking and jogging, and swimming. Also at home, it is worth improving your fitness by exercising on stationary devices. Training on a stationary bike (so-called spinning), stepper, cross trainer, treadmill, as well as jumping rope brings good results. Winteryou can go cross-country, downhill or ice skating. In warmer seasons, roller-skating, Nordic walking and regular walks are good options.

Cardio training - how to exercise to lose weight?

The condition for effective weight loss is getting rid of fat, but it is burned only under aerobic conditions, i.e. when the body is able to cover the entire oxygen demand during exercise. When training gets too intense, it becomes necessary to turn on anaerobic processes, during which fat burning no longer takes place. Therefore, a mistake of many people who are slimming is to train at a very high level of intensity, which, paradoxically, slows down the weight loss process instead of accelerating it.

To lose weight, you should exercise 20 (for beginners) to 30-40 minutes a day at least three times a week at a moderate intensity level. This means that the training person's heart rate should be 60-70% of the maximum heart rate throughout the exercise.

This will be useful to you

Formula for calculating maximum heart rate:HRmax=220 - age

For example for a person aged 30, HRmax=220 - 30, i.e. 190.

Multiplying HRmax by 60-70% will get the heart rate value, which we should stick to during cardio training.

During exercise, we should monitor our heart rate on an ongoing basis, so it is best to have a device to measure the heart rate, e.g. in the form of a wrist-based heart rate monitor. The advantage of such heart rate monitors is the ability to enter your own HRmax, thanks to which the device will let us know when we have exceeded the recommended heart rate value for the type of training we have chosen. Exercise devices such as an exercise bike or stepper often have built-in heart rate monitors.

Cardio training - training intensity zones

Cardio training is a form of activity recommended not only for people who are slimming. Anyone, regardless of age or condition, can benefit from this type of exercise. In order for the effort to be effective, you should train in one training intensity zone selected in advance.

  • Zone 1. 50-60% HRmax:for beginners, elderly, he alth exercising or keeping fit;
  • Zone 2. 60-70% HRmax:for people who are slimming;
  • Zone 3. 70-80% HRmax:for people who want to improve their condition;
  • Zone 4. 80-90% HRmax:for people who want to increase their endurance and strength;
  • Zone 5. 90-100% HRmax:for advanced people; effort at this level is only possible for a very short time.
Important

People diagnosed with heart diseases such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, as well as people after a heart attack should not give up cardio training, but an earlier medical consultation is recommended. The specialist should recommend an individual level of training load depending on the type of disease.

As a general recommendation, people with heart problems should exercise regularly, at least 3 times a week, but at a moderate pace. Your heart rate should not exceed 120 beats per minute during exercise. Strongly stress sports (e.g. sprints) and strength exercises, which are an additional factor increasing pressure, are not recommended. Disciplines in which the effort is steady, without sudden bursts, are recommended, e.g. walking, cycling, swimming, moderate jogging.

Category:

ABC of exercises