Cardio exercise is very important and it has many benefits like improving blood flow around the body which decreases the risk of getting a heart attack and for the weight-watchers out there, cardio exercise helps to reduce fat! But before we get into the cardio exercises, ask your self, what do you define cardio as? Some jogging, playing running sport, or simply getting your heart rate up.
The definition of cardio vascular health is the health of your heart and the blood flow around your body, so cardio exercises must be something to improve that. There are an infinite number of cardio exercises because anything that moves your body to make you sweat and breath hard counts as cardio. But the most effective cardio exercises will be exercises which involve multiple muscle groups like squats which involve hamstring, back and quads! Before you read on, remember to subscribe, comment, and Share this post.
Running
Running is one of the most common cardio vascular exercises, because nearly everyone can perform it and it gets your blood circulating fast. A good cardio run would be at least 30 minutes then some stretches. However, a short run can have benefits too, you can do a run for 10 minutes but at a faster rate then your 30 minute sprint. This will push your body more, and you can always add more exercises on top of this 10 minute run to boost your cardio workout more. And then try to increase the intensity of the run by adding more distance or running faster once you get better at it.
Squats, Tuck-Jumps and Bur-pees
The quads and gluts are the biggest muscle in your body, so it will take more energy to move these colossal muscles, the exercises involves legs will really get your heart beat up and your blood flowing so do more of them. Squats and lunges are fairly simple and are recommended for the amateur cardio workout. But bur-pees and tuck jumps will really add that kick in the workout. A bur-pee is done by squatting, pushing your legs back to get into push up position, bring your legs back to your chest and then squat jumping with hands in the air.
Mountain Climbers and Squat Thrusts
To do a mountain climber you need to be in a push up position with your bum slightly higher. Bring your left leg up near chests and then swap with right leg. Its like horizontal running! Squat thrusts are similar and you have to be back in push up position with your bum slightly higher. Then you have to push both legs to they are tucked into your chest, after push them out returning to push up position. These are very tiring exercises.
Shadow Boxing
Shadow boxing is used in martial arts. Although it says it in the name you don't actually fight your shadow, instead you pretend like your fighting an actually person right in front of you. You can do any style of combat you want, including boxing, hooks, upper-cuts, blocks, kicks and many more. But the main point is to not stop while shadow boxing, just keep going using your imagination to pretend there is someone in front of you. It is very good way of releasing your anger and reducing stress!
Planning Your Workout
Planning and organizing your workout can be hard, so here is a 20 minute workout with 10 exercises planned just for you!
- Medium Rate run for 5 minutes
- 30 second break
- bur-pees 30 seconds
- High knees jogging 30 seconds
- squat jumps 30 seconds
- star jumps 30 seconds
- 10 second break
- Mountain climber 30 seconds
- bicycling crunches 30 seconds
- squat thrusts 30 seconds
- Hindu push-up 30 seconds
- shadow boxing 30 seconds
- 30 second break
- repeat from step 3 at-least 2 times
After this remember to cool down, you have worked your body very hard and it needs to be stretched and slowly brought back to its resting heart beat using static stretching.
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