Benefits of Cardiovascular Exercise

Cardiovascular exercise, also called cardiorespiratory exercise and aerobic exercise, has been shown to have a number of health benefits when performed on a regular basis. These benefits may be realized by both those who are apparently healthy and those who suffer from various health problems.

Cardiovascular fitness promotes the loss of body fat and has been reported to actually decrease the appetite in many individuals. However, even if it doesn't reduce appetite, the calorie-burning effects of regular aerobic exercise can allow for substantial caloric intake. Many endurance athletes regularly consume between 3,000-5,000 calories per day and remain extremely lean. Cardiovascular training, when combined with a sensible diet, will definitely promote an increase in lean body tissue and a decrease in body fat percentage.

The skeletal system can be strengthened by weight-bearing activities such as fast walking and jogging. This can not only assist in reducing the risk for developing osteoporosis, it can also help to slow down the progress of the disease for those whose doctors recommend exercise.

Aerobic exercise is often part of treatment programs for diabetics whose blood sugar is well controlled. This is due to the fact that aerobic training increases the sensitivity of the cells to insulin so diabetics who exercise regularly require less insulin to effectively regulate blood sugar levels. In addition, studies have shown that persons with adult-onset diabetes have been able to significantly reduce or eliminate medications other than insulin by following a regular exercise program combined with a healthy diet.

Cardiovascular exercise is often a major component of the therapy for those who have suffered a heart attack and for those who are at high risk for coronary artery disease. Three of the primary risk factors for developing coronary artery disease are high blood pressure (hypertension), smoking and high blood cholesterol. Cardiovascular exercise can play a significant role in reducing risk associated with these three factors.

First of all, many people with high blood pressure are also overweight. Regular sessions of aerobic exercise will reduce body fat and lower blood pressure. Secondly, many people who smoke find the incentive to quit after embarking upon an aerobic exercise program. Thirdly, regular, brisk, cardiovascular training leads to an increase in the level of high density lipoprotein (HDL), also known as the "good" cholesterol.

Those with arthritis can benefit from aerobic exercise to help them maintain an ideal body weight. Therapy programs for arthritis sufferers should also include appropriate exercises to help maintain joint range of motion. This can be incorporated into an overall exercise program that includes cardiovascular exercise.

Cardiovascular exercise has also been shown to decrease clinical symptoms of anxiety, tension and depression. Regular aerobic workouts increase blood flow and assists the body in eliminating toxins which can make a person feel better.

On a physiological level, cardiovascular fitness decreases resting heart rate and increase heart volume. It increases maximum oxygen consumption, capillary density and blood flow to active muscles. It also increases total blood volume, allows for maximal ventilation and increases lung diffusion capacity.

Cardiovascular training serves as the foundation for other fitness programs. The conditioning and health of the heart and blood vessels are the basis for safety and performance in nearly all athletic endeavors.- Michael Russell

Low-Cost Cardio Workouts You Can Do At Home

An exercise regimen has to comprise of strength straining, flexibility and fat reduction techniques. Using weights to improve muscle tone is all well and good, but if fat isn't burned, no amount of weight training will give you those toned abs you yearn for. Getting enrolled at a gym is one of the best ways to get a workout designed for your body type but you can also fill interim periods by following an all-round regimen at home.

Exercises don't need expensive equipment though those who can afford them shouldn't scrimp either. Rather than equipment, performing the right exercises is the key to attaining fitness and having a well-sculpted body. Below is a list of cardio workouts that cost only a few dollars but are followed by athletes and fitness buffs alike.

Low-impact workout

• Low-impact exercises are great for beginners and people with back and knee problems. They don't strain the joints, but work with them to increase strength and reduce fat.

• Warm up for five minutes by doing simple stretches and step touches. This will get your heart rate going and loosen limbs.

• Perform side lunges for two minutes. This consists of standing with legs wide apart and keeping the arms stretched out. Touch your left foot with your right arm, stand up, and touch your right foot with your left arm. Repeat the steps as fast as possible but slow down if you feel unnatural pain.

• Front kick lunges are another. Light weights can be used to strengthen the arms. Stand and bend slightly at the knees keeping elbows tucked in and fists loosely clenched. Kick with the right foot, flow back into a bent position and lunge with the left while keeping the left leg straight back. Touch the floor with the right hand to steady yourself. Repeat the exercise with the left foot and go through the entire sequence for five minutes.

High-impact workout

These are a few choices for high-impact workouts and if you're healthy enough to bear the strain, there's nothing like them. Remember, however, that these exercises can cause injury and shouldn't be performed by people suffering from joint and back problems. A quick consultation with your family doctor will help decide a regimen.

• Jumping rope is one of the best ways to burn fat. It's such an effective cardio workout that even top athletes jump rope before proceeding with their usual exercise regimen. Beginners can start with a weighted rope to cut the air faster and progress to a lighter rope as strength and flexibility increase.

There's a technique when jumping rope that reduces strain on the joints. Lightly landing, keeping the knees slightly bent and jumping with a straight back should be practiced. Wear cushioned shoes designed for training/running.

• Jumping jacks are another medium- to high-impact exercise. Weights can be added for strength training. A set of 20 jumping jacks followed by burpees and back to jumping rope will give you a high impact, high intensity workout.

• Burpees are full-body workouts that involve squats, front planks and more squats all at the same time. They're also a high intensity exercise. Beginners should try attempting 20 burpees and increase the number as strength is built.

There are many burpee variants you can incorporate into your high impact cardio workout. You can add a push up to the routine by performing one push up before moving into the plank position. Or you can use only one arm at a time when doing the push up and the plank.

So are you looking to develop a lifestyle that promotes fitness, health, and well-being? Take a step in the right direction by hiring your own personal trainer in Melbourne.

By Stuart Root

Do Push Ups to Build Muscle Mass and Boost Metabolism

Having spent many years doing many different workouts involving weights, cardiovascular machines, and calisthenics, I determined that the best way to build mass and boost metabolism is by doing pushups. Lots of pushups! After less than three months training, I was able to complete a one-thousand pushup routine in exactly 80 minutes.

Calisthenics, like pull-ups and pushups, are commonly avoided because they can be extremely painful. Because strength training exercises are typically anaerobic, with few exceptions, the body produces a high amount of lactic acid, thus causing a burning sensation in the muscles. Coupled with physical and mental exhaustion, an abundance of lactic acid can persuade even the hardest of athletes to give it a rest. Remember that your body will prevail, as long as you maintain your mental strength.

To begin, I would recommend a routine consisting of no more than 100-200 pushups, spread out over an entire day. Break them down into even sets, of say 20 pushups per set. Whenever you feel confident in yourself, drop to the floor and pound out a quick set. If 20 pushups are too many when you begin, then do more sets consisting of fewer repetitions per set. Do not concern yourself with the amount of time it takes to complete the first few workouts, just make sure you drink a lot of water and eat a lot of high protein food throughout the day. The day following your first pushup workout, your chest, stomach, shoulders and legs will be sore. It will become apparent just how many muscle groups are worked when doing pushups. Take 2-3 days rest.

The secret to building the endurance strength necessary to do extremely large numbers of repetitions is to strategize with your own body. The workouts need to be strategically spaced apart and sometimes stacked together to maximize results.

The second workout should be the same as the first, however do not take a 2-3 day rest after the workout. Instead of taking a long break, work out every other day, until you no longer get sore the day after. It may take a few weeks in order to be comfortable doing 200 pushups every other day. Do not lose sight of your goal. Remember that pain is a result of muscle wear and recovery, and should mentally represent progress, not a limitation. It will never go away, but it will greatly diminish over time as your body adjusts.

The third stage requires that you compress your workout into a set time interval. For the sake of example, let's say one hour. Find a comfortable number of repetitions that you feel that you will be able to repeat until you have reached your daily goal of 200 pushups. In this example, we'll do 10 repetitions. This workout will consist of 20 sets of 10 repetitions. 20 sets, evenly divided across 60 minutes means that you will need to do one set of 10 pushups every three minutes. Make sure that whatever goal you choose is achievable, and also poses a challenge. Repeat this routine every other day, until it becomes comfortable.

Because your muscles will quickly become fatigued doing calisthenics, it is very difficult to continually add more reps or sets to your workout. The easiest and most successful method [in my opinion] for building endurance is stacking workouts. By stacking, I mean completing the same workout more than one time in less than a 24 hour period. During the fourth stage, complete a 200 pushup routine in the morning and in the evening, followed by a day of rest. Once again, just like the previous stages, do this routine until your body becomes comfortable- this should only take a couple of weeks. At which point, you will complete the workout stacking, by coupling the two sessions into one two-hour session, consisting of 40 sets of 10 pushups, totaling 400 pushups. My buildup workouts include two sessions of 300-500 pushups apiece, followed by a day of rest. Note that you should not work the same muscle group two days in a row without rest. This method gave my body time to rest and refuel between sessions without going completely into recovery mode.

If your body responds quickly and you start to build considerable muscle mass in a short period of time, which I'm sure you will, the next thing to do is increase the number of repetitions per set and decrease the amount of time between sets. I would recommend a goal of 25-30 reps per set, beginning one set every 2 minutes. If done gradually, the workout compression can be very smooth and your 400-pushup routine can be completed in 32 minutes. It sounds very difficult, but it is achievable.

Now that you have the tools; timing your sets, timing your workouts and adding reps, you can pull the strings and make the workout work for you. If you have any difficulty in any particular aspect that prevents further gains, use the other techniques to manipulate your body into cooperating. For example, if you cannot add more reps to your sets, do more sets, or if you cannot do more sets, do two larger workouts spaced apart from one another.

Two important things to remember when doing mass building exercises such as pushups are; drink lots of water and eat lots of high protein food throughout the day. When doing my one-thousand pushup routine, I drink at least one full gallon of water daily to avoid dehydration and joint fatigue. Good luck! 

By: Richard West

Ladies Learn How to Tone Your Thighs at Home

What Woman Want To Have: Toned Thighs

If you are a woman and you want to learn how to tone your thighs in the comfort of your own home this is the article for you. I'm not going to have you doing a lot of squats as I feel these only make your thighs bulky or even have you doing a lot of jogging every day. There are a couple of things you can do that are simple and only take about 10-15 minutes out of your busy day.

Steps To Tone Your Thighs at Home

1. Jumping Rope

Jumping rope is not only an excellent form of cardio but it also helps develop and work the entire leg. Jumping rope is a known form of cardio that will help shed pounds of weight and will have your thighs and calves looking great. Just skipping rope for about 5-10 minutes per day is all it takes.

2. Walking on The Treadmill

Okay so I should make it clear you wont just be walking on the treadmill you will actually be walking backwards on the treadmill. Don't be scared a lot of women do it and it is rather easy once you get the hang of it and of course you have handles to hold on to. Walking backwards stresses the butt and hamstring areas of the thighs and makes it a great way to tone your thighs and if you are courageous you can put it on a slight incline.

Body Weight Lunges

Lunges are great for working the thighs and can be done while you are watching television and the best thing of all you don't even need to use weights. Simply do about 25 lunges per leg nonstop rest for 30 seconds than repeat for up to 10 minutes.

Toning Your Thighs Doesn't Mean Losing Fat

Although these are great tips for toning your thighs you are still going to have to lose the fat layer that is keeping you from seeing them. The only way to see your newly toned muscles is to get to a lower fat percentage so that muscles become visible which is achieved through proper diet and exercising.

By Thomas S Moore