.: Cardiovascular Exercising
By:Susan Chiang
There are some key factors to consider when exercising, to achieve maximum results. These factors include; the duration of each exercise, the intensity, the frequency you work out, and whether or not you use interval training. This article will examine each one of these aspects to help you achieve the maximum benefit from your cardio workouts.
Cardio is important for both weight loss and good cardiovascular health. Some body builders forget the importance of cardio, because they do not want to lose muscle mass as a result. It is important that part of your exercise regime focuses on aerobics. Contrary to what some people believe, cardio will not reduce your muscle mass. It will help you build up endurance and gain more definition in your physique. Below is a list of reasons why you should keep up to date with your cardio workouts.
- Lowers blood pressure and resting heart rate
- Burns calories
- Helps prevent disease, such as heart attacks and obesity
- Increases endurance
- Good mental health
- Sheds off that layer of unwanted fat
- Increases blood flow to your muscles, which results in more nutrients being delivered to them
Intensity
Intensity means how hard you are working during your activities. Intensity is a key component for optimal health and fat loss. Beginners should target a heart rate of lower that 55% of their maximum heart rate, while intermediate and advanced people should aim for about 65-90%. Your maximum heart rate level is approximately 220 minus your age, but of course this may vary depending on your fitness level. Gym equipment and fitness equipment usually have hand censors that will tell you what your heart rate is at, so that you can maintain a good level of intensity throughout your workout. If you find these censors annoying to hold or you are outside, an easy way to see how hard you are working is to see how well you can talk. If you can sing during your work out, you are most definitely slacking. If you can barely talk, you are probably working too hard. The idea is to be able to barely be able to talk.
Duration
Duration is how long you do a continuous aerobic activity in one session. Ideally, you should be training between 20 and 60 minutes per session. If you are a beginner, you may start by doing shorter workouts, of about 10 minutes at a time. Once you become stronger and more comfortable, you should start to increase how long you are exercising for. You should NEVER, EVER strain yourself, especially if you are a freshie. If you feel weak, sick or dizzy, slow down or stop, and of course, consult a physician if you have any health problems before you begin. Note that although cardio will not promote muscle loss, if your goal is to add mass you should only be doing about 20-30 minutes a time or else you will burn too many calories.
Frequency
You should be generally performing cardio work outs 3-5 times per week, unless you have a lot of fat to loose you can go for 5-7 times per week. You should never space your cardio sessions out for more than 48 hours because your body start to loose the positive effects of the previous workout.
Interval Training
Interval training is a cardio workout that will take less time than a regular cardio workout and burn more calories. This type of workout is very effective and you will only need to do it for 15 - 20 minutes at a time. An example of interval training is to run for 3 minutes and walk briskly for 2 minutes. You continue this cycle until your workout is complete (do not forget to warm up!). This type of workout is great for preventing the boredom that can come with steady state cardio and boosts fat loss. Interval training is also good for improving your cardiovascular abilities and preventing the muscle loss that can come with regular cardio. Remember that you should always be changing the duration of how long you are running and walking to keep your body guessing. This type of cardio can be done on virtually any cardio machine, and also outdoors.
Article keywords: fitness, fitness equipment, fitness program, health fitness, physical fitness, muscle fitness, fitness training, home gym, elliptical trainer
Article Source: http://www.articles32.com
For more useful tips on fitness and fitness equipment, visit Susan's sites at Affordable Home Gyms and Elliptical Trainer Depot. Other insightful fitness related articles are available at Top Notch Health.
.: New Health Articles
1). Breakthrough: Why Understanding Separation Anxiety Disorder Will Ultimately Cure It
Understanding Separation Anxiety Disorder Will Ultimately Cure It. Separation anxiety is not only common to kids and parents. Believe it or not, it is also what your dog feels every time you leave them.
2). Should You Worry About Global Warming?
What to do instead of worrying about things beyond your control like Global Warming.
3). Causes of Eczema on Hands and Effective Treatment
One of the most annoying forms of eczema is atopic eczema on hands. In this area it can get very irritating indeed. With the constant use of the hands, and their easy reaching access, the itching can become unbearable, and scratching the itch can become a habit which leads to a very severe rash in some people
4). Are You Looking For Simple and Good Panic Attack Help Tips
This article is about how to look for good and simple anxiety attack help tips and what are the various available options for the sufferer.
5). Can Child Panic Attack Be Deadly and What Are Its Tips and Solutions
This article is about what the tips, solutions and options to help the parents and the child, when a child has anxiety attacks.
6). Life as a Compulsive Overeater
This article talks of the struggles of being a compulsive overeater and the cycle of weight loss and weight gain.
7). Improving the Outcome of Stroke
The majority of strokes occur when a blood clot lodges in a blood vessel, blocking blood flow to a portion of your brain (ischemic stroke). The group of brain cells normally nourished by the oxygen in the affected blood vessels dies almost immediately after blood flow is blocked, while surrounding brain cells experience reduced blood flow.
.: Top Health Articles
1). The Hottest Hair Trends And The Sexiest Hairstyles For 2007
Copyright 2006 David Maillie
Hair has become unequivocally important as it can literally make one look like a movie star or a has been from Hee Haw, which died out many years ago. It is big enough that it is a multi billion dollar industry and the average bill in a salon is approaching $100. In the big cities with a hot hairstylist like Jonathon in Beverly Hills prices can easily top $500 for a cut and style.
2). Collarbone Injury
The clavicle or “collar bone” connects the scapula bone in the shoulder to the sternum in your chest. It functions to hold the shoulder upward and backward.
Clavicle fractures are common bone injuries. A break in the clavicle bone is usually a closed fracture that normally takes approximately 6 weeks to heal in an adult, 4 weeks in a child. The injury rarely requires surgery.
3). Cervical Radiculopathy: Diagnosing a Pinched Nerve in the Neck
When a nerve is pinched in the neck’s spinal column, pain can be such a prominent symptom that more subtle, but diagnostic, aspects are overlooked.
By way of background, the spinal cord in the neck is connected to the nerves of the arms through pairs of spinal nerves. These spinal nerves, also known as roots or “radicles,” transmit incoming messages (electrical impulses) from the arms’ nerves concerning sensations of touch, pain, heat and cold on various patches of skin.
4). Can Chocolate Really Kill Your Dog
We have all heard this all of our lives but how big a threat is it really? Is it life threatening or will it just make him sick? How much chocolate does the animal have to eat for it to cause a negative reaction?
5). Get That Flat Stomach Look? Get Rid Of Big Tummy, Pot Belly And Beer Belly Fast.
How to get that flat stomach look and get rid of big tummy, pot belly and beer belly fast?
By exercising your Transversus Abdominus Muscle. This is the muscle in your abdomen that holds your stomach in giving you the flat belly look. This muscle acts like a corset around your tummy by holding your tummy in and if the muscle is weak, your belly will be distended more easily making your tummy looking much bigger than it should just like having a beer belly.
6). How Long Will It Take To Gain Muscles| Build Muscle Mass
There are many factors to consider when you want to know how long will it take for you to gain and build muscle mass. Questions like are you eating enough and the right nutrients to accelerate muscle growth, are you exercising correctly and regularly and do you have the genes for quick muscle growth need to be addressed.
In this article, we shall discuss whether you have the genetic make up to gain and build muscles quickly.
7). Muscle Imbalance And Chronic Injuries
Injuries can occur anywhere and at anytime, but the most prevalent place of occurrence is in the workplace. The reason for such a high rate of injury is that people spend 8-18 hours a day, 5-7 days a week performing unidirectional (one-way) movement patterns, causing an imbalance in the musculoskeletal system that results in the overuse and under use of certain muscle groups.