Cardio, when done properly, is a strong foundation of general health and fitness. Here are some basic cardio tenets and benefits:

  • Adapt your cardiovascular routine to your goals and change as plateaus occur
  • Exercise in your target heart rate range, not that medication, heart conditions, athleticism, etc. may alter your range
  • Experiment with various programs and settings available on each machine
  • If seeking fat loss, work up to 30 or more minutes per cardiovascular session
  • Participate in various group exercise programs
  • Stretch after each cardiovascular session
  • Use intervals to keep the body guessing
  • Vary cardiovascular exercise: use at least three different pieces of equipment per week
  • Vary your intensity, duration, and frequency
  • Wear appropriate footwear

Some of the Benefits of Cardiovascular activities include:

  • Changes body composition
  • Decreases body fat
  • Improves cardiovascular health
  • Improves circulation
  • Improves recovery
  • Increases endurance
  • Increases energy
  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Reduces risk of heart disease
  • Strengthens heart

FITNESS TIP: Find the target heart rate for cardio that gives you the best results and the best feeling.