Aerobic (or Cardio) Fitness

It's necessary not just to help you fit into a pair of jeans or a miniskirt, but it helps reduce stress, prevent disease and it keeps your heart healthy. Cardiovascular or Aerobic Exercises is any activity that elevates your heart rate over a sustained period of time.

Aerobic (cardiovascular) fitness is one of the most important components of physical fitness.The other components are muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility and low-back function. Cardiovascular fitness is measured as the amount of oxygen transported in the blood and pumped by the heart to the working muscles and as the efficiency of the muscles to use that oxygen. Increasing cardiovascular fitness means increasing the capability of the heart and the rest of the cardiovascular system in their most important task, to supply oxygen and energy to your body.

Having good cardiovascular fitness has many health benefits. For example, it decreases your risk of cardiovascular diseases, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes and other diseases.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that aerobic exercise should be performed for a minimum of 20 minutes. The exercise should be done at least 3 times a week at 60% of your Maximum Heart Rate (see Heart Rate to know your Maximum Heart Rate or go to Fitness Calculators). If you exercise less than the recommended duration, your health benefits will be minimized. Still, exercising 4 or more times a week will increase your health benefits.

There are a lot of Cardiovascular Exercises to choose from. A few of which are Swimming, In-line Skating, Hiking, Running, Cycling, and Walking. With a wide range of Aerobic Activities to choose from, you can be assured that you will find something you’ll enjoy doing. However, before plunging into any of those exercises, it is important to take note of your heart rate. Monitoring your heart rate will allow you to check your body’s response to various levels of exercises and even help you maximize the effectiveness of your workout.

There is a hefty list of health benefits associated with doing cardio exercise. Here are some top reasons to include cardio in your workout routine:

- It strengthens the heart
- It strengthens the lungs and increases lung capacity
- It boosts the metabolism, burns calories, and helps you lose weight
- It helps reduce stress
- It increases energy
- It promotes restful sleep