Cardiovascular Exercise

Cardiovascular exercise is an important component of fitness training. A common reason for beginning an exercise program is the desire to lose weight. There are a few programs that claim to be able to reduce fat from specific areas of the body with specific exercises, but this is a myth. While muscle can be built in specific areas, fat is deposited wherever the genetics of the person dictate. Doing countless sit-ups will not target the fat on the abdomen.

Cardiovascular exercise generally burns fat on the body, wherever it happens to be. Cardiovascular refers to the system of the heart and lungs. While all exercise should cause the heart rate to rise, cardiovascular specifically targets the heart and lungs. Weight training builds muscles that can be more easily seen when the fat levels have been reduced, so the two should ideally go hand in hand.

Cardiovascular exercise generally results in a better ability to do things that would otherwise cause breathlessness, such as running to catch a bus, climbing stairs or chasing a toddler. Other benefits of cardio depend on the type of activity. Running is a high impact exercise, and the impact can sometimes cause problems such as shin splints and knee problems. However, the stress of high impact exercise, if not too intense to injure the body, builds bone mass.

If you find the impact of running to be too much, there are many other options. Walking is low impact, but is not as intense as running, so you'll have to do it longer. Hiking up hills or walking up stairs can be just as intense for the heart as running, but is easier on the joints. Neither require much in the way of equipment.

Even lower impact cardiovascular exercise include cycling and swimming. Biking does require equipment (the bike and a helmet, and maybe a pack and a lock), but can also be incorporated as a form of transportation. Swimming is probably the lowest impact sport, and also provides one of the best full body workouts. It builds strength and endurance, and is easy on the joints. Swimming does have a few drawbacks. It requires a pool or lake. Since it is so low impact, it doesn't maintain bone density well at all. The body burns more calories when the metabolism is elevated and the cold temperatures in a swimming pool slow the metabolism.