Cardio Workouts: Benefits for Health and Weight Loss

Cardio workouts become more and more popular nowadays. Often it is hard to find a free exercise bike in the gym. No wonder, as the benefits of cardio training are priceless. In the modern world, everyone strives for the perfect body. Cardio workouts cope well with excess kilos. And it is only one of all the profits and useful influence on the body and health.

First of all, you should remember the main points of training. Actually, such exercises are aimed not at developing the body muscles. But at the cardiovascular system. Hence, cardio workouts can be useful only in one case. If the person correctly and regularly monitors their pulse. Otherwise, you can cause serious harm to your health. It is advised to start exercising with a personal trainer. An expert coach will choose the proper exercises. So you will get the most benefit after going to the gym.

Main points of Cardio Workouts

The basis of an excellent physical shape – a healthy cardiovascular system, which ensures the normal operation of all organs, and therefore this system is necessary to train.

Cardio workout is an exercise program that improves the functions of the cardiorespiratory system. This is a beneficial complex work, in which the body uses glycogen from the liver and subcutaneous fat as a source of energy. With the right loads, training is very effective in the fight against excess weight.
The term “cardio” itself implies a positive effect on the heart. Heart training happens due to the increased blood circulation under the influence of physical activity. This makes it work at twice as fast. Cardio workout develops cardiovascular and respiratory systems, improves your endurance and aerobic abilities.

Different subspecies of cardio workout are aimed at achieving different results. This includes special training for security forces and fitness programs for women, not aimed at increasing muscle. What is more, this training is suitable for novice athletes, as it helps to prepare for increased loads. Properly organized and conducted training guarantees a charge of vivacity for the whole day and prolong life.

Training at the limit of opportunities will bring quite the opposite effect in the form of weakness and poor health. For a selection of the program corresponding to opportunities and the purposes, it is better to consult with the expert. There are also restrictions on the duration of the cardio workout at a time. This is due to the fact that after one hour of training, your body will finish burning fat and engage in muscles. Therefore, the recommended time limit to maintain muscle mass – 60 minutes.

Benefits of Cardio Workouts

The goals of cardio workouts can be various. People practice cardio to strengthen the cardio system and lose weight. Besides, they want to increase stamina and improve their general health. Effective training will help both reduce weight and make your body strong and resilient. It is one of the main advantages of cardio workouts. Actually, you can kill two birds with one stone.

Improving the heart functioning

The heart muscle should strain just like the other. A regular and controlled increase in the load benefits a lot to your body. It leads to an advance in the blood pumping process and a decrease in the resting heart rate.

During any physical activity, muscles need more oxygen. It means that the heart begins to work more intensively. In order to be able to pump more blood. Thus, the myocardium is trained. It gets used to possible increased loads. And comes after it to normal operation more quickly. Even abrupt loads are not terrible for a trained person. Because his heart is able to quickly change the rhythm without any damage. In addition, the increase in the intensity of the heart activates metabolic processes.

In order that the exercises were most effective. You need to do cardio workouts about 3-4 times a week for 30-40 minutes. And this will surely affect the whole body. Besides the goal to strengthen the heart muscle, most of us would like to lose extra pounds. To do this, measure your heart rate in the middle of a workout for 6 seconds. Then add 0 to the figure. The result is the heart rate per minute.

In order to strengthen the calf, abs and arms muscles. You need to keep to interval loads. It means to alternate running with walking. Regularly change the tempo. Such kinds of workout will definitely improve your heart function.

Lung health

Thanks to cardio loads, the muscles involved in the breathing process are strengthened. As a result, the lungs work is improved. As a result, it becomes easier to breathe.

Lungs work is especially growing while running. A person of middle age and weight needs about 150–200 millilitres of oxygen per minute in rest. Most of it comes through the lungs. What occurs during jogging at a speed of 5-6 kilometres per hour?

The body already needs 1-1.5 litres of vital gas every minute.
At the same time, about 40 litres of air is being pumped through the trachea and bronchi.
Such a significant increase in lungs work just provides the training effect.
Systematic loads increase the functional potential of the whole respiratory system.
Deep, but rare breathing during a run increases not only the vital capacity. But also the airing capacity of the lungs. Which, in turn, ensures their normal cleansing.

We note another important point. The body of a travelling person receives vital doses of useful ions. In other words, charged particles from the air. It occurs as a result of active gas exchange through the membrane of the mouth, trachea, alveoli and through the skin.

Improving blood pressure

Aerobic training helps increase the number of red blood cells. They provide oxygen transport. Cardio workouts lower cholesterol. Besides, helps burn calories and maintain blood vessels healthy.

Which reaction of blood vessels do cardio workouts cause?

It allows to reduce pressure, improve blood supply to the brain and reduce headaches.
Cardio workouts are healing. They will help patients in the first and second stage of the disease. But in case it proceeds without difficulties.
Before starting exercising, it is worth consulting with a doctor. He will prescribe a specific mode.
If some problems have started. Then the cardio workouts should be done taking into account the existing charges.

Improving metabolism

Training increases the metabolic rate. It responds to the rapid melting of fat deposits. Besides, it serves as the prevention of new reserves.

In fact, metabolism is an important thing! Mainly for those who want to lose weight and put the body in shape! Poor metabolism – this is one of the reasons for the body’s resistance to losing weight. No matter how much you train, the weight will decrease slowly, or even completely freeze on the same figure.

How do cardio workouts benefit to body metabolism?

Experts claim that intense loads burn out your calories after cardio workouts.
Depending on the type of load after a workout, the body spends additional calories. On average, about 5–15% of the calories are burned during the workout itself.
Moreover, the more intensively you were engaged. The greater part of the calories will occur after a workout, during recovery. For example, in 10-12 seconds when running for 100 meters.
An athlete has time to consume only a small part of the necessary oxygen. And consumes the majority of it (and spends calories) in fact already after the race. A similar analogy can be drawn with cardio and strength training.

Recovery after power loads

The cardio workouts usually follow the strength training. So it arouses the recovery of muscle tissue. Besides, lowers the pain associated with micro-breaks in the muscles.

The moderate cardio load can even enforce the strength training. How does it work?

Recent studies have shown the fact. Strength training in union with 2-3 cardio exercises per week gives a greater increase in strength. Than isolated strength training.
Cardio workouts are very useful for general health. Because they develop aerobic endurance.
But they are also useful for weight lifters. Cardio will help to increase the training volume during weight-lifting sessions.
Besides, speed up recovery between sets and workouts. Improve the tissues and protect you from breath shortness. It is while climbing the stairs.

Improving hormonal levels

Aerobic training contributes to the rise of hormones that prevent depression. From the mental side, life becomes easier. It is easier for a trained person to endure stress.

A hormonal level is the ratio of hormones in the human body. Any changes can cause various symptoms. For example, an imbalance leads to weight loss or weight gain. Besides, to hair growth or loss in various places. Except for this, dry skin and other change of natural processes.

In the normal state of the hormones in the body, a person feels the energy. Besides, an excellent tone, good mood and confidence in his abilities. Maintain the level of hormones in the body in various ways. One of them is physical activity, namely cardio workouts. They affect not only the muscles and other organs of our body. But also the state of hormones.

Actively and regularly doing cardio workouts, mind one thing. That everything needs a measure. Including the divide of physical activity. After all, the state of your hormonal level depends on it. And hormones are the basis of the human body.

Sound sleep

People practising regular cardio workouts fall asleep quickly. In addition, their sleep is deeper and better. It is thanks to the balance of the sleep phases. The body is fully recovered.

A regular training schedule is important. If you go in for running or another kind of cardio workouts for 30 minutes three times a week. It will have a more useful effect on the quality of your sleep. Then if you did one and a half hours once a week.

Cardio workouts influence the quality of sleep. Results of research.

Early bedtime. People who actively did cardio workouts during the day. They felt more tired and fell asleep an average of 36 minutes earlier (23:40 vs 00:16).
Increased sleep duration. Actively training people slept an average of 14 minutes longer. 6 hours 48 minutes vs 7 hours 2 minutes.
The number of wake in the middle of the night has reduced. Besides the fact that physical activity increases the duration of sleep. It also allows people to sleep more soundly.

Improving the bone tissue

A half-hour cardio increases bone density several times a week. This is especially good for older people. A very common cause of diseases is the femoral neck fracture. Strong bones improve this statistic.

Strong bones are the basis of a healthy and athletic body. Not only results in fitness, cardio workouts such as running or any other form. But also the quality of life, in general, depend on this stable basis. It may seem to someone that there is no point in worrying about the skeletal system too early. Since this problems, as a rule, occur only in old age.

However, it is better to be warned in time.

Because by the age of 18 about 90% of bone tissue is already formed in the body.
And by the 30th the natural process of falling slowly begins to prevail over the renewal process. In other words, reshaping of bone tissue.
And if you don’t follow the bone health at all. Then problems with it may occur much earlier than expected.
Luckily, some nutrients in the diet and exercise effectively strengthen the skeletal system. Quickly improving its readiness for an active life.

Basic exercises for cardio workouts not only effectively develop muscle strength and mass. But also grow bones. Lifting weights are enough stress for the bones. To adapt to stress, the body improves the production of new bone material. With the result that bones become more dense and strong.

Prevention of diabetes

Aerobic exercise improves the ability of muscle tissue to process glucose. Thanks to the exercises, the blood sugar level is kept at the proper level. The number and amplitude of its jumps are reduced.

If yoг keep to proper nutrition while diabetes and maintain physical activity. Then you can have a positive impact on the disease. For example, two main parts have a positive effect on treatment. A mild form of the disease helps to normalize blood sugar levels. In addition, regular workouts help reduce the risk of cardio diseases. Namely, cardio workouts are effective for regulating blood pressure.

Exercising has a beneficial effect on bone density and mood. And also help fight stress. How does it work?

With the help of cardio workouts, the body will better absorb insulin. And you will be able to regain your usual and healthy weight. People suffering from overweight, keep to such training and a good diet. Really, it will help keep diabetes levels under control. And people with this disease will improve their quality of life.
Physical activity is an effective remedy for diabetes. If a person has type 1 disease, then sport is considered a good way to improve well-being. Besides, as was mentioned, it improves the cardio system.
People with type 2 diabetes should have physical activity as an additional treatment option. Cardio workouts assist you to build muscle tissue. And the muscles begin to absorb glucose.
Insulin receptors tend to acquire greater sensitivity to insulin. This leads to a decrease in the dosage of pills taken by type 1 diabetics. Combining strength training with cardio is aimed at burning fat. In order to quickly achieve a normal weight for type 2 diabetics.

Due to short-term intensive cardio workouts, done before a meal. It is possible to achieve improved production. Held for watching blood sugar levels. As to studies, the greatest effect can be achieved when doing 6 interval sets. But with a minute duration and most intensity. However, one should not forget that cardio workouts should be done half an hour before meals. The option for this training can be an aerobic exercise. Which also includes step aerobics.

Increasing endurance

For many athletes, it is the main reason to attend the gym. Cardio workouts increase the body’s ability to store energy. And use it in a more economic way.

What is endurance?

There is strength endurance. It is how our muscles overcome the pain during the cardio workouts. It depends on how many repetitions we can perform during exercises.
For athletes, such an indicator as speed endurance is also important. It is how long the muscles are ready to maintain the speed of the exercise. For example, while running or swimming.
Also essential is the question of proper breathing. If during sports you can not control the rate of breathing. And you have shortness of breath. Then you can not do a full workout. We need to find ways to solve this problem.

Endurance will not come to you from anywhere. It must be developed through long, exhausting and systematic workouts. What is the difference between a trained human body and an untrained one?

The body of the first bears profound physio changes.
Even the look and moves make it possible to distinguish a strong person from a weak. He is unstable to physical load.
A trained person always looks fit, healthy, has a well-developed musculature.
The first one is described by accuracy, speed and trust of movements. And it is just outside.

However, the changes that take place inside the body are most obvious and surprising. The muscle tissues and internal organs of a person change their shape, structure and properties. Such changes affect almost all organs and systems of the human body. Endurance is capable of maintaining not only health. But in some cases even human life. The athlete’s endurance adds to his stable and steady state during cardio workouts.

The benefits of Cardio for Weight Loss

The way by which regular cardio workouts lead to weight loss. It is not instant burning of calories from the breakfast eaten before. Or fat from the reserves on the stomach and sides. But it is the gradual rise of the body’s ability. It forms reserves of available energy for exercise in the muscles.

As a result, it changes the metabolism. And the excess calories of carbs begin to grow in the form of glycogen in the muscles. And not in the form of fat on the abdomen. At the same time, weight loss is part of the recovery period after workouts. It is achieved only in the case of a general lack of calories in the diet. That is why diet is always more important than workouts.

The best cardio for burning fat

To force the body to use fat as fuel. You must first empty the carbs stored in muscles in the form of glycogen. That is why cardio for weight loss should be either long (at least 30-40 minutes). Or should be performed directly after strength training when the blood sugar level is minimal.

The third option for effective cardio to burn fat. It is to perform high-intensity interval training. But this type of training is more suitable for trained athletes. Than for ordinary people who want to lose a few pounds. In their case, the best option will be long-term cardio training of medium intensity.

HR – the basic rule of successful training

Heart rate (HR) is the main indicator of the degree of intensity of training. Training in accordance with your pulse zone allows you to quickly achieve your goals and make training even more effective.

But the ideal heart rate for an athlete does not exist. Parameters differ depending on age, sex, type and intensity of physical activity. Measuring your pulse, you need to pay attention to several states of the body: after a warm-up, after sleep, during and immediately after power loads, during cardio or interval training, heart contractions during a hitch, walking or a simple change of body position.

Heart and cardiovascular training are the most effective in the heart rate range from 60% to 85% of your maximum, so you need to constantly monitor it. Its personal range can be determined by passing a test on the gas analyzer. You can also do it yourself using the approximate formula:

220 – your age = HR max;

HR max * 0.6 = lower limit:;

HR max * 0.85 = upper limit.

There are three main types of training according to the degree of intensity:

Low

The degree of load – no more than 60% of the upper heart rate. Such training is recommended for beginners in the first two weeks, as well as people with disabilities for health reasons.

Average

The degree of load – no more than 75%. These exercises are available to perform on a stationary bike, treadmill, swimming, dancing. Such training with a moderate duration promotes fat burning.

High

The degree of load – up to 90% of the upper heart rate. To achieve this result, you need to conduct interval training and perform all exercises at an accelerated pace. Calories burned faster, but it will have to monitor the state of the body.

Cardio workout programs

There are a lot of cardio workout programs, and all are good in their own way. To pick the most suitable one is easy – the most effective program is that one that brings the fun and does not spoil the mood.

Here are some popular techniques:

Long training – for beginners and those who want to lose weight. Training involves performing a certain exercise at the same pace and with the same load without interruption. It can be jumping rope, running or cycling.
Interval training – is characterized by an alternation of small and large load: running or exercise on a stationary bike at different speeds at certain intervals of time. Fat deposits in such classes are burned faster, but the interval method is suitable for people with good physical training.
Fartlek is one of the most popular directions in interval training. Its essence is to alternate the rate and intensity of loads, but it is not performed sequentially but in an arbitrary order. With such training, it is necessary to allocate time for recovery.
Cardio high-tech – a new and quite popular training program, which includes the most effective exercises: running on the spot, jumping up from a full squat, slopes and lunges. The peculiarity of this style of training is that each exercise is given a minute, and rest – half a minute. Techniques must be performed quickly to load the heart.
Super scheme – the optimal combination of cardio and power exercises. This training will help to get rid of excess fat and make muscles relief. The main advantage – weight loss in a short time and maintaining the muscles of the whole body in good shape.
Cross-training – involves alternating cardio, different in duration and loads. For example, you spend 20 minutes on a treadmill, then 10 minutes on a stationary bike and 10 minutes on an elliptical. Also, the types of load can be alternated every day.

Whether you decide to lose weight, keep fit or improve your health, the cardio workout will be a great choice!

Cardio Workouts: Proving the Benefits