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Benefits You May Get From Cardio Training

Cardio training or aerobic exercise is any activity that employs the use of considerably large groups of muscles in a continuous and rhythmic manner throughout certain periods of time. The most common examples of which are running, skiing, skating, sprinting, tae bo, elliptical training, walking, rowing, and biking. In some cases, circuit training is also categorized as cardio training since it requires continuous movements from one form of exercise to another.

In essence, cardio training works by elevating the maximum heartbeat the organ may reach somewhere around 65-80%. This state is called aerobic or heart beat state because only in here, and in some special instances will the heart reach such great increase in heart rate.

Seriously considering doing cardio workouts!

As we all know, there are many benefits that may be had with cardio training. Aside from strengthening and raising the level of endurance of the heart and the lungs, cardio training also helps burn unwanted fats and calories. And since heart problems are one of the major contributing factors to prevalent premature death among men and women, it is extremely important to get involved with any forms of cardio vascular training.

Experts would recommend a minimum of 25 minutes up to 60 minutes of cardio training per session. And there should be a minimum of three sessions in a week and a maximum of five. Being that the normal session should range for around 30 to 40 minutes.

Most people perform cardio training to burn excess calories. With obesity as one of the leading health problems in the Western world today, people are seriously considering doing cardio workouts since they burn much more fats and carbohydrates in so little span of time. But it must be noted that the amount of calories burned during cardio training will always be dependent on the body weight of the exerciser, the intensity of his workouts and the type of activity he does.

Since cardio training is almost always interchangeable with aerobics exercises, it is better to give you a view of what aerobics exercises really are.

Simply put, aerobics exercise is a series of rhythmic exercises that involve large muscle groups (much like with the definition we have for cardio training). The only difference thereof is that aerobics exercises are usually performed along with music in a class of exercisers. But for the majority of active participants, aerobics is much more than that. It is a lifestyle and a philosophy at the same time. On one hand, it is a modernized category of entire body exercise. On another, it is a form of exercise that is both motivating and fun.

Aerobics exercises are ways to improve coordination, mobility and muscle strength along with a number of other things such as psychological and physiological well-being. This form of exercise provide a large host of benefits such as improving your over-all fitness, burning of calories, lowering your susceptibility against developing cardiac arrests and other forms of heart problems. It also increases your mobility, muscle endurance, body postures, reduces stress and alleviate self-esteem by helping you manage your weight properly.

Because cardio training is extremely popular among exercisers, it now has developed numerous sets of styles and procedures that cater almost all the requirements if each individual. Yet, all these may be futile if the motivation of the person himself towards performing cardio training is lacking.

Thomas DeReyna is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides a news blog.

Physical activity had the most profound effect on weight. Even the women whose physical activity consisted of relatively low intensity exercises, such as golf and bowling, had less body fat--particularly dangerous abdominal fat.

24 Reasons to Do Your Workout Today

Need a little extra motivation to get moving today? Here's a quick list of the ways that today's workout will boost your mind, body, and soul.

Exercise:

· Improves the quality of your sleep.

· Burns fat.

· Boosts your metabolism.

· Charges your immune system for one to three hours after each workout.

· Increases your circulation.

· Eliminates toxins through the sweat glands and lymph system.

· Regulates blood sugar levels.

· Lowers blood pressure.

· Lowers cholesterol.

· Lowers your risk of stroke. Even low-intensity workouts, such as walking and biking, can lower this risk by 23 percent, the American Heart Association reports. A job entailing physical activity can lower it by 49 percent.

· Increases muscle mass.

· Strengthens your heart and lungs.

· Reduces your risk of various kinds of cancer, including breast cancer.

· Slashes your risk of developing coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Burning 2,000 calories per week in your workout and daily activities reduces your risk of heart disease by 40 percent.

· Helps you control anxiety.

· Provides an appropriate outlet for aggression and tension.

· Helps you lose weight. Exercise is critical to any weight loss strategy, and it may be an even more significant factor than diet.

A study in Great Britain involved researchers tracking 1,000 female twins. Researchers considered all factors that might influence the women's weight, including smoking, hormone therapy, diet, and physical exercise.

· Helps keep your body looking great. Your clothes fit better and your posture improves.

· Improves your self-esteem.

· Improves your sex life. One study reports that physically active women are more likely to describe themselves as assertive, sexy, and physically strong. A majority of them also said exercise helped to boost their career, relationships, self-esteem, and sex life.

· Enhances your mood and relaxes your body by increasing blood flow to the brain and triggering the release of endorphins.

· Increases creativity and alertness.

· Reduces stress.

· Energizes you like nothing else. The energy boost from cardiovascular exercise is instantaneous and lasts for hours.

Susie Cortright is the founder of Momscape.com. Read her reviews of behavior modification programs, including programs designed to help you eat for health and enjoy exercising - or read more articles by Susie Cortright at Free-Article-Bank.com, featuring free, quality articles for your website or ezine.

Do You Really Need Cardio?

In this article, I have an intriguing discussion about cardio training, which will hopefully get you thinking differently, and trying new things.

You may know I've been called the anti-cardio guy before, but this week I'm back posing the question to you...Do you really need cardio training to get lean and in great shape? By the way, you'll see in a minute that I'm not really "anti-cardio", just "anti traditional cardio".

Most fitness buffs, weekend warriors, or anyone trying to get in shape or lose body fat, consider it a fact that they need "cardio" exercise to accomplish these goals. They would never even question it.

However, I'm not only questioning it, I'm going to refute it! In fact, you may be surprised to know that some of the leanest and meanest people I know (men and women), NEVER do any type of normal or traditional cardio. And I've spent over 15 years working out in various gyms, and hanging out with athletes of all sorts, so I've seen it all. I will say that there can be a place for low-moderate level cardio for really overweight or deconditioned people, but even in those cases, there can be more effective methods.

But what exactly is "cardio"? Most people would consider cardio to be pumping away mindlessly on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike, or coasting on an elliptical machine, while watching the TV screen at their state of the art gym. This is what I call "traditional cardio". Hmmm, no wonder the majority of people get bored with their workouts and give up after a couple months without seeing results.

But if you look closer, "cardio" can be considered any type of exercise or activity that strengthens the cardiovascular system. I'm not going to get into anything technical like increasing your VO2 max or anything like that. To keep it simple, if it gets your heart pumpin, and gets you huffin and puffin, it's cardio. I don't care if you're holding dumbbells or a barbell and everyone calls it a weight training exercise...it's still conditioning your heart.

Let's take a look at a couple examples. Take a barbell (or dumbbell, or kettlebell) clean & press for example, which involves lifting a barbell from the floor up to shoulders, then push pressing overhead. And listen up ladies, because even though this is usually seen as a manly exercise, it doesn't matter if you're not lifting 250 lbs; if 45 lbs is challenging to you, then you will still benefit just as much. At first glance, most people think of the barbell C&P only as a weight training exercise or strength exercise. However, I challenge you to do a hard set of around 10-15 reps on the C&P. If you used a challenging enough weight, what you'll find is that your heart rate is probably up to about 80-90% of your recommended max, and you are huffing and puffing like you just ran a 100-meter sprint (which by the way, sprinting kicks the crap out of jogging any day if you want the easiest way to lose the flab).

Try the same thing for a set of 20 reps of one-arm snatches or swings with each arm with a kettlebell or dumbbell, and tell me your legs aren't burning, heart racing, and you're gasping for breath. How about trying 5 minutes straight of bodyweight squats, lunges, and pushups with very little rest. Again, notice your heart pounding, sweat pouring off of you, and chest heaving for breaths!

Try and tell me you're not conditioning your heart with this style of training! Conventional thinking says that these are weight training or strength training exercises. However, they are fullfilling your cardio needs as well.

Not only do you save time, but you strengthen and condition almost every muscle in your entire body with these full body exercises if you do them with enough intensity...something that can't be said for that boring stationary bike ride or treadmill jaunt while reading or watching TV. Seriously, if you can read or watch TV while doing any exercise, you're not concentrating enough on what you're doing, plus you're probably not working out hard enough to see any real results.

I challenge you to give the "traditional cardio" a rest for a month or two, and start training the way I explain in my internationally-selling Truth about Six pack Abs Program, and see how you start getting leaner, more defined, and your six pack starting to show through what used to be stubborn stomach fat deposits.

Visit http://truthaboutabs.com/freenewsletter.html to receive a free copy of the innovative ebook, Training & Nutrition Secrets for a Lean-Body, as well as your own free personalized metabolic rate calculator.

Michael Geary is a nationally dual certified personal trainer (NCSF-CPT, AFAA-CPT), and author of the internationally-selling The Truth about Six Pack Abs ©2004-2006. More Lean-Body training and nutrition tips can be found at my blog at http://truthaboutabs.blogspot.com/

The Benefits of Having a Home Team Following Your Heart Surgery or Other Major Surgery

It’s essential to organize a Home Team before you go in for heart surgery, even if you have little time before your surgery to plan it. On the other hand, if you have just gotten home from the hospital, don’t worry it’s not too late. A Home Team is a group of friends and family who are willing to assist you in your recovery following your surgery. Make a list of up to fifteen people, family and friends (but not your primary caregiver) who would be glad – even honored – to be called to help out. Pick a leader among these friends and engage her or him to contact the others about the tasks ahead. Set up a revolving schedule of assignments for your first three to four weeks at home.

Your Primary Caregiver Has The Most Important Role

Who will your primary caregiver be; your spouse, your partner, a friend, or another family member? In my new book, The Open Heart Companion: Preparation and Guidance for Open-Heart Surgery Recovery the following scenario is explained to help you better understand their importance: Suddenly your caregiver, your close personal ally, has the extended responsibility for all previously shared arrangements – nursing aid, household tasks, transportation, medical and social plan coordination. It can become overwhelming and too much for one person. That is why it is essential that you line up a supportive Home Team to pitch in. Your primary caregiver needs assistance and taking care of too. Once you are home and recovering, he or she is now “on” 24/7. He or she also needs continuing acknowledgment, appreciation and love from you. Plan to regularly express your gratitude. Find out how your loved one is feeling – every day. Though sometimes you won’t feel like it, remember to smile, and show you care and appreciate all that is being done for you.

Five basic tasks to assign to your Home Team

1. Dinner nightly

Some friends will like to prepare a home cooked meal for both patient and caregiver, while others can pick up a heart healthy take-out meal. Since the reality of landing back home means the primary caregiver has antenna focused on you continuously, your caregiver loved one will appreciate the sit-down break at dinner time.

2. Buddy system

During the many hours and days of convalescence, neither patient nor primary caregiver wants to feel isolated at home. Anticipate a buddy system in advance. Is there a friend who has been though open-heart surgery who will agree to check in with the patient regularly? Is there someone that the heart patient can call spontaneously? Many basic questions can be answered this way, by a friend or family member. Naturally, any substantial recovery question requires picking up the phone and calling your designated medical professional. Maybe you know, or know of, a former heart patient who also is a medical professional? Arrange chat times (perhaps twice weekly) with him or her. Primary caregiver and patient should also plan regular phone time with a best friend independently, to be free to let their hair down to tell it like it is.

3. Running errands

Who – friend or neighbor – would be willing to be counted on to run to the pharmacy or to deposit or pick up laundry or dry cleaning? How about someone who will shop for staples at the supermarket or buy a box of thank-you notes? Recruit a list of volunteers beforehand. It’s critical to have this in place to enable you to focus on getting well.

4. Housekeeping

In the hospital take-home instructions, there are very specific physical directives that must be honored while the sternum (breastbone) is healing. You are not to lift more than five to ten pounds for four to six weeks. As well, you are to avoid pushing/pulling activities with your arms, and also avoid heavy one-armed lifting for three months. This eliminates carrying groceries, carrying a toddler, vacuuming, shoveling snow, mowing the lawn, raking leaves – even wiping up a kitchen counter with a sponge can be challenging in the first couple of weeks. It is best to schedule others for regular housekeeping duties for at least four to six weeks and/or consider hiring a house cleaner for the short term.

5. Chauffeuring

An open-heart patient may not resume driving for six to eight weeks – until the sternum is fully healed. Because you don’t want to risk re-injuring the sternum should a passenger airbag need to be deployed, you might be advised to ride in the back seat using the shoulder seat belt. That said, you can ride in a car as soon as you’re home – to a medical appointment, to the store, to eat out. However, all these outings become a lot of driving for the primary caregiver, so line up chauffeur volunteers.

Recovering from heart surgery can be challenging, but with these tips and more tips on planning ahead found in The Open Heart Companion you can ensure that your recovery will go smoothly.

Maggie Lichtenberg, PCC, a recent open-heart surgery thriver, is an open heart coach to heart patients and their loved ones, a professional speaker, and frequently published author. To subscribe to her free online newsletter, Heart To Heart, send a blank email message to HeartToHeart-On@zines.webvalence.com. To learn more about Maggie's free phone support group and other programs go to http://www.openheartcoach.com.

Dance for Fitness - Why the Ballroom Beats The Treadmill

Dancing can get your heart pumping as well as a treadmill but it will do even more, especially if you get out on a dance floor rather than going to a hip-hop, salsa or other dance-style aerobics class in a gym. In addition to toning muscles and staying in shape aerobically, ballroom dancers of all skill levels report feeling less stressed, having a more positive outlook on life, sleeping better, being more flexible, having more energy, being more alert mentally, and getting along better with other people. And you don't have to dance with the stars, become competitive or go through a dance boot camp to benefit.

"People forget how much fun it is to go out and move to music with other people," says Judy Gantz, founder and director of the Center for Movement Education and Research in Los Angeles and a faculty member at the University of California Los Angeles; "And dance requires somewhat complex coordination so it enhances your brain."

Researchers Identify Surprising Benefits

At the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, NY, researchers examined how exercise influences the risk of dementia by tracking 469 people over the age of 75 for a period of 5 years. They found that dancing was associated with a lower risk of dementia, while swimming, bicycling, participating in group exercises, playing team games such as bowling, walking for exercise, climbing stairs or doing housework did not offer the same benefit.

Other studies have shown some unexpected ways in which dance benefits people of different ages:

* At the University of California Irvine, medical students who took art and dance classes were better able to observe and empathize with their patients.

* In Sweden, elite cross-country skiers who did pre-season dance training experienced less back pain from skiing.

* In a Korean study, depressed teens experienced relief from dance therapy, and had measurably higher levels of serotonin.

* In Connecticut, breast cancer survivors who took part in a 12-week therapeutic dance program at a medical center in Meriden improved their quality of life.

Calories Burn Fast

Aerobically speaking, dance matches many grunt-and-groan activities. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic, based in Rochester, MN, have estimated that dancing can burn 200 to 400 calories in 30 minutes and an evening of square dancing can equate to walking five miles. In addition, side-to-side dance movements help to prevent osteoporosis by strengthening weight-bearing bones.

Who’s Dancing?

During the past few years, as dance-oriented television shows and movies have gained fans, people have been discovering ballroom dancing at a younger age. The national chain of Arthur Murray dance studios, going strong since 1912, is seeing more people in their twenties who want to prepare for a wedding or master Latin moves. Their students, more than 10,000 people per week, also include couples of all ages who dance for fun, and high-powered professionals who find that a dance floor relieves stress better than a gym.

Competitive dance, known as DanceSport, is recognized as a sport by the International Olympic Committee and popularity of both the sport and social dancing is growing dramatically. More than 300 colleges in the United States, including Ivy League schools, offer ballroom dance programs.

Where to Learn

Commercial dance schools aren't the only places where you can hone your moves -- universities, community colleges and community groups offer low-cost classes and events around the country. Information about social and competitive dancing is also available from the United States Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association (www.usabda.org), which has grown from 12 local chapters in 1986 to more than 150 today.

"Motivation plays a huge part in staying active," says Gantz, "And there's a joy, when you work with music and other people, that is highly involving and motivating."

About The Author

Vera Tweed is a veteran health journalist and the editor of http://www.HealthyTricks.com, an online newsletter that makes a healthy lifestyle more convenient, enjoyable and attainable.

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