Good cardio training starts with aerobic exercise, and you can choose from moderate to high-impact activities from the list below!
1. Brisk walking
Walking at a brisk pace is a great way to improve cardiovascular endurance without putting strain on your joints, but that’s just one of the many health benefits of walking .
2. Indoor cycling
Also known as stationary cycling, this type of exercise is very common in gyms. In addition to offering a good cardiovascular workout, cycling can also be the best option for those who want to lose weight.
3. Swimming
Swimming requires breath control, which in itself helps improve lung capacity.
Those who choose this modality work several muscle groups at the same time, including the muscles of the legs, arms, core and back. Regular practice also requires a coordinated effort that stimulates the cardiorespiratory system to supply oxygen and nutrients to these muscles in action.
The pool is still an excellent idea because the water supports part of the body weight, reducing the impact, something very good for people who suffer from joint pain .
4. Dance
In addition to being a great way to burn calories, aerobic dancing improves motor coordination, balance and even mood.
Never tried it before? Start with a few minutes of warm-up, such as light movements and gentle stretches to prepare your muscles. Then, learn and practice complete dance routines that combine various movements and styles.
5. Race
Raising your heart rate and therefore improving your cardiovascular health are just two of the many effects running has on your body .
Running is an activity which can be performed with varying degrees of intensity, ie, light, moderate running or high-intensity sprinting, and is not merely a good activity for increasing stamina, but also for calorie burning and leg strengthening.
Start slowly, warm up properly, gradually increase distance and intensity, and do some post-run stretching to avoid injuries.
6. Jump rope
Your inner child will love this idea and so will your heart! Jumping rope helps you lose weight and there is no excuse not to exercise, since it is a high-intensity exercise that can be done at home or anywhere with enough space.
With a rope and a lot of willpower, you can improve your agility and strengthen your legs, butt and abs. Start with short sessions and, as you gain confidence, increase the duration and complexity of the jumps.
7. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
HIIT training involves intermittent switches between short bursts of high-intensity exercise and rest periods, raising your heart rate, enhancing cardiovascular health and burning fat within a short amount of time.
This form of exercise can be used for many activities, such as running, cycling, and bodyweight workouts. Flexible with various fitness levels, HIIT is efficient in enhancing endurance in less time.
8. Burpees
A popular exercise in gyms, the burpee combines squats, planks and jumps, quickly increasing heart rate, improving cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength.
This conditioning forms part of many strenuous sports such as CrossFit, triathlon and jiu-jitsu, since it works very effectively on the individuals who also yearn for motor coordination. It works even more efficiently than the infamous treadmill jog to do aerobic training and burn calories.
Begin with a tolerable number of repetitions and progressively add the volume as your capacity enhances.
Generally, the number fluctuates, but eight repetitions in four sets are advisable for beginners. Advanced athletes are advised to do 15 repetitions in eight sets.
9. Football
Playing ball is a sporting activity that combines running, changes of direction, dribbling and passing, helping not only to improve cardiovascular endurance, but also agility, coordination and leg strength.
10. Climbing
Do you enjoy living on the edge? As you climb walls or, if you’re really a thrill-seeker, rock faces, you’ll experience the exhilaration of the rush of adrenaline and the arm, leg and core muscles will be thanking you!
The activity also improves coordination, balance and agility, in addition to maintaining a high heart rate.
11. Rowing
Rowing, whether on a rowing machine or in a boat, helps keep your heart and lungs in good shape, strengthens your back, arms and legs, and reduces the chances of muscle imbalance .
Knowing that exercise recruits 85% of the body’s muscles, performing the movement correctly is essential to obtain the expected results and avoid injuries during training .
12. Kickboxing
Mixing up punching and kicking with aerobic moves gives a challenging but efficient cardio workout that enhances endurance, kickboxing enhances coordination, strength, and flexibility.
You may practice it at home or take classes, as training videos in plenty are present on the web. Just exercise caution to pick a large place to practice in, so as not to result in improper kicks and ankle sprains.
13. Boxing
Punch bag training, which is a fundamental part of boxing, is also a good way of getting rid of stress and building cardiovascular endurance. Punching the sandbag or dummy calls for quick, successive movements that challenge your heart and lungs.
Furthermore, regular boxing practice as an aerobic exercise has a positive impact on the following aspects: balance, coordination, speed, resistance, reflexes and strengthening of the muscles in the arms, shoulders and core.
14. Yoga
Want to relax and stretch your thoracic muscles? Those who practice yoga work with complete breathing cycles, filling their lungs with air as much as possible and emptying them completely.
This respiratory control (known in the field as “pranayama”) improves physical conditioning, cardiorespiratory capacity, helps control heart rate and blood pressure, reducing the risk of stroke and heart attack.
15. Pilates
The benefits of Pilates for a healthier life include the prevention and rehabilitation of cardiorespiratory diseases, as the exercises improve oxygenation in the body.
By promoting more gas exchange, Pilates also improves peripheral circulation, increases the strength of the respiratory muscles and helps control blood pressure. The secret to obtaining even more satisfactory results is to breathe in tune with the movements while performing the activity.