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Cardio for survivors
New Body Needed: Benefits Of Cardio Workouts For Weight Loss And Heart Health
Are you concentrating on the physical aspects when contemplating the best cardio workout for weight loss? Don’t stop there! Once you discover the psychological benefits, you will become hooked on fitness. Countless studies have proven the mood-enhancing effects of a 20 or 30 minute workout. From teens to seniors will experience this uplifting, invigorating result. Geared to create your new body? Ready to get ripped to burn belly fat? Let’s see why a cardio workout for weight loss delivers the goods every time.
Ten vital benefits of a stretching, strength training, weight loss cardio workout:
1. Outwits osteoporosis
2. Trounces type 2 diabetes
3. Helps heart health
4. Whittles down weight
5. Diminishes mild depression
6. Spruces up sleep quality
7. Promotes mind-power
8. Improves self-image
9. Fine-tunes flexibility
10. Elevates energy levels
Now, how do you go about making this impressive list of benefits your own? Mention the word ‘exercise’ and many folks visualize expensive gym memberships, bulge-revealing gym mirrors and staring eyes. Relax! You really don’t have to go this route if it isn’t for you. There are dozens of ways to reach your fitness goals. Aim to include the following three components in your exercise routine:
Aerobic Training: This refers to those activities that get your heart really pumping and your breathing thoroughly revved up. Now, you don’t need to invest in heavy-duty elliptical exercise equipment to achieve this. You can simply come up with a range of informal, enjoyable family activities. Anything from mountain biking, to walking or dancing will do.
Flexibility Training: The second leg of your cardio workout for weight loss, should include some stretching exercises to increase your flexibility. This is another way of preventing injuries, as it enables your joints, ligaments and muscles to stretch and bend with ease. It also helps to prevent the stiffness that is often associated with aging. Here some basic yoga exercises or an exercise band will do the trick.
Strength Training: Strength training is vital to increase your lean muscle mass. Again, you don’t need expensive home gym equipment. Many reputable, budget, fat-burning programs take you by the hand in your weight loss quest. In these, experts give you step-by-step instructions for using little more than a bench and a set of dumbbells to get you to your weight training quota. Remember to work on your core-strength (mid-section) as well. This is one of the best ways to strengthen your back, in order to prevent back injuries.
The great thing about weight training is that it really turns your body into a calorie-crunching furnace. Your goal is to up your lean muscle mass, while reducing your body fat. This equips you with a super-efficient metabolism that continues to burn calories even while you sleep. Doesn’t that sound great? Compare this scenario to fad diets that are likely to put your metabolism on a go-slow strike, by shifting all your body-gears into starvation mode.
That’s all there is to it. You can try to work up to 30 minutes four or five days a week for maximum benefits. Just make sure that you get some expert advice when you start out. Consult your doctor if you haven’t been training for a while, or if you have any illness or injury.
There is no area of your being that will remain untouched by a regular, relaxed weight loss cardio workout. Just imagine the dividends in terms of the positive effect it will have on your self-image, the way you will carry yourself, the way your clothes will fit, and the mood-lifting endorphins that will be produced. This is your recipe for health and wellbeing.
The most important thing to do, is to put the fun back into fitness. If you enjoy what you are doing, you will keep it up. If you include the rest of the family, you are also more likely to stay with it. It really doesn’t have to be a drag. If you prefer to combine your cardio workout for weight loss with a health club membership, by all means go for it. But if you can’t afford it, don’t let this fact stop you from creating your new, healthy, toned body.
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CARDIO VS. STRENGTH-TRAINING WORKOUTS
In recent years several athletes, fitness gurus or personal trainers insist that strength training is where it’s at for both weight-loss, longevity and (of course), muscle building. Some suggest abandoning cardio-vascular exercise altogether.
To resolve the cardio vs. strength conundrum, I collected studies and talked to experts to find out how each form of exercise would fare. Whether you want to get lean, burn calories, or win a marathon, I’ve unraveled which type of training you should dedicate your efforts to:
To burn fat, and keep it off:
Cardio: On average, cardio has a slight advantage when you account for calories burned during exercise. You’ll burn 10 to 12 calories per minute while running or cycling. Compare this to about 8 to 10 calories per minute lifting weights, according Dr. Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., director of research at South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Massachusetts.
Strength training: Weight lifting spikes your metabolism for an hour after your workout. This is when your body arduously recovers from muscle injury. That means that you’ll burn an additional 25% more calories after a strength training session. For example, if you burned 300 calories while lifting weights you’ll burn an additional 75 calories after you’ve left the gym. If you hoist heavier weights or rest less than 30 seconds between sets, you can burn even more calories.
Additionally, for every pound of muscle that you build into your body, you’ll burn an extra 40 calories a day. That’s about 4 pounds of fat burned per year without doing anything more. Muscle burns about 90% of the calories you consume. Therefore, it is safe to assume that the more muscle you build into your body, the higher your calorie-burning (metabolism) capacity will be.
Conclusion: For fat burning – strength training.
To relieve stress:
Cardio: According to a 2005 study in the European Journal of Sports Science, just 15 minutes of aerobic activity two to three times a week can significantly reduce anxiety. If you bring that up to 3 – 5 days per week, you can reduce fatigue by almost 50%. According to Dr. Madhukar Trivedi, M.D., director of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Mood Disorders Research Program and Clinic, cardio-vascular exercise boosts serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is a key neurotransmitter involved with relieving symptoms of depression.
Strength training: Researchers observe promising results of the mood-altering effects of lifting weights. However, more studies are needed to determine the duration, intensity, and techniques needed to match cardio’s benefits.
Conclusion: To relieve stress – cardio.
Injury Prevention
Cardio: Unfortunately, the frequent high-impact and repetitive nature of cardio puts a lot of pressure on your ligaments, joints, tendons, muscles and the cartilage in between.
Strength training: According to researchers in a 2006 study of the American Journal of Sports Medicine, a balance-training program reduces the risk of ankle sprains among athletes. Lead study author Dr. Tim McGuine, Ph.D., senior athletic trainer and research coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Madison says, “Functional strength training teaches your brain to allow muscle contractions that are quick enough to prevent or minimize injuries.” Functional exercises include lunges, rows, squats, and presses that force you to bend at multiple joints. Involve your core and improve your balance by working on stability balls, Bosu or stability disks.
Conclusion: To prevent injuries – strength.
Longevity
Cardio: “Nothing compares with cardio for optimizing longevity. It reduces the risk of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, stroke, and even certain types of cancer,” says Mike Meyers, Ph.D., an American College of Sports Medicine — certified trainer and director of the Human Performance Research Laboratory at West Texas A&M University. According to a 2007 study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, a stronger heart pumps more blood with every beat. It also circulates oxygen more efficiently throughout your body. Finally, aerobic activity decreases inflammation around the heart and may increase the “good” cholesterol in your blood by up to 8% in just 8 weeks.
Strength training: In a 2006 study conducted by the National Institutes of Health, strength training just twice a week can decrease intra-abdominal fat. This is the fat that constricts blood vessels and wraps around your organs.
Conclusion: To add years to your life – cardio.
Improve self-esteem
Cardio: Athletes have high confidence levels because of the sense of accomplishment they feel whenever they cross the finish line.
Strength training: Strength training rushes blood to your muscles, making them expand and appear more toned. Confidence also grows because of lifting heavy weights. Some people get such confidence and self-esteem out of shaping and toning, bodybuilding, and powerlifting, that many of the other benefits are almost secondary for them. In a 2006 study at McMaster University in Ontario, female subjects’ self image improved, particularly by the physical results of increasing the amounts they can lift.
Conclusion: To improve self esteem – strength
Endurance and Power
Cardio: “The best way to train for an endurance event is by practicing it,” Meyers says. “Swimmers, for example, need to learn how to breathe properly, and cyclists need to hone cadence.”
Strength training: Strength training is fundamental in improving speed especially for core and legs. Plyometrics improves stride power (runners) or pedal power (bikers). According to Diane Vives, C.S.C.S., owner of Vives Training Systems in Austin, Texas.
Conclusion: To improve endurance and power – draw.
Grace Soong is the owner of Xtreme Fitness in Rochester, NY, since 2006. Grace has been in the fitness industry for over 10 years. As a certified personal trainer, she has successfully trained numerous clients in reaching their weight & fitness goals. You can contact Grace at 585-227-4480.
Weight Loss Exercises – The Best Cardio Routines To Lose Weight
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Core Strength for Cardio Effectiveness
What do horseback riding, cycling and running all have in common? Simple! They all require a strong, lifted core to execute and maximize the exercise. That means that rely on the use of the abdominal center, erectors of the back and spine, tuck of the butt and lift of the lower back to manuver and they also require/benefit from open, lifted and proud shoulders.
It also should come as no surprise that the cross-training benefits of yoga and pilates, in building core strength, re-aligning musculature and developing mind-body connections are transferable to these exercise disciplines.
What might surprise and delight is the use of a rebound exercise tool, the Kangoo Jumps, as a recommended resource for the devotee of riding, cycling and running to maximize cardiovascular training and effectiveness.
A young woman wrote to me recently, looking for a way and recommendation as to how she could put less stress on her body (knees, joints, ankles, hips) while gaining aerobic and cardiovascular conditioning. A lover of Pilates and equestrian sports judge by profession, she wanted a way to maximize her fitness programming, increase her cardiovascular fitness training while preventing injury to her body. She didn’t want to run anymore because of the stress and strain it cause to her knees. I knew her connectedness to nature, the outdoors and the feeling of control thru movement was tantamount to finding success for her training.
While I don’t ride horses, I do understood the desire to avoid the body breakdown caused by of running. Torn, as she was, as I find it to have the closest connection one can duplicate to the experience of riding in the open, free space and having a connected feeling to the elements.
I understood the need to avoid the body breakdown as it was my personal pursuit a few month earlier. As an exceptionally active person, the older I got, the more pounding, I experienced on my knees, heels and hip joints and less and less I enjoyed running 3 miles, 2x week to keep my weight in check. As a result, last spring, I bought a pair of Kangoo Jumps and totally eliminated the pain (and recovery) in each and everyone one of my workouts. For that reason, I recommended the same option to her.
The shoes are based on rebound exercise and are a low impact rebound sport shoe designed to provide a safe platform for jogging and other exercises that are hard on the joints. The boots use a lightweight spring to absorb the shocks due to impact on the ground and create a rebound effect that reduces shock impact on ankles, knees, hips and lower back.
They are Swiss designed for joggers, however, they also provide benefits for athletic strengthening and conditioning, rehabilitation and injury prevention and group aerobics. The unique “floating above the ground” sensation created by Kangoo Jumps has to be experienced to be understood.
Core balance and control are two other variables (and benefits) of using the shoes for training.
Quality vs Quantity
Kangoo Jumps deliver the benefit of 50-minutes exercise in only 20 minutes and the injury prevention potential has already caught the attention of several elite football teams. The boots can be used indoors or outdoors on paved roads, dirt paths and grass as well as at the beach or on snow. N.A.S.A. has found rebound exercise to be the best form of exercise for astronauts because it restores bone and muscle mass lost during time spent in outer space. Consequently Kangoo Jumps are recommended for people suffering osteoporosis, with the “slow-motion” steps and exercises of Kangoo Aerobics make it suitable for middle aged and senior people.
Other Cardiovascular Options
The other option I recommended, and one I use personally during the warm weather months, to avoid joint pain, is a road bike. A mountain bike and a trail can make a world of difference in clearing your head while building cardiovascular strength. Climbing hills with a bike will give anyone keen cardiovascular training.
As a Pilates and equestrian sports devotee, my friend already understood the reliance on core strength and easily made the connection that these two disciplines were good cross-training modalities to support the prevention and overuse of muscle and back pain; typical injuries and imbalances caused by cycling.
Gina Jackson, MBA, CPT, holds Advanced PFT recognition as a member of the International Association of Fitness Professionals (IDEA); is certified as a NY Power Pilates Teacher and a proud Business Member of the Pilates Method Alliance. Gina made a conscious career and lifestyle change to fitness in 2000 and assists clients in lifestyle fitness training programs. She is the Fitness Consultant, creator and energy behind the successful stories of a myriad of clients featured at www.FitnessByGina.com, www.Pilates4Fitness.com and www.Prescription4Fitness.com, all of which provide fitness resources, tips, articles and MP3 downloads designed to assist all realizing their fitness goals.
Workout Routines: Essence And Benefits Of Cardio Training
Today fitness has become an absolute essential considering the kind of life styles we follow. Exposure to a fast paced routine and junk food has resulted in a number of mental and physical and even psychological ailments that affect the overall quality of life. However, the remedy is in your hands. With or without the help of a trainer or mentor, there is a number of simple exercises that can be put within a routine and executed daily for fitness.
Cardiovascular fitness is very important considering the kind of exposure we have to the polluted form of the elements. The essence of cardio training involves exercises that enhance the ability of the body to supply the muscles with enough oxygen and blood. The cardiovascular system of the body is pushed to the limit whenever you indulge in any kind of physical activity that make your pulse quicken and results in breathing deeper. If recognized then, almost everyone experiences these symptoms daily. Whether you are running to catch the bus or train on the way to work, or running around the house to get things organized prior to leaving for work, the cardiovascular system is being pressurized and there is a definite need to address the health of the system. The health of the cardiovascular system can be improved through regular training and some great cardiovascular exercises.
There are a few simple guidelines that you should follow when attempting cardio training. It is very important to set your specific goals and if one of them is to lose fat, then you need to follow a routine that stretches for at least 40 minutes per session, daily. However, in the case of gaining weight, then 20 minutes would suffice. The success of cardiovascular training depends on the duration of the routine and the intensity that is applied while executing the routine. Your heart rate indicates the intensity and correctness of the cardiovascular exercise intensity. Cardio training involves the exercising of large groups of muscles in a rhythmic manner, like that when running or biking. In essence, cardio training increases the heartbeat that particular organs influence during exercise.
There are many benefits of indulging in routine set cardio training. Some of them include:
a. Cardio training strengthens and raises the level of endurance of the heart
b. It helps to shed those extra kilos and unwanted calories
c. It helps to keep heart problems at bay
d. Cardio training burns only that amount of calories that is dependent on the body weight, the intensity of the workout and the type of activity, never more and never less and hence, is safe
e. Cardio training is interchangeable with aerobics exercises and the change over rejuvenates the whole approach to the initiative
f. It is a lifestyle indulgence and a philosophy that is both, motivating and fun
g. Cardio training improves coordination and muscle strength and promotes psychological and physiological health
h. It improves over-all fitness and improves body posture and reduces stress
i. Cardio training alleviates self-esteem by weight management
Today, cardio training is catching up with senior citizens and the youth alike and in cultures around the world it is becoming a fad. Cardio training is now being supervised by experts and is extremely popular among exercisers. There are a number of online and offline resources that help you to develop sets of styles and procedures that you are comfortable with and in accordance to your existent life style and specific requirements. These resources are also helpful in generating the needed motivation to perform cardio training. Cardio training is a healthy choice that takes just a few minutes of the day but adds years to your life!
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Aerobic Boogie (R) Boogie Aerobics (R)
Bored with your exercise, fitness, aerobic workouts? Bored with the same boring music played over and over again? You won’t be bored with Aerobic Boogie(R) Boogie Aerobics(R) any way you say it “The FUN way to EXERCISE!” (TM) No Steps/No Routines the Modified exercise program which allows Soon to be Baby Boomers Baby Boomers and Senior Baby Boomers to “Move & Groove’ (TM) to all their favorite ‘ORIGINAL ARTISTS/MUSIC’ ‘Music mixed daily” ‘In Shape/Out of Shape/Physically Active/Physically challenged. Aerobic Boogie(R) can be ‘Modified’ Standing, Trotting, Jogging, Sitting or confined to bed rest providing a warm up – cardio – weight training – stretching and cool down. Licensed by BMI and ASCAP, Linda Stuart, shares how she moved out of a Stroke to regain 100% Full Recovery by mixing her favorite original artists/music from the Big Band era/50s60s/Disco/Broadway/Jazz and some great tunes from current pop rock by creating simple movements. Aerobic Boogie(R) conceived out of Linda’s desperation to move beyond the physical, occupational and speech therapy has now turned out to be a Stroke of Good Luck. Linda, wants to share with you how the exact movements and FUN multigenerational music she played to move out of the Stroke can provide you with so much FUN – You won’t believe your exercising! Visit www.aerobicboogie.com to obtain more information on Aerobic Boogie(R) Boogie Aerobics(R)
Duration : 0:5:40