Your heart is the most important muscle in your body, and it grows stronger and healthier the more active you are. Despite common misconceptions, it is never too late to begin exercising and leading a heart-healthy lifestyle. You don’t need to be an all-star athlete. In fact, just 30 minutes of brisk walking per day makes an impact. If you would like to go the extra mile – literally – there are cardio routines designed to improve heart health.
Strengthening the Heart
Exercise is all about efficiency. The overall health of your heart depends on how you train. Instead of walking on your treadmill for 30 minutes each day, consider mixing it up. You could spend one day on the treadmill, then mix it up with a stair-stepper for 30 minutes the next day. This is interval training.
Or, you could perform interval training during one session. You would walk for 10 minutes, then sprint for 4 to 5 minutes, and repeat. The combined 30 minutes of interval training is more efficient than an hour of pacing yourself leisurely.
Improving Endurance
When you actively perform cardio exercises for longer durations and at lower intensities, you improve the overall endurance of your heart but are training the muscle to become weaker by downsizing its output. Long-duration, low-intensity cardio downsizes the heart.
Instead, short-duration, high-intensity cardio strengthens the heart because it poses a challenge to the muscle. The high-intensity portion of the workout signals the muscle to generate more force to overcome the increased demand.
Furthermore, short bouts of intense cardio are more effective at lowering fat levels in the blood.
Contact Us
To schedule a heart consultation, contact Brookhaven Heart by calling 631-654-3278. We actively help clients pursue a healthier lifestyle that leads to more significant potential and a stronger, more profound heart!
