Cardio exercises are not only there to help you lose weight, but they also help to improve your fitness. During cardio, your body remains very active, which helps to test your endurance. However, some exercises are better for your fitness than others. We pay attention to that today.
In this article, we look at what cardio is, what it does for your body and which exercises are the best to train your condition.
What are cardio exercises?
Cardio exercises are different exercises that all achieve the same thing: you get a higher heart rate and your body absorbs more oxygen. In addition, with cardio, you use several muscle groups that are all trained and remain activated. Cardio exercises have varying degrees of difficulty, but can also be as simple as a brisk walk through your neighborhood. As long as your heart rate is accelerating and your body is moving, you are doing cardio.Nowadays it is recommended to do about 150 minutes of cardio every week. That is not without reason. Cardio exercises have many health benefits for your body. For example, cardio helps to:
- The health of your heart to improve
- Lower your blood pressure
- Can help with sleeping problems
- Strengthen your immune system
- Relieving Asthma Symptoms
- Improve your mood
- Stimulate your brain
In addition, it is a very accessible form of sports, because you do not need a gym subscription and you can also easily perform it without special sports clothing or equipment. As long as you have clothes in which you can move comfortably, you are ready to get started.
Cardio exercises for a better condition
If you want to build up your fitness, it is important to do cardio exercises regularly. There are several exercises you can perform to achieve this. You can practice many of these sports exercises at home.However, some work better than others, especially if you don't have sports equipment at your disposal. That is why we have made a list of several effective cardio exercises for better condition.
1. High knees
With this exercise, you not only train your fitness but also your balance. Stand with your legs straight and your arms at your sides. Now pull one knee up to your chest (as high as you can) then lower it back down and transfer to your other knee. Use your arms to maintain your balance. You can repeat this as long as you want.
2. Jumping Jacks
Everyone knows this but remains a super cardio exercise to train your condition. Stand up straight with your legs directly under you. Then jump up and bring your arms overhead. When you land, put your feet in a staggered position. At the next jump, put them next to each other again. You train your whole body with this.
3. Mountain Climber
This exercise is slightly advanced, but a great exercise to train your condition. You start in a plank position and place your hands under your shoulders. Then bring one knee to your chest and back to plank position. Then do that with your other leg. Repeat this as much as you want.
4. Cardio Exercises: Burpees
This exercise can also be very heavy but is a good way to train all your muscles. You start in a standing position with your feet under your shoulders. Then do a squat and place your hands on the floor. Jump into plank position and do a push-up. Then jump up into a squat and through to a jump with your arms up. Repeat several times per workout.
5. Standing Toe Stretches
You train your abs, arms, and legs. This is a good exercise to finish with before starting a cooldown. Stand in a normal position, with your legs shoulder-width apart. Then lift your right leg and extend it in front of you. Touch your toes with your left arm. Then bring your arm and leg back to normal position and repeat with your left leg and right arm. If you can't touch your toes at the beginning, you can also start at your knee and build it up slowly.
