The Ultimate Introduction to Cardio for Beginners
If you were like us, you've probably always wanted to incorporate exercising more into your daily routine, but there's a lot to it that feels intimidating, which ultimately leads you to put it off as long as possible.
But this year, we knew we wanted to change and decided to educate ourselves about fitness. To make it easier for beginners who find it all too daunting, we want to offer our complete crash course to our favorite kind of workout: cardio!
What Is Cardio?
Though many people have a go-to workout routine, they don't really know what they're doing. Some may think they're doing cardio when doing strength training, and vice versa. So, let's first define what a cardio exercise truly is.
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Cardio is short for cardiovascular training, which means it will improve your heart health. With these activities, you'll likely be getting your heart rate up and increasing the efficiency of its ability to send oxygen to other parts of your body.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, so we always want to work on preventing any issues if we can.
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Who Is It Good For?
There's no single correct answer to this! We think cardio is beneficial for everyone. But with any exercise, you should alter it to fit your personal needs and abilities.
For example, the older you are, the lower your heart rate should be. If you're a teenager, you might be able to max out at 200 BPM, but if you're closer to 50 or 60, it should be significantly less than that.
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Similarly, if you have a knee injury, you probably shouldn't be running on the treadmill at fast speeds. Listen to your body, and stop if you feel like you're in too much pain or going to pass out.
As always, consult with your doctor first. We aren't doctors, and you (and your physician) know your body best.
Cardio tends to be one of the best ways to shed a few pounds or inches for anyone whose primary goal is weight loss. It burns calories quickly, depending on what exercises you do. On the flip side, if you want to bulk up, you might prefer strength training to cardio.
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What Are The Different Types?
There are three types of cardio: HIIT, LISS and MISS.
HIIT, which stands for high-intensity interval training, has become very popular recently. These workouts may require a lot of your strength for a short period of time to quickly raise your heart rate. It's great for increasing your metabolism and shed calories more rapidly. An example of a HIIT exercise would be sprinting for 30 seconds.
The phrase MISS means moderate-intensity steady state. So, these exercises will get your heart rate but not nearly as much as HIIT. You'll also likely be doing it for longer than a HIIT workout. Imagine jogging for 10 minutes—rather than sprinting for one and resting for five. It's another effective way to burn calories.
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Lastly, we have low-intensity steady-state cardio. You might not even feel like your heart rate increases while doing one of these exercises, like walking. It's one of the best for beginners because it still burns fat but usually requires more time.
As we said before, always talk to a professional to determine which is the best for you!
Okay. Now you're ready to work out. What are you going to wear? Read HERE for a few of our favorite athletic outfits to exercise in style.