Often in the fitness world, cardio can be seen as ‘a waste of time’ for those who want to do nothing more than build strong, lean muscle. Of course, lifting weights is the way to go if you wish to improve you strength and shape, but cardio is often pushed aside with the mentality that if you do cardio, you'll lose weight and muscle mass. To a point, yes, this is true, but cardio has another important role to play in our lives that some are forgetting about, and there's no reason to say it can't be included into our fitness regimes.
Walking, jogging, swimming, whatever it is, low or high intensity cardio is going to do wonders for your health. You may be thinking “but I’m healthy anyway, so why do I need to do cardio?”. You want to maintain your health, right? You want to live a long, healthy life, limiting health issues wherever possible, right? Of course diet has a huge part to play in this, but cardio does too, so let’s not eliminate it.
What are the benefits of cardio?
Aside from weight loss, cardio gives you a stronger heart, stronger lungs, increased bone density, reduced stress and improved sleep, all while reducing the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer.
How much exercise should I do?
The NHS recommend that you do at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week, which can be done through a variety of activities. No time because of the kids? Get them involved! Take them swimming, take them to the park, or head out for a family stroll. The options are limitless, and as much as they might moan at the time, they'll thank you for it later in life.
What cardio can I do?
Anything that gets your heart rate going is great, though activities such as
running,
rowing,
cycling,
boxing and
CrossFit style circuits are all great options. If you're a member of a gym you'll of course have full access to equipment, but if you're not and are looking at getting equipment for the home, products such as
our new Pro-Form range offer everything you could ever need for your
home gym... and then some.
The results
As stated by the NHS, it is medically proven that those who do regular physical activity have:
- up to a 35% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
- up to a 50% lower risk of type 2 diabetes
- up to a 50% lower risk of colon cancer
- up to a 20% lower risk of breast cancer
- a 30% lower risk of early death
- up to an 83% lower risk of osteoarthritis
- up to a 68% lower risk of hip fracture
- a 30% lower risk of falls (among older adults)
- up to a 30% lower risk of depression
- up to a 30% lower risk of dementia
So what are you waiting for? Get that cardio into your week, and if you’re a keen lifter, save some workout time for a quick cardio session. Trust us, the benefits are worth the effort!
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