What is cardio training and why do you need cardio training?

Those who visit the gym for the first time often ask themselves: why do I need cardio at all? To acquire beautiful muscles, strength is enough!

Kartotraining is a workout using the so-called aerobic physical activity used to strengthen the cardiovascular system, improve blood circulation and the respiratory system. These activities help to fight excess weight and increase the stamina of the body.

What counts as cardio

These include not only well-known cardio exercises or running. Theoretically, this group can include any exercises during which the human pulse is between 60% and 80% of the maximum heart rate, it is also MHR. This indicator is calculated individually according to a special formula:

• for men, subtract age from 220;
• for men, subtract age from 226.

If the pulse is below 60% of the MHR, then the heart is not working actively enough, which is why excess fat is not broken down. Such training has only a healing effect. Exceeding the threshold of 80% of the MHR, in turn, is fraught with the risk of developing heart disease. Along with the above calculation methods, the Tanaka and Marta Gulati formulas are used for men and women, respectively. They look like this:

• Tanaka formula – 208-0,7 x (age);
• formula of Marta Gulati – 206-0,88 x (age).

Attention! These formulas are average. Depending on the level of training of the athlete, the presence of injuries, contraindications or diseases, it may be necessary to adjust the allowable heart rate during cardio training.

The main types of cardio training

• Walking. An excellent form of exercise for people with cardiovascular disease or obesity. When walking, there is no high load on the joints, muscles and heart, and you can exercise both in the gym and on the street.
• Run. The simplest and most affordable type of cardio load, the main thing is that there are no problems with the knees, and he runs in shoes suitable for this. Running is a universal cardio workout – you can do it in the gym on a treadmill or in the fresh air.
• Jumping rope. This is the most affordable type of cardio training that will help pump endurance, coordination and strengthen the muscles of the body. The jump rope will be a great addition to your comprehensive cardio training.
• A bike. A bike ride or exercise on a stationary bike outperforms all types of cardio training. Here, the joints and bones are not subjected to repetitive shock loading, and the muscles of the body are in constant tone.
• Cycle. Very similar to cycling, but here the load also goes to the upper body. This is a type of intense cardio and is not recommended for people with chronic conditions. For everyone else, it will be enough to attend cycle classes 2-3 times a week.
• Swimming. One of the most common types of cardio. In the process of swimming, a large number of muscles are involved and there is no need to increase the intensity of the lesson. Swimming has many techniques, if each lesson is assigned to a specific technique, you can comprehensively develop the body.
• Aqua aerobics. Water aerobics training should take place in the pool under the guidance of a professional trainer. Thanks to the resistance of water, the muscles of the body receive the necessary load even with simple movements. In addition, water acts as a support for the musculoskeletal system – it reduces the load on the body and relieves muscle tension.
• Step aerobics. High-intensity cardio training without stress on the joints. In the classroom, a step platform is used, on which various choreographic combinations are performed at a high pace (you can use dumbbells to increase the load). In step aerobics, the main focus is on the lower body.
• Dancing. Workouts that provide both aerobic and cardio for the whole body keep all muscle groups in good shape and help avoid imbalance. An excellent choice for those who want to diversify physical activity and balance the load.
• CrossFit. This is a functional circuit training that combines cardio with strength and gymnastic exercises. It is a complex of various exercises that must be done in the shortest possible time.
• Fitbox. A relatively new type of fitness that combines strength training, aerobics and martial arts. In fact, fitboxing is somewhat similar to cycling – the coach requires constant movement, and between punching the bag, you need to perform strength exercises.
• Ellipsoid. The movements on the elliptical trainer are like walking and running at the same time. Training on the elliptical involves the work of up to 85% of all muscles of the body, and the elliptical trajectory of movement allows you to minimize the load on the joints. On the elliptical trainer, you can pedal backwards and engage muscles that other types of cardio do not work.
• Rowing machine. Classic equipment that can be found in any fitness club. It combines strength training and cardio, involves the muscles of the back, legs and arms (up to 95% of the muscles). On the rowing machine, 20-60 minutes of high intensity training is enough and 3 workouts per week will be enough.
• coordination ladder. Such sports equipment is most often used in the training of basketball players, football players and skiers. Using this simulator, you can perfectly pump endurance, maneuverability and coordination.
• Game sports. Regular practice in any game sport trains speed, endurance, flexibility, agility, coordination and reaction.

Cardio training will help to lose weight and maintain a slim figure, increase endurance, strengthen the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Stable cardio workouts guarantee you a beautiful body, healthy sleep, cheerful state of health and good mood. See also: How to lose weight in one month?

What is the benefit of cardio

1. The heart and blood vessels become stronger. During exercise, the heart muscle pumps more blood. Over time, it strengthens, blood circulation improves, and the walls of blood vessels become stronger and more elastic. Properly constructed cardio training will help get rid of frequent dizziness caused by vasoconstriction. Increased skeletal muscle tone.
2. The amount of subcutaneous fat decreases, the body weight decreases. During cardio training, the pulse accelerates, which causes the body to spend more energy. First, glycogen from the liver is broken down, and then subcutaneous fat, which ensures the effectiveness of aerobic exercise. The main thing is that the workout lasts more than 20 minutes, otherwise only glycogen will be used.
3. Increases endurance. In particular, this applies to the speed endurance needed when walking or running. The higher this indicator, the more physical activity the body can tolerate for a long time.
4. Reduces the risk of developing diabetes. Muscle tissue processes glucose more efficiently, so there are no large jumps in blood sugar levels. Accelerates metabolism. As a result, the existing fat deposits “burn out” faster, the formation of new layers of subcutaneous fat is being prevented.
5. The hormonal background improves. There is a release of endorphins, a person’s mood rises, and he calmly endures stressful situations. The quality of sleep improves. It becomes deeper, and the body recovers better during the rest period.
6. Bones become denser. Cardio training with a careful approach and careful control of the heart rate is useful even for older people. This effect is achieved with regular training.

Note! During the night, the level of glycogen in the liver decreases. If you do cardio training in the morning, subcutaneous fat begins to break down much faster, and extra pounds will go away faster. See also: Proper warm-up before training

Why do you need cardio?

Those who visit the gym for the first time often ask themselves: why do I need cardio at all? To acquire beautiful muscles, strength is enough! This opinion is fundamentally wrong, and here’s why.

Cardio training is the performance of any exercise during which the heart rate increases and oxygen consumption increases. It can be aerobics, swimming, running, cycling, and many other types of fitness. Even strength exercises can be done in cardio mode! This kind of training is very useful and necessary for people of different levels of training, age and gender, and here’s why:

• By training your heart muscle, you prepare your body for serious challenges and increase its endurance.
• Such loads strengthen your cardiovascular system. If the heart works poorly, it simply does not have time to supply the muscles with oxygen. The result is a slow recovery, painful training and low effect. In addition, cardio exercises the heart as a muscle, and reduces the number of its contractions at rest, which, in turn, helps the heart muscle to wear out much more slowly.
• It is cardio training that burns subcutaneous fat and brings you closer to the ideal body shape.
• Cardio loads are the key to longevity and slow aging. Do you want to look cool until your very old age? Just look around in the gym: often older people look better than younger ones, and it’s all due to regular training.
• In the right combination of cardio and strength exercises, the effect of training increases exponentially.

To whom and in what cases cardio loading is contraindicated

It is better to replace cardio training with simple gymnastics for diseases such as:

• hypertonic disease,
• a stroke or heart attack;
• asthma or severe allergies
• intervertebral hernia;
• severe obesity;
• duodenal ulcer, etc.
• with SARS or during menstruation.

Important! The optimal cardio training schedule is 3-4 sessions per week for 40-60 minutes. During this time, the body will burn fat deposits without reducing muscle mass. Beginners should start with a 15 minute workout of light cardio and build up gradually. See also: How fitness affects health?