Lets get back to basics...
Cardiovascular endurance is possibly the most important aspect of fitness. It is basically how strong your heart is, which can potentially add years to your life. The heart is probably the most important muscle in the human body and if it is kept healthy then you can avoid numerous health problems. Another reason that cardiovascular endurance is important is because your heart controls the oxygen flow to all your muscles - meaning cardiovascular health has a direct impact on your energy levels and performance, both endurance and strength wise.
The reason your cardio performance can be improved is because the heart is a muscle, and like all other muscles in the body if you keep working it, it will adapt to the workload given. This allows us to have direct control of how healthy one of the most important systems in our body is. But keep in mind there are other factors that affect heart health, such as cholesterol, and blood pressure. Eating right and exercising will ensure that your heart becomes, and remains, healthy throughout your life.
Many people are surprised at how easy it is to improve their cardiovascular endurance. All it takes is 20-30 minutes of exercise while in your target heart rate zone, 3 or 4 times a week.
Another consideration is that cardiovascular training doesn't have to just involve steady exercise for long periods of time i.e. distance running or cycling. This form of training tends to improve your aerobic (long term) energy system but be aware that your body has two other main energy systems. They are the anaerobic (medium term) and your ATP (short term) systems and they need to be addressed too.
There are all round benefits to training all three systems during your cardiovascular training.
Aerobic (Long Term)
e.g. distance running, cycling or rowing - Low intensity exercise for long periods will increase your endurance or stamina and can help with fat burning
Anaerobic (Medium Term)
e.g. H.I.I.T, circuits or TABATA Training - medium to high intensity exercise repeated several times with short rests will increase your lactic acid threshold, boost metabolism and control blood-sugar levels
ATP-CP (Short Term)
e.g. Resistance training - lifting weights or working with cables etc - Relatively high intensity exercise (in comparison) but for short periods with about a minutes rest will help you to improve the strength of your muscles and increase their size and tone whilst still placing a different, yet vital demand on your cardiovascular system
So get back into your cardiovascular training, mix it up, work all three energy systems and reap the benefits of a healthy cardiovascular system !
Don't forget that as a valued Bodyguards client, your are entitled and encouraged to come down and use the gym at any time, completely free of cost ! All we ask is that you sign in using the 'Drop-in Book' on the desk when you arrive. If you're not sure of what you should be doing during a 'Drop-in' session, just ask your trainer to design you a 'Drop-in Programme' for you to follow, again completely free !
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