CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE

Cardiovascular Exercise is any exercise that raises your heart rate to around 50-60% of its maximum. If you do this for 20 minutes it will exercise the heart. The heart, like any muscle, requires exercise to strengthen it. Always seek medical advice before starting a new exercise regime, especially if you haven’t done any for a while. A fit and healthy heart is an efficient pump for getting oxygen and nutrients to where they are needed and then removing the by-products quickly and efficiently. To work out what your maximum heart rate is, use the formula below then refer to the table to work out what your target should be.

Maximum heart rate = 220 beats per minute bpm minus your age in years. For example for a 40 year old the max heart rate would be 220-40=180 beats per minute.
Referring to the table below a 40 year old would need to get the heart beating to: 180/100 x 50 = 90 bpm to get to fat burning with a maximum 180/100 x 70 = 120 bpm
Therefore our 40 your old needs to get his heart rate to 90 to 120 beats per minute.

Below are some examples of target heart rates for each type of cardio-vascular exercise and its benefits.

Light Exercise: Healthy heart and maintain structural fitness – 50% – 60%
Weight Loss: Burn fat and calories – 60% – 70%
Aerobic Base: Increase stamina and endurance – 70% – 80%
Conditioning: Fitness conditioning, muscle building and athletic training – 80% – 90%
Elite Athlete: Athletic training and endurance – 90% – 100%

Cardiovascular exercise will also give you an immediate calorie burn if you get the pace right. You want to aim to get into the fat burning zone (aerobic) rather than burning sugars (anaerobic). Often if CV exercise is too vigorous it will have the opposite desired effect.

The first step in starting your new exercise regime is to choose the right one for you. Are there any forms of exercise you enjoyed as a child or is there something you stopped doing due to all those commitments that build up. You might as well find something you love doing so it becomes a habit quickly. I can think of nothing worse than the misery caused by forcing yourself to do something you detest.