Article by Blythe Flake
In simple terms, cardio exercises are the ones that you do for long periods. These involve repetitive moves that aim at getting your heart beat pumping. Common examples of cardio exercises are running, spinning or jumping jacks.
Even if these exercises do not sound like anything groundbreaking or fancy, they are incredibly effective workouts when done right. Here are three reasons why you should consider adding more cardio to your workout plan.
It will make you lose weight
Cardio exercises are heavily based on repetition. This means that you will be moving non stop for the whole workout session, effectively forcing your body to lose excess weight. You might therefore focus on giving your best during your next cardio session. Working on your breathing during your workout would also allow you to get a constant release of energy.
It keeps your heart in shape
Compared to strength training, cardio is less intense but does go on for longer periods. This is ideal for working out your most important muscle, the heart. Cardio forces your heart to pump blood to each one of your body extremities. Just like a dormant car needs to be revved up to be able to run properly, our heart needs to work its muscles from time to time.
It helps in getting a good night’s sleep
Recent studies have shown that patients suffering from insomnia benefitted from doing cardio workouts in the evening. This also holds true for perfectly healthy individuals. Cardio has the capacity to eat up any excess energy accumulated by either being sedentary or eating too much.