There are many reasons why we go to the gym: weight loss, sport-specific training, strength training, functional training, general health and more. And while everyone’s specific goals may be different, there are certain components to an exercise regimen that can benefit almost everyone. For example, cardiovascular work is one component that can have a valuable place in almost any circumstance.
It doesn't get better for structured high intensity intervals than RPM classes.
Most people associate cardio with weight loss; and there’s good reason for that as it’s essential to a successful weight loss program. For example, caloric balance can be extremely important in weight loss, and caloric expenditure is a major part of caloric balance. One way to help that caloric balance is through burning calories via cardio. Cardio helps to burn large amounts of calories in a short amount of time – especially if it’s done with high intensity interval training (HIIT). HIIT, like Les Mills’ RPM class, will consistently get the heart rate up to a range of about 70-85% with spikes of 90+% of the maximum HR – and the higher the heart rate the more calories are burned.
However, these calories burned are a side benefit. The bigger benefit of cardio is the strengthening of the heart. The heart is, after all, a muscle and it needs to be trained just like any other muscle needs to be trained in order to get stronger. If living a long healthy life is a goal for you, then getting the heart to be healthier should be a priority.
Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. This is no coincidence considering the amount of people who live sedentary lifestyles and make poor nutritional choices. Cardio training can go a long way toward reversing that trend. This doesn’t mean cardio is only beneficial for sedentary individuals – it’s also beneficial for all fitness levels. With consistent cardio work, it is shown that the size of the left ventricle, the part of the heart that pumps fresh blood to the rest of the body, increases in size and strength. As a result, its ability to get more nutrient-rich blood to the tissues in the body also increases.
Jump rope can be an excellent form of HIIT.
How can this help you aside from having a stronger, healthier heart? For endurance athletes, strengthening the heart is paramount for long-distance events. Cardio, especially HIIT, can also be advantageous for strength training. The more nutrient-rich and oxygenated blood that is quickly transported to the muscles, the more energy those muscles will have to work with – a stronger, more efficient heart means quicker opportunities for fast-twitch muscle fibers to do their job as explosively as possible. More efficient oxygen and nutrient uptake to the muscles can also help the athlete who is concerned with explosive power gains, agility improvement or sports performance enhancements.
This doesn’t mean everyone should integrate cardio into their workout routines to the same degree. There are many variables that will determine how often cardio should be part of a specific regimen. For example, individuals who are interested in losing body fat could include cardio in some form nearly every day. It might be tempered back for others with different goals – but they can still benefit greatly by making it a part of their larger program.
So don’t neglect working out the most important muscle you have – the heart!
No comments:
Post a Comment