Sometimes your cardiovascular exercise fails to satisfy you, and you may want a tougher workout. What you are looking for are cardiovascular endurance exercises, which will burn calories and stretch your limits. Here are some routines to help you get over cardiovascular diseases.
Cardiovascular endurance is the ability of the heart, the blood, the blood vessels, and the respiratory system to provide the required oxygen and fuel to the muscles for carrying on a particular exercise regime for a considerable amount of time at a steady rate. This exercise puts your aerobic cardiovascular endurance to test, and repeatedly trying to increase the intensity of the workout, will help increase your stamina as well as burn off extra fat.
Cardiovascular exercises are used mainly by sportsmen and sports coaches, to increase their overall endurance. As the games start becoming tougher and tougher, it is essential that the stamina of the players increases too. Hence, it is essential to keep up with the demanding nature of today’s games and do the exercises. They are also some of the best fat burning exercises.
Cardiovascular Endurance Workouts
Running
Undoubtedly the mother of all fat burning exercises is running. In this simple exercise you have to try running for as long as you can on a treadmill or on an empty ground.
A treadmill may be advantageous, as it will help you maintain a constant speed for a predefined amount of time. The focus should be on how long you can run and not how fast you can run. Try running at a speed, which you are comfortable with, for 15-20 minutes.
Once you realize that you can run more, increase the speed.
Swimming
Swimming is a total body workout. Apart from building your cardio endurance it also helps to burn a lot of calories. It is a low impact exercise and hence ideal for people who have injuries. It helps to improve flexibility too.
Following swimming workout routines, will improve your stamina, oxygen level, and help to put on lean muscles.
Just like swimming you can also do water aerobics or water jogging. These exercises are performed in a pool, are low impact exercises, and can be performed by people who don’t know how to swim.
Jump Rope
It may sound childish, but jumping the skip rope at a fast pace for about 10-15 minutes is not at all easy; and you aren’t allowed to take a break in between so watch it! Once you can do 10-15 minutes, try for around 20 minutes.
Did you know that a jump rope workout session of 10 minutes can burn more calories, than a 10 minute session of running? The best part about skipping workout is that you don’t have to buy expensive equipment or use large machines for workout. Just a small jump rope can help you boost your cardiovascular capacity and shed those unnecessary calories.
Cross-trainer
Cross-trainers or elliptical machines are found in almost every gym. In the beginning you might find these machines a bit difficult to use, however, once you get the hang of them you can perform a really intense workout with the help of these machines.
Cross-trainers tend to simulate walking/running and stair climbing. They offer low-impact workout and decrease the risk of injury.
Perform 15 minutes of cross-trainer workout. Then take 5 minutes break, and again perform 15 minutes of the workout.
Cycling
Cycling outdoors is a great way to build your endurance. Cycling when done at a medium to fast pace burns a lot of calories. Cycling regularly can help to build stamina and strength.
Exercise bike can be a good alternative for those who don’t wish to cycle outdoors. Use the exercise bike for about 15-20 minutes and gradually try increasing the speed.
Another option is to try increasing the incline or resistance of your bike and still try riding at the same speed. This too will help build your cardiovascular endurance.
Trampoline
Mini trampoline or rebounders offer a good aerobic workout. These are easy to carry around and don’t take much space.
When you jump on a trampoline, you fight the pull of gravity. This helps to increase the amount of calories you burn.
You can perform a number of exercises on the rebounder. Walking, jogging, twists, jumping jacks, bouncing, etc. can be done on the trampoline. As the surface of a trampoline is slippery, make sure you wear the right kind of shoes while working on it to prevent any falls.
Kickboxing
Kickboxing has become a popular workout. It is an energetic workout and burns a lot of calories. It also helps to tone your legs, and is a good stress relief.
Enroll in a class to start kickboxing. In the beginning of the class you might be uncoordinated and not be able to follow the exact posture and technique.
But, don’t give up, within a month you will be able to follow the right technique and burn that unnecessary fat.
Step Aerobics
The step machine is like an escalator moving downwards while you are trying to climb it. Crank it up to the speed with which you are comfortable and do it for another 15-20 minutes. Once you get used to the speed, increase it.
Quite frankly, I find the step machine really boring, but if you are really focused on your endurance, the step machine is something you ought not to miss. However, for a fun workout you can instead go for step aerobics. In these classes, you perform stepping workout using a platform to high beat music. Also, an instructor guides you through the class. This keeps you motivated and stick to the workout program better.
Dancing
You must be thinking can dancing really be a cardio workout. Well, not all kinds of dance forms are intense, but some like zumba or hip hop dancing are. You can enroll for such classes and follow the dance routines. Just 20-30 minutes of continuous high pace dancing will get you sweating.
If you tend to get bored with your normal gym workout, then consider such dance classes. This will prevent boredom, and also other muscles which usually don’t get exercised during the gym workout will get worked out in the dance routines.
Inline Skating
Skating is a great exercise. One hour of skating can burn around 840 calories. You can use your inline skates and do interval skating, basically skate for 5 minutes at a normal pace, then speed skate for two minutes, then again normal pace, then again speed skate and so on. This will burn maximum amount of calories.
Apart from being a cardio workout, inline skating also helps to tone muscles and improve stamina.
Wear safety gear like helmets and protective pads, to prevent any injuries.
Rowing
You don’t have to go to a lake for rowing. These days many gyms are equipped with rowing machines. These machines are not as common as stationary bikes or treadmills. However, they do offer an intense workout.
When working on these machines you are actually following a smooth, low-impact, rowing motion. It uses all major muscles of the body and offers a full body workout. Before you start with the rowing machine ensure, you perform a warm up of 7-10 minutes of mild jogging on the treadmill.
Cross-country Skiing
Cross-country skiing is done mostly for recreation. However, it is also an intense cardio workout. Skiing uses both the upper as well as the lower body, which helps to burn maximum amount of calories. Just within few minutes your hear rate will go up.
One of the disadvantage of cross-country skiing is that you have to wear a lot of gear for safety.
It is not possible to go skiing all the time. Hence, a cross-trainer can help mimic the skiing motion.
Strength Training
Many people don’t consider strength training exercises as a part of the cardio workout. However, the key is to do as many reps you can in one set and do them explosively. You can do quick sit ups, lunges, squats, push ups, etc. without weights for a cardio workout.
This will definitely get you sweating and regular strength training routine will surely improve your stamina.
Whenever following any strength training exercises, ensure you follow the right technique, posture, and breathing pattern.
Cardiovascular endurance exercises are great for weight loss, but they are not for everyone and it is essential that you check with your physician and a trainer before you try these. Make sure that you get a go-ahead from both these people, to avoid any health problems.
