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The Benefits of Cardio Exercises - There Are LotsBenefits of Cardio Exercises Humans were created to perform movements. If we weren’t, then we wouldn’t have grown arms, legs, a spine, a set of eyes – nothing. We’d just be blobs. Not satisfying your body’s need to move can have some dire consequences in the long run. Have you ever noticed how relaxed you feel after a cardio routine? It’s rejuvenating (assuming you didn’t push yourself too hard). Blood’s pumping, you feel accomplished, confident, and ready for any task at hand. The energy surge is quite amazing after a nice jog in the park. But, what do we do all day? Most of us sit at work in front of a computer or do light physical activity that doesn’t accomplish much in the way of a cardio workout. Why should we be concerned about this? To explain, let's consider the benefits of cardio workouts... • You’ll feel like a million bucks! That’s right – you’ll be energized, motivated and more efficient throughout the day. • Your heart will be stronger! In other words, your heart rate will decrease while still pumping the same amount (or more) blood than before starting a cardio routine. This “volume” of blood that’s pumped every time the ventricles contract is called the “stroke volume.” So, with a stronger heart, as with many athletes and fitness gurus, your stroke volume will increase along with oxygen and nutrient delivery to external tissues. You can use this to keep track of your progress in a strength training journal. You’ll notice a decrease in your resting heart rate. At this moment in time, your heart rate may be 70 beats per minute (bpm). After a few months of doing cardio exercises, this number will probably decrease 10-20 beats down to between 50-60 bpm. • Cardio exercises burn a lot of calories! This means you’ll be able to lose weight more effectively and keep it off as your resting metabolism increases and your heart gets stronger (assuming you're also participating in a weight training program!). With this in mind, you’ll be better suited to show off those muscles you’ve been building at the gym! • The risk of many chronic diseases will decrease! Some of these include heart disease, cancers, obesity and hypertension. • If your cardio exercises include higher impact activities like jogging, then you may be in line for increased bone density. When you put pressure on your bones, you create microscopic stress lines within the bone. New bone forms around these stress lines to protect them from injury. • You’ll feel better! You’ll look better! Since you’re doing cardio exercises, hopefully some sort of strength training program and eating healthy, you’ll be well on your way to shedding some fat, building some muscle and, well, looking and feeling great! The benefits of cardio workouts far outweigh the disadvantages. Wait, there are disadvantages? I don't think so. Just the idea of strengthening your heart and improving your overall quality of life is a great prospect to start your own cardio routine. Return from the Benefits of Cardio Workouts to Cardio Exercises Return from the Benefits of Cardio Workouts to the Smart Strength Training Homepage
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