It’s hard to improve your cardiovascular fitness if you workout any less than 3 times a week. For example, if you do 30 minutes of cardio activity only twice a week, you are most likely just maintaining your current level of fitness.
Examples of cardio activities are brisk walking, jogging, running, swimming, cycling, aerobics, playing tennis, hiking, stair climbing, rowing, and jumping rope. For example, if you haven’t worked out in years, it’s probably easier to start your new cardio fitness routine with something like brisk walking than it is by attempting to hike up a steep mountain right away.
For instance, you could choose to run on some days and swim on others. If you have arthritis, aquatic activities like aquatic aerobics and swimming are good choices because they don’t stress your joints. [3] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
Other low-impact cardio activities are cycling, rowing, and rollerblading. Other high-impact cardio exercises are jogging, jumping jacks, and jump rope.
For example, if you’re going on a run, start out at a slow jogging pace for 5 minutes, then gradually speed up for the next 5 minutes until you’re fully running.
You can wear a heart rate monitor or use a cardio machine like an elliptical machine that tells you your heart rate to make sure you’re working out in the aerobic zone.
When 30-second intervals become too easy, step up the intervals to 60 seconds. You can also do distance intervals instead of time intervals. For instance, run as fast as you can for 1 lap around a track, then jog 1 lap slowly at an easy pace and repeat.
For example, if you only cycle for 20 minutes the first week of your new workout routine, try to cycle for 22-24 minutes the following week.
Taking the stairs doesn’t have to count as an official cardio workout. Just think of it as a way to keep building your fitness whenever you have a chance. Stair machines at the gym are also a good way to improve your cardio by stair climbing if you do want to make it into an official workout.
This is also important if you have any previous muscle, bone, or joint injuries. The doctor may recommend that you avoid certain types of activities, such as high-impact activities, for example.
