Cardio has a lot of benefits. Including cardio into your workout routine can boost your immunity, improve your blood circulation, keep your heart healthy, and improve your mood. Aside from all of these, there’s another benefit of cardio that a lot of people really appreciate and that is weight loss.
During cardio, your heart rate speeds up. The goal of most cardio exercises is to reach your target heart rate zone. This varies from one person to another depending on your age and fitness level. Once you get into your target heart rate zone, your blood is pumping, you will start to breathe harder and sweat. Your body is also starting to burn calories.
Ready for some cardio?
If you are not used to doing cardio, the idea of adding more exercises to the next time you go to the gym may seem challenging. No need to worry! There are a lot of fun and simple cardio workouts that you may actually enjoy. Here are the best types of cardio that you can do to lose weight:
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Walking
Walking is one of the simplest workouts that you can do. If you are looking to lose weight, go for a brisk walk. A slow stroll is not effective in getting your heart rate up. Keep a moderate to fast pace. Walking is one of the few exercises that you can do anywhere. You can easily fit this into your day to day routine even when you don’t have enough time to hit the gym.
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Sprinting
Sprinting is a great way to burn calories in a short amount of time. You can sprint on a treadmill but you can also do it on a flight of stairs or outside. There is no equipment necessary.
If you are sprinting on a flight of stairs, run up as fast as you can. Lift your knees high and work your glutes. This is the best way to burn a lot of calories and get the most out of sprinting.
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Cycling
Riding your bike can help you strengthen your legs and burn a lot of calories. Cycling outside enables you to get some fresh air, enjoy the scenery, and get your fill of vitamin D. If you don’t own a bike or if you’re not comfortable cycling outside, try indoor cycling. It does the same job of burning some serious calories with the added bonus of biking alongside other people and some lively music.
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Jumping rope
Jumping rope is a staple for boxers, wrestlers, and fighters. You, too, can start to jump rope to burn calories. To get the most out of it, do intervals of fast and slow jumps. You can also jump as fast as you can for one minute followed by a rest period of 30 seconds.
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Kettlebells
A workout using kettlebells combines both strength training and cardio. This is why it is so effective in helping you burn calories and lose weight.
Make sure your kettlebell is neither too light or too heavy. If you can do 40-50 reps with your kettlebell, it may not be heavy enough. A good kettlebell workout is to do the same movement for 30-40 seconds. Then, rest for 20-30 seconds and repeat. Do this for about 30 minutes to get the full benefits.