Being physically active is a major step toward good heart health. It’s one of your most effective tools for strengthening the heart muscle, keeping your weight under control and warding off the artery damage from high cholesterol, high blood sugar and high blood pressure that can lead to heart attack or stroke.
It’s also true that different types of exercise are needed to provide complete fitness. “Aerobic exercise and resistance training are the most important for heart health,” says Johns Hopkins exercise physiologist Kerry J. Stewart, Ed.D. “Although flexibility doesn’t contribute directly to heart health, it’s nevertheless important because it provides a good foundation for performing aerobic and strength exercises more effectively.” Here’s how different types of exercise benefit you. Aerobic ExerciseWhat it does: Aerobic exercise improves circulation, which results in lowered blood pressure and heart rate, Stewart says. In addition, it increases your overall aerobic fitness, as measured by a treadmill test, for example, and it helps your cardiac output (how well your heart pumps). Aerobic exercise also reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and, if you already live with diabetes, helps you control your blood glucose. How much: Ideally, at least 30 minutes a day, at least five days a week. Examples: Brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling, playing tennis and jumping rope. Heart-pumping aerobic exercise is the kind that doctors have in mind when they recommend at least 150 minutes per week of moderate activity. Resistance Training (Strength Work)What it does: Resistance training has a more specific effect on body composition, Stewart says. For people who are carrying a lot of body fat (including a big belly, which is a risk factor for heart disease), it can help reduce fat and create leaner muscle mass. Research shows that a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance work may help raise HDL (good) cholesterol and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. How much: At least two nonconsecutive days per week of resistance training is a good rule of thumb, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Examples: Working out with free weights (such as hand weights, dumbbells or barbells), on weight machines, with resistance bands or through body-resistance exercises, such as push-ups, squats and chin-ups. Stretching, Flexibility and BalanceWhat they do: Flexibility workouts, such as stretching, don’t directly contribute to heart health. What they do is benefit musculoskeletal health, which enables you to stay flexible and free from joint pain, cramping and other muscular issues. That flexibility is a critical part of being able to maintain aerobic exercise and resistance training, says Stewart. “If you have a good musculoskeletal foundation, that enables you to do the exercises that help your heart,” he says. As a bonus, flexibility and balance exercises help maintain stability and prevent falls, which can cause injuries that limit other kinds of exercise. How much: Every day and before and after other exercise. Examples: Your doctor can recommend basic stretches you can do at home, or you can find DVDs or YouTube videos to follow (though check with your doctor if you’re concerned about the intensity of the exercise). Tai chi and yoga also improve these skills, and classes are available in many communities. Both aerobic exercise and resistance training burn calories, as well as
help improve your baseline metabolic rate. The more muscle mass you
develop, the more calories you burn, says Johns Hopkins exercise
physiologist Kerry J. Stewart, Ed.D. “Together with diet, that’s what leads
to weight loss,” he says. If you have a new or existing heart problem, it's vital to see a doctor. Our heart health checklist can help you determine when to seek care.
Cardiorespiratory endurance is a measurement of how well your heart, lungs, and muscles work together to keep your body active over an extended period of time. Exercisers can improve cardiorespiratory endurance by participating in a program of regular aerobic exercise. Improved cardiorespiratory fitness provides numerous health benefits. When experts test cardiorespiratory endurance in a lab, they measure how well your heart and lungs deliver oxygen to your working muscles so that they can work hard during exercise. When your muscles don't get the nutrients they need, waste products build up and cause fatigue. So how do scientists measure cardiorespiratory endurance? Sometimes they test the air that you breathe out during vigorous exercise. By analyzing your exhaled air, they can estimate how efficiently your muscles are using oxygen. But this procedure, called a VO2 max test, requires that you work at an extremely vigorous intensity. So the test isn't safe for everyone. Generally, a VO2 max test is performed in a laboratory setting, often in a hospital or medical clinic.
In gyms and health clubs, submaximal cardiorespiratory tests are more common. These tests are safer for exercisers who are out of shape or who might have heart problems. These tests might include:
During each of these tests, your personal trainer will evaluate how your heart rate changes during exercise. Based on the results, he or she can provide a rating of your cardiorespiratory fitness. In a fitness setting, cardiorespiratory endurance or cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is a measurement that indicates your level of aerobic health. It helps you and the trainer know how well you can perform the cardiovascular exercise for a period of time.
Exercisers with lower CRF will begin with shorter, less intense workout sessions. Athletes with higher CRF can safely participate in more intense workouts. If you are trying to lose weight, cardiorespiratory fitness is important. Aerobic activity is essential to burn calories and lose weight. Physical activity is also critical if you want to maintain strong heart health and keep the weight off for the long term. If your cardiorespiratory endurance is good, that means you are healthy enough to participate in the activities that will help you lose weight and keep it off. If you're not sure how you would fare in a test to measure your cardiovascular fitness, don't worry. You can probably estimate the result by evaluating your daily activity level. If you are physically active on a daily basis, you will do better than someone who is sedentary. If you've been sedentary for a long time or if you have a heart or lung problem, you should see your doctor before you try to improve your cardiorespiratory endurance. Once you know that you are healthy enough for exercise, then it's time to boost your heart and lung health. You can do simple beginner workouts at home, walk or jog outside with friends, or join a gym to swim or take an aerobics class. Try to choose activities that you enjoy. You can also ask a friend or family member to join you in your sessions. Social support will help you stay on track and makes each work out more enjoyable.
When you first start exercising, begin slowly with just a few minutes of easy or moderate activity two or three times per week. You'll improve your cardiorespiratory endurance each time you do aerobic activities that increase your heart rate and cause you to breathe deeply. Try to be consistent with your program as possible and gradually add time to your sessions. Eventually, try to increase your activity level so that you are doing some form of cardiorespiratory exercise each day of the week. You'll find that exercise becomes easier as you participate more often. If you want to see how your cardiorespiratory endurance is improving over time, talk to your doctor about getting it tested in a clinic. Or talk to your personal trainer to see what options are available at your local gym. For many exercisers, tracking progress provides an important incentive to keep moving.
Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
|