If your looking for advice on cardio for beginners this is the article for you. A lot of beginners shy away from cardio because they have never done it before or they simply just dont know where to start. This article will give you an insight into cardio for beginners and give you good honest advice about starting cardio for the first time and what kind of cardio you should be doing.
Cardio For Beginners
If your a complete beginner to cardio and do not get any kind of regular exercise in your current lifestyle you will need to start off slowly and build your fitness up. The same will go for people who use to be physically active but no longer are. Depending on what you think your body can handle you should start off with some low intensity cardio work. For this I would recommend either brisk walking or light jogging.
Brisk Walking. If you regard yourself as severely overweight then I would recommend you start your cardio workouts by taking a brisk walk 3-4 times a week. This can be done on a treadmill or outside and should leave you slightly out of breath once you’ve finished. The walk should last around 15-20 minutes depending on how challenging you find it. Once you find these brisk walks easier to complete then its time to move on to some light jogging.
Light Jogging. Again, jogging can be done on a treadmill or outside. I prefer to do it outside. Fitness levels that are built up on the treadmill will not carry over when running outside. If you can run on the treadmill for an hour at a good steady pace do not expect to be able to do this when running outside. Get yourself a decent pair of running shoes and venture outside to do your cardio. This can be a lot cheaper than having to go to the gym everytime you want to perform cardio.
Plan out a route you want to take for your cardio and set off at a slow and gentle pace. Try to maintain this for as long as you can before you begin to feel tired and out of breath. Once you feel slightly out of breath stop. Either walk for a minute or two and catch your breath or stand still. Once you’ve caught your breath set off again at a nice slow and gentle pace. Try repeating this until you’ve completed at least 10 minutes cardio work. If you feel somewhat tired and out of breath after ten minutes then its safe to say you can stop. If you can go for longer then do it.
The idea when first starting out is to set a comfortable and gentle pace. Dont overexert yourself and return home compeltely out of breath and unable to talk. This will put you off the idea of performing regular cardio and your efforts to get fitter and healthier will be lost. Cardio can be enjoyable so stick with it and start off slow. Once you get fitter and notice the results cardio has had on your lifestyle and health you will be far more inclined to do it. You will even begin to enjoy it!
Cardio For Beginners – Progressing
Once you have built the habit of performing cardio 3-4 times a week you will notice your sessions get easier overtime. Your heart and lungs will get stronger and will gradually adapt to the stress placed upon it during cardio. Your cardiovascualr health will improve as well as your fitness levels.
For each cardio session you should always try to progress. Jog for an extra minute or two, jog or run faster or add in some sprints at the end of your cardio workouts. Even if its something small, eventually all these little bits of progress will turn into huge progress. Constant progress and consistency will bring you results.
Cardio For Beginners – Types of Cardio
As you progress in your cardio workouts you may feel like mixing up your cardio a little bit to prevent boredom and add variety to your routine. A great way to do this would be to try out some HIIT Cardio Training. Read all about HIIT in the article HIIT Cardio Training. Also be sure to check out low intensity or high intensity cardio and different types of cardio for more information on cardio.
Cardio For Beginners – Benefits of Cardio
Cardio is great for your body and general health. Some of the bnefits of cardio include the prevention of a variety of diseases including heart attack, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity. Cardio can also give you more energy, higher endurance, less stress. You will also sleep better, burn more calories, and have an easier time controlling your weight. Cardio is great for weight loss as it will help you lose stomach fat and help you get a flat stomach.
