26 Feb 6 of the Best Cardio Exercises to Try Now for a Healthy Heart
A healthy heart is one of the most critical parts of your overall well-being. Are you taking good care of yours?
Frequent cardio, or aerobic exercise, is key to having healthy circulation, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and a decreased risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. And the great news is there are many cardio exercises to choose from, depending on what type of activity you enjoy!
Today, we’re sharing six of the best cardio exercises you can try right now for a healthy heart.
1. Yoga
Vinyasa style yoga, like we practice in VIBE’s Flow classes, is excellent cardio exercise for a healthy heart.
Yoga might not be the first type of exercise that comes to mind when you think “cardio.” However, some yoga styles feature sequences of large body movements which raise your heart rate and will have you breaking a sweat! Vinyasa yoga, for example, features faster-paced moves that can help you achieve cardio exercise benefits.
We have two Vinyasa classes at VIBE that will get your heart pumping and help you center and clear your mind: VIBE Flow and VIBE Flow-45. Both classes are available in-studio, on-demand, and virtually. You can join us wherever and whenever you’d like!
2. Walking
A good cardio workout doesn’t have to be an intense and sweaty one (as much as we love that!). Brisk walking is a wonderful way for anyone to experience aerobic exercise’s positive effects on your heart and cardiovascular system.
Walking can be done just about anywhere and helps you reduce your risk of heart disease, lower your blood pressure, and lose weight. Plus, you don’t need any special gear, just a good pair of shoes!
3. Cycling
As warmer spring temperatures approach, getting outside and on a bicycle is an excellent form of cardio exercise. Studies have shown that people who cycle are less likely to experience heart attacks than those who don’t. Those who make cycling part of their daily commute also have lower cholesterol and are less likely to have prediabetes symptoms.
4. Interval Training
Interval training gives your heart the exercise it needs to work efficiently for your body.
Interval training is one of the best cardio exercises for a healthy heart. That’s because alternating high-intensity and low-intensity activity trains your heart to function more efficiently. Interval training can increase your aerobic capacity (how much oxygen your body uses per minute) and lower your blood pressure.
Our fitness classes VIBE HIIT, VIBE-X8, VIBE Power, and VIBE Barre all include interval training that will help you keep your heart healthy and strong! Be sure to check them out for a heart-pumping experience.
5. Kickboxing
If you enjoy high-energy workouts, you’ll have a blast with kickboxing for cardio exercise! Kickboxing involves upper body movements like jabs and uppercuts, and lower-body moves like knee strikes and back kicks, that give you an excellent overall workout. It increases your heart rate into a cardiovascular conditioning zone, which helps build a strong and healthy heart.
Whether you’re new to kickboxing or a seasoned fan, you’ll love our VIBE Cardio-Kickboxing class! It’s fast-paced, and you won’t need gloves or punching bags – just a good attitude!
6. Swimming
We may be limited to indoor swimming at the moment (at least in the Midwest!), but at least we have that option since swimming is one of the best cardio exercises out there. Swimming is one of the few exercises that simultaneously uses all of your muscle groups while increasing your heart rate. Because it’s low-impact, your risk of injury is minimal, making swimming safe for anyone at any age to do.
Which of the cardio exercises on this list will you try next? Whether you enjoy cardio in the form of yoga, or via high kicks and punches in kickboxing, any cardio exercise will be beneficial for your heart. Be sure to join us, in-studio or virtually, for one of our heart-pumping classes!
