How aerobic exercises can help strengthen your heart

With people being contained to their homes this year as well one may consider stepping up your workout routine Aerobic exercises are not only beneficial to build strong bones improve muscle strength endurance and flexibility but also to reduce the risk of heart disease hypertension stroke diabetes and some cancers The benefits go beyond physical with research suggesting that it may improve your thinking and memory in just six months Walking running bicycling swimming and cross country are a few popular aerobic activities To get the most out of your aerobic exercise flexibility and strength training exercise should be worked into your fitness routine says orthopaedic sports surgeon Vonda Wright MD FAAOS To strengthen your cardiovascular system it is important to increase your heart rate for 20 to 60 minutes at your target heart rate each time you exercise Exercising at your target heart rate ensures your body is exerting enough energy to reap the benefits To accurately track how hard your body is working calculate your target heart rate and track beats per a minute A general calculation to determine your target heart rate is 220 minus your age The FITT principle of exercise is an effective guideline to follow for aerobic activity says Dr Wright Standing for frequency intensity time and type the FITT principle can provides the building blocks for an optimal workout No matter what youre trying to achieve or how your goals change over timetoning up improving strength speed or endurance or losing weightyou can seamlessly apply the FITT Principle to stay on track The key is to keep your heart rate steady and to exercise to your fitness level in order avoid injury The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons suggests these safety tips to eliminate injury while taking part in aerobic activityConsult your doctorIf you have a preexisting condition are overweight a smoker or havent been active in a while consult with your physician before beginning a new exercise routine Wear appropriate shoesWhen selecting a pair of running shoes look for good shock absorption and construction that will provide stability and cushioning to the foot Make sure that there is a thumbnails width between the end of the longest toe and the end of the shoe Buy shoes at the end of the day when your foot is the largest Warm up and stretchWarm up with some easy calisthenics such as jumping jacks Continue with walking or light running for five minutes Gentle stretching of the back hamstrings can be helpful Cool down and stretchNever skip stretching at the end Stretching can help reduce muscle soreness and keep muscles long and flexible Slowly and gently stretch after activity holding each stretch for 30 seconds HydrateEven mild levels of dehydration can hurt athletic performance If you have not had enough fluids your body will not be able to effectively cool itself through sweat and evaporationAlso Read A Mumbaibased fitness expert shares 5 easy exercises you can do at homeThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever