CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONING

Cardiovascular conditioning makes you healthier. It improves circulation and strengthens the heart, lungs, and blood vessels. The heart is a muscle that needs regular conditioning. A well-conditioned heart can pump a large amount of blood with fewer beats than a weak heart. Exercise conditions your heart to become more efficient as well as more resistant to stress, heart attack, and other health problems.

Lack of exercise can lead to changes in the body that threaten the heart. If you combine lack of exercise with overeating, you gain excess weight and your cholesterol may rise. Inactivity allows the heart to get out of shape and can cause heart disease and circulation problems.

Aerobic exercise uses large muscle groups for a continuous period of time. The muscles need more oxygen to handle this workload. This requires the heart to beat faster. Breathing gets heavier and faster to meet the demand for more oxygen.

Adults should get at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise most days of the week, preferably daily. (Children need at least 60 minutes a day.) Doing less than this will minimize your health benefits. Moderate aerobic exercise is generally defined as requiring about as much energy as walking 2 miles in 30 minutes.

In order for your heart and lungs to benefit from your workout, you must exercise within the aerobic heart-rate range. There is an easy test to see if you are in that range. If you can breathe and speak without gasping, you are probably exercising in your aerobic range. If you cannot talk comfortably to a companion while you are exercising, you should slow your pace.

Get a medical checkup before starting any exercise program. If possible, beginners should work with a certified exercise leader to be sure of getting a proper workout program for their health needs.

For more information, contact your local chapter of the American Heart Association or call (800) 242-8721. Visit their website at www.americanheart.org.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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