Cardio Training be it indoors or outdoors is not a waste of time let’s get that clear from the start. Cardiovascular Training should be in every gym program, however, the mode of training will vary depending on your overall goals. If weight loss is your goal as it is for my clients on “The Old Medicine” program cardio training will be an essential element to their training plan.
My name is Hanif, owner of Criterion Fitness and Nutrition, helping Men tip the balance of health and fitness in their favour. I’ve been a Qualified Nutrition Adviser and Gym Instructor for just under 5 years. As a Muslim, I take health seriously as we all should. It’s said, “The greatest blessing after firm faith is good health” and so I go about trying to promote this belief. But enough about me, let’s continue on with Cardio Training and why it’s worth your time.
It’s true that resistance training i.e. weight training can elicit a calorie-burning effect for hours after your training session but cardiovascular training with the goal of weight loss is still worth getting into for the reasons we will discuss. Cardiovascular training makes your heart pump blood around your body at a faster rate and increases the amount of oxygen you consume as opposed to being at rest. Cardio training, be it HIIT training (High-Intensity Interval Training) or LISS (Low-Intensity Stready State) such as swimming, cycling or running on a treadmill will do the following for your body…
Improve the health of your heart: Reducing your chances of heart disease by helping your heart pump blood around your body efficiently due to your training. Cardio training regularly will help you lower your blood pressure and keep your arteries clear of blockages from LDL (low-density lipoproteins) by increasing your amount of HDL (high-density lipoprotein).
Asthma can be improved: Cardiovascular training such as swimming, running and cycling in good weather conditions can improve your lung capacity and reduce the chances of Asthma attacks. ***Before you engage in Cardiovascular training please seek the advice and knowledge of your GP since not all cases of Asthma are the same – I am not a Doctor!!!***
Weight loss: Yes regular Cardio training coupled with a diet that sees you burning more calories than you consume will (God willing) see you losing weight. It’s important to my clients that they can manage their busy schedules of work and family while still doing regular exercise so the best way to stay consistent is to engage in physical activity you enjoy such as swimming, running on the treadmill while watching a wildlife documentary or whatever you deem to be fun.
Other reasons to engage in cardiovascular training includes:
- Regulating blood sugar (important for diabetics)
- Reduce chronic pain
- Better sleep
- Improved immune system
- Improved libido
- Improved brain function
- Improved mood and more.
After all of these reasons you’ll understand why regular cardio training is beneficial to your health and maintaining your weight. As a child I was involved in a lot of sports but as I aged my fitness levels fell off. As I became a husband and father I found a renewed passion for fitness which has lead to this day and you reading this post. I hope you’ll decide to get that bit more active than yesterday and strive to maintain fitness/exercise in your everyday life.
Is Cardiovascular Training really a waste of time? No way, who said that to you? Maybe someone that doesn’t see the lean and healthy man you could be within a short amount of time if you stick to the plan! If weight loss is a goal of yours check out our Weight loss Program [Here] which includes a personal gym plan and regular meetings to answer your questions and motivate your progress.
Further Reading:
https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/benefits-of-aerobic-exercise#benefits
https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/why-i-lift-heavy
https://www.myprotein.com/thezone/training/best-cardio-to-burn-fat/?affil=mpppc
Criterion Fit 