There’s no denying the importance of cardio when it comes to supporting an active lifestyle and maintaining healthy body function, as well as increasing stamina, burning calories, and contributing to a comprehensive regimen for physical and mental wellness. 

Before starting an exercise regimen, you should know why cardio is important, how it works, and what types of exercise are the most effective.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand the importance of cardio for overall health and wellness
• Learn the value of cardio for hitting your target heart rate
• Explore the best exercises to try while learning why cardio is important

Table of Contents:

1. Cardio and Overall Health
2. Heart Rate Zones
3. Best Forms of Cardio
4. Life Enhancement Beyond Exercise
5. Cardio Is an Important Part of Life

Cardio and Overall Health

The human body is a complex network of interconnected systems that allows people to move through the world and enjoy active lives. 

Bones, joints, and muscles operate in tandem with the digestive, pulmonary, neurological, and cardiovascular systems that seamlessly interact to keep bodies functional.

Staying in shape is not a one-size-fits-all proposition, which means you can customize your routine to suit your needs and preferences. 

When you engage in cardio exercise, you can increase circulation and strengthen your heart, improving cardiovascular function and helping reduce the risks of high blood pressure and cholesterol.

This category of exercise involves intentional physical activity designed to increase the heart rate, or as the saying goes, get the blood pumping. 

This activity will elevate breathing and oxygen in the body and could contribute to increased stamina, endurance, and calorie burning.

Regular cardio activity not only strengthens the heart but also provides benefits for the lungs, brain, muscles, joints, and even the digestive system. 

Cardio is especially beneficial when added to a routine that includes strength training and other complementary exercises.

Heart Rate Zones

As you start your journey with cardio exercise, you may quickly encounter information about target heart rates. 

This information has to do with how different types and durations of exercise impact your heart rate and the efficacy of workouts, as well as long-term health outcomes.

Heart rate acceleration during exercise is broken down into five zones based on a percentage of your maximum heart rate, which is estimated by subtracting your age from 220. 

For example, the maximum heart rate for a 20-year-old is 200 beats per minute (BPM), while the max for a 50-year-old is 170 BPM.

Every body is different, so the best way to determine your personal maximum heart rate is through an exercise stress test. 

However, you can start with an estimate to calculate a general max based on age alone.

Zone one involves moderate- to low-intensity activity that puts your heart rate in the 50-60% range. 

Zone two, or moderate intensity, falls within the 60-70% range, while zone three involves moderate- to high-intensity activity, with a heart rate in the 70-80% range.

Zone four activity is high intensity, with a heart rate in the 80-90% range, and zone five is very high intensity activity in the 90-100% range. 

Zones two and three are aerobic, or cardio zones ideal for burning fat and building muscle, while zones four and five are anaerobic and best suited to short bursts that improve speed, endurance, and muscle power over time.

It’s recommended that adults get 150 minutes of moderate cardio exercise weekly (perhaps 30-minute sessions five times a week) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, although you can customize your activity to meet your needs. 

Best Forms of Cardio

There are several great ways to work cardio exercise into your fitness routine, depending on the level of intensity you prefer. Some of the best forms of cardio include:

• Walking briskly/hiking

• Jogging/running

• Cycling

• Swimming

• Dancing

• High-intensity interval training (HIIT)

• Sports

If you’re looking for relatively low-intensity, low-impact options suitable for almost any age or fitness level, a brisk walk or hike could be ideal. 

Cycling and swimming offer low-impact exercise with the option to increase intensity as desired.

If you’re capable of high-impact activities and you want to pump up the intensity of workouts, jogging/running, dancing, sports, or HIIT can really elevate your heart rate. 

When it comes to the importance of cardio, the type of exercise you choose will depend on your fitness goals.

Life Enhancement Beyond Exercise

Beyond strengthening your heart and reducing certain health risks, cardio exercise can benefit you in a variety of ways. 

Regular exercise could help improve sleep, increase energy, alleviate stress, and boost your mood.

Some people add cardio as part of a weight management routine, and it could increase confidence as you work toward fitness goals. 

Cardio may also provide opportunities for socialization if you enjoy hiking, jogging, or dancing with friends.

Cardio Is an Important Part of Life

Understanding the importance of cardio and the role it plays in preserving and enhancing function can motivate you to make walking, running, or swimming part of your daily routine.

Lifespan is about more than how long you live, it's how healthy and good you feel while living. You want to enjoy quality time that includes a healthy and functional body. Try implementing some new habits for your heart health into your routine and feel the difference.*