Exercise is the cornerstone of good health, strength, and longevity. The body thrives off being moved, whether that’s through weight training, cardio workouts, or pulling out the yoga mat. Some exercises are optimal for targeted parts of the body, including the heart. Let’s take a look at some of the best exercises for heart health and investigate just why getting a good sweat up benefits this vital muscle in your body.
Why is Exercise So Good for Heart Health?
A healthy heart needs clear and strong blood vessels to pump blood efficiently throughout the body. When the heart rate elevates, it pushes blood more quickly through the vessels to deliver oxygen to our working muscles. This works the muscles of the heart, training and teaching every fibre to expand and contract effectively. Just like every other muscle, the more you work it (with adequate rest), the stronger it becomes.
When the heart rate lifts during exercise, it is called cardiovascular training, or simply, cardio. Cardio exercise is the best way to exercise the heart, it gets it pumping to clear the vessels, so it doesn’t have to work as hard to circulate blood around the body. As a result, you can welcome lower blood pressure, and lessen your chances of heart diseases such as angina.
The Ministry of Health recommends at least two and a half hours of moderate-intensity training, or just over an hour of vigorous activity a week. However, this is a minimum. Five hours of moderate exercise and being active every day is the best way to keep our hearts (and our health) in check.
Let’s explore some of the best exercises for heart health.
Fun and Effective Exercises for Heart Health
Though exercise should challenge us, and our hearts, and occasionally take us out of our comfort zone, it should also be enjoyable. Whether you enjoy team sports, individual training, hitting the gym or getting outdoors, there’s a heart-pumping option to kickstart your cardio!
Cycling
Cycling is a great way to pump your heart rate as you take on hills and sprints to engage the big muscles of the legs. Our leg muscles are some of the biggest muscle groups in the body, so it takes a lot of effort to get them pushing and moving our bodyweight, as well as a bicycle.
High-Intensity Interval Training
High-Intensity Interval Training consists of pushing your heart rate as high as possible for a short amount of time before completely resting and repeating. It is also called Tabata training and means you can fit a full cardio workout into a smaller amount of time.
There are many different types of HIIT training, and you have the option to include weights or go bodyweight for a faster-paced session. Either way, it’s a great exercise method to work the heart, just ensure you don’t train HIIT more than three times a week due to the heavy workload for the body.
Resistance and Weight Training
Bring in fitness equipment to help your cardiovascular system, muscles, and bone density. Incorporate heavy or moderate resistance training such as clean and presses, squat presses, and deadlifts to lift the heart rate to a steady pace, whilst you build muscle.
Strength is an important part of any exercise regime, it helps us to engage our muscles, and not our joints or tendons. When muscles work, it also means the heart needs to work to pump them with blood and oxygen.
Ball Sports, Racket Sports & Even a Game of Golf!
There’s nothing like chasing a ball around a court or a pitch to get the heart pumping and get a good sweat on. Whether it’s basketball, netball, rugby, or tennis, exercises that include some running, jumping, or whacking a ball are working the body and the heart.
It doesn’t have to be high intensity; golf works as well. A stroll around the green with some good friends is good for the heart as well as the soul!
Hack Your Heart Rate With Yoga
Yoga is a mind/body exercise that’s great for heart health. A sweaty vinyasa flow will lift your cardio, whereas Ashtanga will incorporate breathing techniques to help the muscles strengthen in the pose, whilst controlling the heart rate through breath.
It’s always a good idea to connect the mind to the body during exercise. Yoga helps to create neural connections throughout the body, so you can engage the correct muscles, which include the heart. It also slows the nervous system, which can ease heart rate, and stave away heart problems such as arrhythmia.
Kickstart Your Heart Health With Fitness Equipment from DB Fitness
Fitness and a healthy heart go hand-in-hand, and DB Fitness can help to get your heart health on track. Check out our range of quality fitness equipment to help boost your cardio fitness at a reasonable rate. From treadmills to ski-ergs and assault bikes, our cardio equipment will give you a complete cardio workout, no matter your pace or intensity!
DB Fitness offers free shipping in Auckland for all orders, and nationwide for orders over $2,000. Get quality fitness gear to kit out your home or gym and get your heart in the best shape it’s ever been.
