If you aren’t on the train already then it’s time to get started, if you aren’t sure what I’m talking about, I will give you a hint, It is (in my eyes) the most important exercise you can do to stay in shape. Yes I am talking about cardio exercises! I know you may be thinking “Why would running be the greatest workout for me?” And if you are thinking that then you probably don’t know that much about it and need to be informed. Cardio exercise is when you get your heart pumping really fast which can do a lot for you.

Not only does it work legs and other muscles you would use, but it strengthens the biggest muscle you have and need, the heart! Your heart pumping fast will strengthen it and can do some great things for you, such as you won’t get sick as easy because it will strengthen your immune system and you have a lot less chance of getting diseases. That right there should be good enough to get you started on cardiac exercise.

Another great reason to put cardio in your workouts is because there are so many different exercises you can do that are related to cardio. You might already be doing some cardio and not even realize you are. When people talk about cardio, most think directly to treadmills and other Fitness Equipment. But it can be al to more than just running. And we are going to go over those things to help get you started in cardio, and hopefully you will want to go out and do some of these after.

Get Started With These Cardio Exercises

• Running: If you are into running try to switch it up sometimes, maybe you can try a cross country run instead of running laps. Or if you want to get some harder workouts in running you can try sprinting hills or running bleachers. Those both raise your heart rates and work out more of your muscles than you would think.
• Cycling: Riding a bike can just be a fun hobby you like to do, but it is also a great cardio starter and if you take it serious enough than you can have amazing results if you keep to it long enough.
• Boarding: Whether it is skate, snow, wake, or paddle, all these boarding ideas are a great way to exercise without even knowing. I’ve been snowboarding for a long time now and I never really thought of it being an exercise until I realized that I actually felt a difference when it was boarding season compared to the rest of the year.
• Sports: Every sport you can think of will get your heart pumping; tennis, football, soccer, basketball, It will all make you more fit than if you were to sit around the house and play those games on your X-box, and it’s a lot more fun to actually go out and do it, you have a bigger sense of accomplishment.
• Classes: They have plenty of cardio classes at the gym that will get you into great shape! As long as you can handle going to the classes, because sometimes it may get to be too much to handle. But it’s nice because you can go to the gym with you friends and get that workout with them. It’s always nice to have a partner with you to push you farther.
• Random games: Dodge ball, water sports, jumping jacks, jumping on the trampoline, all of the fun things you like to do or haven’t done in a while, is probably the greatest way to get started and once you are doing all of it you won’t want to stop because you don’t feel like it’s an actual cardio workout.

Those are only a few ideas on what to do to start out on cardio. The possibilities are truly endless so you won’t ever really get bored. Which is why once you get it started though, you won’t want to stop! Which is great because wouldn’t you want to end up being the old man who can still play tennis with his kids, or the old man who has to be fed by his kids in his wheelchair? I think we know pretty clear what the answer is to that.

Andrew Wheeler

Andrew Wheeler is a writer for www.proform.com and loves exercising as much as he loves writing about it. He is dedicated to get the facts out to people who want to learn more about exercise.