Cardiorespiratory Endurance
~ Improve Your Oxygen Intake ~

Cardiorespiratory endurance is when the body is able to perform long durations of moderate to high intensity exercises while using large muscles in the body.

Improving your endurance levels will increase the ability of the heart, lungs, and other organs to deliver oxygen to the working muscle tissues and then utilizing that oxygen. It's very important for any exercise program to improve your overall health and fitness.

When doing cardio exercises, it should increase your heart rate to a designated range called the target heart range.

Some examples of activities that target your cardiorespiratory endurance, which are also the same as fat burning exercises, include brisk walking, jump roping, running, biking, swimming, aerobic classes, etc.

Anything that will raise your heart rate to your target range for at least 30 minutes helps to improve your cardiovascular fitness.

When you exercise regularly, you can increase your cardio fitness as your heart becomes more able to pump blood and oxygen into the body.

Cardiorespiratory Endurance Benefits

Cardio exercises have a number of health benefits when performed on a regular basis.

It promotes the body to lose fat and can actually decrease your appetite. Now, if it doesn't decrease your appetite, the calorie burning effects of regular aerobic exercise will allow you to intake more calories.

The skeletal system can be strengthened which can assist in reducing the risk for developing osteoporosis or help slow down the progress of the disease.

Cardio workouts can play a significant role in reducing the risk of developing high blood pressure and coronary artery disease.

Other benefits are:

Increase Heart Volume
Increase Maximum Oxygen Consumption
Increase Blood Flow
Increase Total Blood Volume
Increase Lung Diffusion Capacity

Cardio training is the key to living a longer, healthier and happier life, free from many of the diseases that plague us as we get older. It also makes it easier if you choose an activity you enjoy doing.

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How Often Should You Do Cardio Exercises?

The time you should spend doing cardio varies depending on the intensity of your workout, but normally you want to aim for anywhere from 20 to 90 minutes.

In order to gain the benefits of cardiovascular training, at a minimum you should do at least 20-30 minutes 3 times a week.

You can even break it up through out the day if you need to. Say for instance you want to achieve the minimum of 30 minutes for that day. Then do 3 ten minute sessions or two 15 minute sessions. Whichever will work best for you, just try to fit it in your schedule as best as possible.

As you get stronger it'll be easier to reach 20-90 continuous minutes without even thinking about it.

Remember…the longer you go, the more calories and fat you'll "burn" and the better condition your cardiovascular system will be.

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Calculate Your Target Heart Rate

To get the most out of any cardio workout, you'll need to figure out what your maximum heart rate is (bpm=beats per minute) and from there you want to actually workout at your target heart rate zone.

For women subtract your age from 226 and for men subtract your age from 220. The number you get is your maximum heart rate.

The American Heart Association suggests that the target heart rate zone for those that are healthy is 50% to 75%.

Aim towards 50% of your maximum heart rate if you are just getting into shape and more toward 75% if you're in great shape.

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Cardiorespiratory Endurance Tips

Your overall goal and your body type will determine the type, frequency, and length of your cardio workout.

Do something you enjoy, and do it when you feel like you have the most energy.

Use your heart rate as feedback about your progress, not as a "RULE" for fat loss (as you get into better shape, your resting heart rate will decrease as well).

Variety is key - whenever possible, alternate not only the type of cardio you do but also the terrain or equipment that you train on.

Remind yourself everyday that a healthy heart is the way to a healthy body.

Reducing your overall body fat using cardiovascular fitness training (while increasing your lean muscle mass with strength training) is the quickest way to reduce your body fat and speed up your metabolism.

Fat is not Fit - Get rid of that excess fat!