Written by Dr. Sanjana V.B Bhms,dbrm,cdn

Founder & medical director of siahmsr wellness.in

All rights reserved with siahmsr digital healthcare[siahmsr wellness]

Reviewed by SIAHMSR medical team.

Cardio work outs you may do at home

  Cardio work outs are calorie burning exercises you can do at home or gyms. They help in fat reduction and weight loss. Cardio work outs help  so much in stress reduction and  in achieving emotional stability. Maintaining a healthy weight and body mass index may help to prevent obesity, cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack, stroke, arteriosclerosis or clots formation in blood vessels of the body.

   Cardio work outs help to improve health of heart and blood vessels. It may help in regulating heart rate and respiratory rate. Being physically active can improve your brain health, strengthen bones and muscles, and can enhance the quality of life [1].

  It can also reduce the risk for various life style diseases such as diabetes, cancers, arthritis, cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. Cardio work out is a purposeful, planned and focused physical activity [physical exercise] which has immense action on brain and nervous system in regulating sleep, emotions, anxiety, depression etc.

   To maintain a healthy weight work out for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. However, it varies greatly from person to person. Both regular physical activity and a healthy eating plan is important for achieving weight loss.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), an adult should get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise per week or 75 minutes of high intensity aerobic exercise per week. Add moderate- to high-intensity muscle-strengthening activity (such as resistance or weights) on at least 2 days per week.it is recommended to increase amount and intensity gradually over time.

Moderate-intensity exercise

Aerobic (or “cardio”) activity raises your heart rate  and benefits your heart by improving cardiorespiratory fitness. When done at moderate intensity, your heart will beat faster and you’ll breathe harder than normal. Still a person is able to carry a steady conversation in moderate intensity exercise.

Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale

Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is a way of measuring physical activity intensity level. Perceived exertion is how hard you feel like your body is working. It is based on the physical sensations a person experiences during physical activity, including increased heart rate, increased respiration or breathing rate, increased sweating, and muscle fatigue

Moderate intensity exercise as defined by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) is exercise at 64–76% of maximal heart rate and 46–63% of VO2max,

 RPE-3-4 for moderate intensity exercise in the scale [out of 10]

steps: about 100 steps per minute or 1,000 per 10 minutes

conversation level: a person is able to carry a steady conversation.

eg: Walking briskly (a 15-minute mile],recreational games with children.

Walking is an exercise that can be completed at different intensities to accommodate for an individual’s level of fitness and goal for walking. It falls under the category of aerobic training .

The  individuals may walk at their own pace for the duration of the workout.

Vigorous-intensity exercise

It requires a higher amount of effort. While doing a vigorous work out probably you may get warm and start sweating. You won’t be able to talk much without getting out of breath.

RPE: between hard and very hard or about 5–7 out of 10

heart rate: about 76–96% of a person’s maximum target heart rate

steps: greater than 100 steps per minute

conversation level: a person can speak only a few words comfortably.

eg: Jogging ,Squat jumps, Mountain climbers, Jump rope etc.

Beginner level

Start each exercise for 45 seconds to 1 minute and rest for a few seconds. As you gain strength and endurance you may increase the frequency of each exercise.

1.    Arm rotation in circles

2.    Marching one leg

3.    Wiper’s exercise

4.    Stand on one leg

5.    Trunk rotation

6.    Air squat

7.    Jogging in the same place

8.    Jumping jacks

9.    Lateral shuffles

Advanced

·       Squat jumps

·       Mountain climbers

·       Jump rope

·       Lunge jumps

·       Speed skaters with weights

·       Jumping jacks with resistance band lat pulls 

Benefits of cardio work outs

·       Enhanced emotional well being

·       Reduced impact of stress

·       Reduced anxiety, depression

·       Weight loss

·       Fat reduction

References for further reading

1.    https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/#howMany

2.   https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/measuring/exertion.htm#:~:text=The%20Borg%20Rating%20of%20Perceived,like%20your%20body%20is%20working.

3.     Riebe D, Ehrman JK, Liguori G, Magal M, editors. ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Kluwer; 2017. [Google Scholar]

4.    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6172294/

5.    https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults

6.    https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/best-cardio-workouts