Dr. Brett Hill - Eat Think Move Chiropractic

There is a lot of confusion nowadays about cardiovascular (endurance) exercise. Some people will say that it is the be-all and end-all, whilst others say that we don't even need to do it at all. And as is often the case, the truth is somewhere in the middle.

There is no doubt that our bodies are made to move. We are not designed to be anywhere near as stationary as we are in our modern lives, and as a result we now have to actually work hard to achieve cardiovascular fitness (which would have been part of daily life for our ancestors). In fact I read one study recently that said that even our country cousins on the farm are now not getting enough daily exercise since the advent of modern machinery.

So what are the benefits of ‘cardio' exercise? Well, it helps to maintain your weight, strengthen your heart and lungs, reduce stress, reduce disease risk, improve your moods, sleep better and have more energy. Sounds like fun, huh?

So how often should you be doing some cardiovascular exercise? Every day! You should be incorporating cardio into both your daily exercise routine and also your daily life. This doesn't mean you can only do long runs or walks, either. You can actually improve your cardiovascular fitness by doing a high intensity weights session, or by doing interval training. You can also improve your cardiovascular fitness by walking to work or taking the stairs, so have some fun with it and keep varying your routine. It will help you avoid boredom, it will keep you motivated and it will give you a more well-rounded fitness base.

Start taking every opportunity to improve your cardiovascular fitness, and remember it is not the be-all and end-all - in fact it is only one of nine components of a healthy exercise routine.

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