Cardio is short for cardiovascular activity, which refers to any exercise that raises and maintains your heart rate.
Cardio workouts are a wonderful choice, as they offer a variety of workouts and routines that can help you achieve your goals. That could include stop living a sedentary lifestyle, reduce weight or improve your general health.
Regular cardio exercise raises your heart rate and blood pressure at rest while lowering the load or demand placed on your heart, allowing it to operate less forcefully.
Another wonderful thing is that you don't need a gym full of equipment to perform cardio workouts. You can perform them whenever and wherever you like. Being consistent and committed to your health is all that's required.
Best Cardio for Weight Loss
Cardio doesn't have to be difficult; in fact, many enjoyable and straightforward cardio exercises are surprisingly efficient in burning fat and calories. Here is a list of the five best cardio exercises for weight loss:
1) Sprinting
Sprints are a terrific way to burn the most calories in the shortest amount of time, whether they're performed outside, on a treadmill, or even upstairs or bleachers. Sprinting is the best cardio for weight loss, as it's easy to do and burns a lot of calories.
While jogging or running at a constant pace burns a lot of calories, picking up the pace and intensity can have the greatest impact.
Here’s how to do sprints on a treadmill:
- Start out by running on your treadmill at a pace of 6 mph and the incline set at 3 mph.
- Accelerate to 9 or 10 mph after a minute, and continue for three minutes.
- Sprint for 30 seconds at a speed of 14–15 miles per hour.
- Run for three minutes while reducing your speed to 10 mph.
- Reduce the speed after three minutes to cool down.
2) Rowing
Rowing is a high-intensity cardio for weight loss that helps improve the strength and endurance of the legs.
Rowing, in contrast to other cardio exercises, offering the benefit of allowing rows to be performed with the upper body, making it a full body cardio movement that works the legs, core and back muscles.
Here’s how to do it:
- Sit on the rowing machine, and hold the chord's handle in your hands.
- Put your feet up on the footrest. Maintain a straight back, downturned shoulders and a bare chest.
- Pulling the handle or the bar towards your abs requires using your back and core muscles.
- Stop when you reach the back of your elbows. Your shoulder blades should contract.
- Do not slouch; watch your posture.
- Go back to the starting postion.
3) Rope Skipping
As you may make workouts harder or easier depending on how you choose to skip, skipping workouts is among the best kinds of cardios for weight loss.
Here’s how to do it:
- Grasp a handle with each hand. Flip the rope over your head and to your back.
- Jump the rope, and begin to hop slowly.
- Boost your speed, and leap the rope 50 times after completing 25 jumps.
- Pause for ten seconds.
- Jump the rope once more. Jump if you can, and fold your legs so that your heels touch your hips.
4) Swimming
Swimming is a full body cardio for weight loss. Your muscles must work harder to keep you afloat, as you are practically fighting gravity. This effort continues till you're out of the water. In fact, you can burn 14 calories by swimming quickly for just a minute.
Keep in mind that there are several types of strokes. Incorporate several strokes throughout your workout, as the breast stroke burns fewer calories than the butterfly.
Here’s the best way to do it:
- Swim as quickly as you can for as long as you can if you have a high level of swimming ability.
- Go swimming intervals if you aren't a strong swimmer: Swim as quickly as you can down the pool's length and back, and swim the remaining distance more slowly.
- Throughout your workout, alternate between these intervals.
5) Elliptical
The objective of an elliptical machine is to provide a tremendous workout while minimising the impact on the knees and hips. Using an elliptical machine can be a great cardio for weight loss without damaging your joints.
Here’s how to do it:
- As soon as you get on the elliptical machine, begin pedalling while holding a handle with each hand.
- Select level 2 of resistance, and press the 'Quick Start' button.
- Breathe normally while moving as quickly as you can.
- Push the pedals just as hard going backward.
Takeaway
Cardio for weight loss is rapidly gaining popularity, despite the fact that there are many fitness programmes and gym workouts to keep you in shape and healthy.
Cardio exercises not only keep you in shape, but they're also easy to do if you like them. Along with assisting weight loss, they also tone your muscles and strengthen your arms and legs.