'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABgAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgQAAIBBAEFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwAEBREGBxITIZEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAURAAICAwEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAyEAERIEYf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8AylguW5a1x1oUjtJrhbcqkc8QaEKj/Vcg+2FUzdR+QmaQrb45R3nS+HeqUoNIYmU7UHl3A+ANiHonl731bJGxoWSLz//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Cardio, or endurance exercise, is a key component of any healthy lifestyle, but it can also be damaging if you're doing too much.
If you've been hitting the gym regularly for years and still feel tired all the time or are having trouble sleeping at night, it’s time to take a step back from your cardio routine and see why that might be happening. Plus, it is also important to understand what you can do about it!
Cardio Workout Mistakes To Avoid After 50
Check out some common mistakes that you might unwittingly commit while doing cardio:
1) Training through pain
If you're working out too much, your body will let you know. It's not just that you're tired or need a break. If you keep going, there is a good chance that the workout will cause more damage to your muscles and joints than good. If the pain doesn't go away after taking a few days off from exercising, be sure to see your doctor.
It's important to remember that "no pain no gain" is not always true when it comes to exercise, especially when we're talking about older adults who are trying their best not only stay fit but also avoid injury!
2) Not adding low-impact cardio
If you're not doing low-impact cardio, it's time to get started. Low-impact activities like walking, hiking and swimming can improve your heart health and help with weight loss. They also help strengthen bones and joints as we age, which means they're an excellent choice for people with joint issues such as arthritis or osteoporosis.
Moreover, these benefits aren't just relevant for older adults. Studies show that low-intensity exercises may be just as effective at improving cardiovascular fitness in adolescents as moderate-intensity exercises.
3) Training too frequently
Training too frequently is a surefire way to overtrain. The purpose of training is to improve your fitness level and performance, but if you're doing too much, it can have the opposite effect.
The best way to know if you're training too much is by monitoring signs of overtraining. These include:
- Feeling exhausted all the time
- Feeling depressed or anxious (especially if this is unusual for you)
- Having trouble sleeping at night or waking up feeling tired in the morning.
4) Pushing yourself to exhaustion
If you're pushing yourself to exhaustion, you may be doing more damage than good. Excessive exercise can cause muscle damage and soreness, which can make it difficult for your body to recover. This can lead to lower motivation and reduced performance in the gym or on the trails.
Additionally, overdoing it on cardio machines can compromise your immune system by taxing both the heart and lungs--both organs that are responsible for keeping us healthy!
5) Skipping warm-ups and cool-downs
Warming up and cooling down are important parts of any workout, but they're especially crucial as you get older. Many trainers will tell you that warming up is the most important part of any exercise routine--and for good reason, as it helps prevent injuries by increasing blood flow to your muscles and joints.
Warming up also increases the body temperature and respiration rate (breathing), which helps prepare your heart rate for higher intensity levels during exercise.
Cooling down allows blood to flow back into normal ranges after an intense workout so that there's less strain on your heart and lungs when they return to normal function again afterward.
6) Using the highest intensity
You may be tempted to push yourself as hard as you can during high-intensity workouts, but if you're over 50 years old and not in peak physical condition, this could cause damage to your joints.
A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that older people who engage in high-intensity exercise were more likely to develop osteoarthritis (OA) than those who did low-intensity workouts or no exercise at all.
The bottom line is that if you want to keep your body healthy and strong, it's important to make sure that you're doing cardio in a way that doesn't cause damage.
As we get older, our bodies become more susceptible to injury, so it's crucial that we take care when exercising. If you notice any of these warning signs during or after your workout, stop immediately and seek medical attention if necessary.
