Aerobic fitness is the key to cardio health.
The cardiorespiratory system is responsible for transporting oxygen throughout your body, cleaning out waste and carrying vital nutrients to your organs. By increasing your cardiorespiratory endurance, you strengthen your heart's ability to supply oxygen to the rest of your body. In addition, your lungs and muscles will benefit.
Instructions
1. Perform an aerobic exercise at least three times a week, while maintaining your target heart rate for approximately twenty minutes each time.
2. Figure your target heart rate by subtracting your age from 220, then dividing that number in half. That's the lower number of your target heart rate. Then take your original number and multiply it by .075 to determine the upper number of your target heart rate.
3. Count your heart rate during aerobic exercise by placing your fingers along the front of your throat, just to the outside of your Adam's apple.
4. Determine your maximum oxygen consumption capacity (VO2max) when you're trying to increase your cardiorespiratory endurance. Calculated by recording the distance of the run and the time it takes to complete it, your VO2max indicates your overall cardio health. (See Resources below.)
5. Increase your swim sessions. As a non-impact aerobic exercise, swimming strengthens your cardiorespiratory endurance without risking joint injury.
6. Control body fat by increasing your cardiorespiratory endurance. As you expend more energy daily, your metabolic rate will also increase and you'll burn fat more effectively.
7. Supplement your diet with foods rich in antioxidant to enhance your cardiorespiratory health by reducing free radicals in your bloodstream.
Tags: heart rate, your cardiorespiratory, cardiorespiratory endurance, target heart, target heart rate