Cardio is well known for being one of the best things you can do for your body. It provides benefits such as improved endurance and strength, more efficient blood flow in the body and wards off the risk of a number of diseases including heart disease. More and more people around the world are regularly active using cardiovascular exercises. However, with so many types out there, it can be difficult to choose what types of exercises to incorporate into your routine. With this article, we aim to provide a brief outline of the different types of cardio that are popular across the world.
Low Intensity Steady State (LISS)
LISS cardio is defined as jogging or light running, ideally keeping your heartrate above 120 beats per minute, for an extended period of time (30 minutes or more). This is considered the best way to improve heart health, as it forces the heart to learn how to pump blood more efficiently around the body. This cardio activity takes a long time, and it is recommended to do at least 30 minutes per session, as many times a week as you can.
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
HIIT training is defined as having 30 seconds or more intervals of going all out, giving it your all, before lightly exercising for rest periods of 1-2 minutes. This cycle is repeated multiple times. This type of activity is time efficient, and works best to improve cardio endurance and performance.
Sprints
Sprints can be performed on a flat surface, or up a hill, or with weights. There are many variations of sprints, and all work similarly to HIIT training. It can improve cardio endurance and performance, as well as power output. This is best for athletes, or those looking to be time efficient.
These are some of the most popular forms of cardio out there, and it is best to incorporate a mix of these activities into your routine. That way, you can get the best of all worlds, and improve your body overall in various aspects.
