Your cardiovascular system is an important part of your body. It’s made up of the heart, blood vessels, and blood. It delivers oxygen and nutrients to the body, and it protects against disease. In other words, it handles all the good things you need to have that properly functioning body unit. So what can you do to ensure that your cardiovascular system stays healthy?
I’m Kalee Madorin with Rebound Physical Therapy’s Health Promotions Team, and I am going to talk to you about five simple exercises you can do to improve your cardiovascular fitness.
Exercise #1: Take a Walk
A brisk walk around the block, where you can still hold a conversation somewhat easily without getting out of breath, is a very simple and easy way to work on your cardiovascular fitness. Go walk your dog, or meet up with your neighbor and walk around the block together. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Walking at that pace is a great, great cardiovascular tool.
Exercise #2: Go for a Jog
If you have no joint or muscle issues, try jogging two to three times per week. Make sure you do warmup stretches and start gradually—don’t just dive into the max effort. Make sure you’re listening to your body, and rest the following day. Jogging regularly two to three times per week can do a lot to improve your cardiovascular health.
Exercise #3: Go for a Swim
You don’t have to swim 50 laps. You could just walk while in the water, or tread water while holding onto a noodle. We don’t have to overcomplicate it. Very simple activities like this can make very big improvements in your cardiovascular fitness.
Exercise #4: Use a Stationary Bike
Pedaling an exercise bike for 20 to 30 minutes each day provides low-impact cardio exercise that’s great for your cardiovascular fitness. This is a great option in the low impact category of exercises.
Exercise #5: March in Place
You can hold onto a chair, then lift your right and left legs alternately (one after the other). Start gradually and gently, and then as you get more confident and stronger and see improvements, you can increase the intensity of that as well.
Reach Out to Rebound to Get Back in Action
Those are our suggestions for five simple exercises you can do to improve your cardiovascular health. I do want to caution you that these exercises should not be painful. So if you’re doing them and you feel pain, stop and reach out to us. We can help get you out of pain so you can take care of your health.
And if you would like to learn a little bit more about fitness, get some more options for your needs, or get a customized exercise program, please reach out to us. Call Rebound Physical Therapy at (785) 271-5533 today, and we look forward to getting you back in action.
Tags: Fitness, cardiovascular, Exercise
