Benefits to Exercise: Cardiovascular Fitness
November 16, 2009 by Joe Gigantino
“I run because it’s my passion, and not just a sport. Every time I walk out the door, I know why I’m going where I’m going and I’m already focused on that special place where I find my peace and solitude. Running, to me, is more than just a physical exercise… it’s a consistent reward for victory!” ~Sasha Azevedo
Cardiovascular 
exercises or aerobic exercises – most everyone who knows anything about fitness knows that cardiovascular workouts or aerobic workouts are necessary for weight loss, maintaining a healthy weight or to boost metabolism. But often people don’t think about the very organ that is sustaining their life – their heart – and the need to exercise it to keep this important body system performing at its peak fitness level.
As part of my daily workout routines, I always incorporate at least 20 minutes of cardio activity each day. The feeling of my heart pumping fast gives me a huge rush, and I am one of those who look forward to doing cardio workouts. I feel like a new person each and every time I complete my cardio workout.
Let’s talk about what happens when you perform cardiovascular activities. Just as exercise strengthens muscles of the body such as your triceps, biceps or quadriceps, the heart muscle gets stronger as you engage in aerobic activity. Exercise helps improve the blood circulation because when you exercise, the heart pumps the blood not only to the hands and feet, but also helps provide much needed oxygen to the organs in your body. The higher your fitness level is, the less your heart has to work because your blood vessels will work smarter since their linings will become more flexible.
Maintaining a healthy blood pressure is also a benefit to exercising your cardiovascular system, as a stronger heart can beat slower while still pumping large volumes of blood throughout the body. On the other hand, a weak, unexercised heart needs to work harder to do the same work! Your resting heart rate is also lower if you are fitter (which is a good thing), because the heart doesn’t have to pump so often.
Just as we talked last week about brisk walking improving the immune system, your cardiovascular system will also benefit. Try walking up a steep hill to really get your heart pumping and you’ll get your aerobic activity in during this 20 minute brisk walk. If you do not like the idea of walking, there are many other aerobic activities you could engage in (e.g. bicycling, jumping on a mini trampoline or swimming to name a few). It does not really matter what you do as long as you do something that gets your heart pumping.
Do you struggle with high cholesterol? Regular exercise causes an increase in the blood flow throughout your body, which helps flush out the bloodstream, ultimately reducing the LDL, or “bad” cholesterol.
Something else we often overlook regarding our cardiovascular system is that when our heart is placed under uncontrolled stress, it reacts with adrenalin to try and recover from the situation. Regular exercise improves the heart’s ability to recover during these uncontrolled times, resulting in a more resilient body overall.
Finally, 
participating in regular aerobic activity is your best defense to lower your probability of suffering cardiac conditions, or heart disease such as a heart attack or stroke. While statistics state that as many as 250,000 deaths per year in the United States are attributed to a lack of regular physical exercise, the vast majority of adults in the United States remain sedentary with less than one-third meeting the minimal recommendations for physical activity or exercise as outlined by the Center for Disease Control, American College of Sports Medicine, and the American Heart Association.
It is my desire that you don’t become a statistic. That is why we have created free exercise programs available on this workout site. What’s your favorite type of aerobic activity to keep your heart healthy? We want to hear from you!
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Thanks to the one writing such good article.. I did learn a lot from that!!!!