The heart is one of the most amazing organs in the body – it keeps working & pumping no matter what you’re doing – right from before you’re actually born to a few seconds after the time you actually die (i.e. clinical death). It stands to reason that keeping your heart in great shape would result in better cardiovascular fitness and overall better health.
Consider these points:
- The heart pushes blood around the body and thus is the main ‘pump’ that channels oxygen and nutrients all around
- While hearts are replaceable by artificial hearts / transplanted hearts; a mutually agreed positive reason to keep your (one and only authentic, original) heart is quite obvious!
Cardio focused exercise results in an increase in heart rate and overall pushes blood through your system in a consistent, regularized fashion. You’ll burn calories, lose weight and feel great with this 10-minute home cardio workout routine for aerobic fitness.
Skipping
One minute of Skipping will do you more good than you can imagine. Skipping uses your own body weight and suppleness to increase your heart rate, while actually using minimal space. The effort that goes into skipping is low compared to it’s calorie burining capabilities.
If you have a skipping rope, you can swap most cardio-related exercises with a 60-second urst of skipping. However it’s important to have variety in your cardio… So here’s more exercises that allow you to have a proper 10-minute cardio workout counts towards your recommended 150 minutes of aerobic activity every week. This is from the National Health Service (NHS, UK) – and a proven method with assured results.
Always:
- Before you begin, warm up with a 6-minute warm-up routine.
- After your workout, cool down with a 5-minute stretch.
Rocket Jumps
For rocket jumps, stand with your feet hip-width apart, legs bent and hands on your thighs.
- Jump up, driving your hands straight above your head and extending your entire body.
- Land softly, reposition your feet and repeat. For more of a challenge, start in a lower squat position and hold a weight or a bottle of water in both hands at the centre of your chest.
- Recovery: walk or jog on the spot for 15 to 45 seconds.
Star jumps / Squats
To do a star jump, stand tall with your arms by your side and knees slightly bent.
- Jump up, extending your arms and legs out into a star shape in the air.
- Land softly, with your knees together and hands by your side.
- Keep your abs tight and back straight during the exercise.
Squats
As a less energetic alternative, do some squats. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands down by your sides or stretched out in front for extra balance. Lower yourself by bending your knees until they are nearly at a right angle, with your thighs parallel to the floor.
- Keep your back straight and don’t let your knees extend over your toes.
- Recovery: walk or jog on the spot for 15 to 45 seconds.
Now let’s do some Yoga Cardio!
Yogis are often asked “Is yoga cardio?” While it may not seem to be the case, all practices aren’t created equal, and some strategic sequencing can help you get a cardiovascular workout from your practice.[2]
To determine whether your practice is putting you in the range at which you’re getting cardiovascular benefit, first consider the style of yoga you practice. If your primary practice is restorative or characterized by long holds, it’s likely not elevating your heart rate enough—and keeping it there—to qualify as training your heart. But if you have a vigorous practice characterized by continuous movement, such as Ashtanga, power flow, or some other flowing vinyasa practice, the answer is less clear.
To get cardiac benefit, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends continuous, rhythmic, aerobic activities that use large muscle groups. Plenty of yoga styles fit that description, but there isn’t a consensus about their cardiac benefit, even among yoga teachers who teach similar styles.
And while research has shown that yoga increases muscle strength and flexibility, which are other key components of overall fitness, few trials have tackled the cardiovascular question head on—or yielded conclusive results.
I hope that helps you mix and match the best of both worlds – Yoga and modern Cardio fitness – for a more fit and healthy you!