Exercise for a Healthy Heart
January 10th, 2018
Our heart is a muscle. The heart is strengthened by frequent movement and exercise, just like all the other muscles in our body. The fitter the heart muscle is, the better cardiovascular disease can be prevented. A strong heart can pump more blood throughout the circulation with each beat, requiring the heart to beat less frequently, causing a lower burden. Additionally, regular movement dilates the blood vessels and reduces the amount of damaging LDL cholesterol in the blood. The risk of suffering from arteriosclerosis decreases, and blood pressure normalizes. It is also advantageous for individuals with pre-existing cardiac disorders to exercise the heart muscle daily.
The American Heart Association recommends performing 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 5 times per week. As a good starting point, select a moderate intensity so as not to raise your pulse too severely. A cardiologist or sports medicine specialist can help determine your optimal pulse when training.
With CardioSecur you can check your heart before and after sports. The ECG helps you to optimize your heart health and adjust your training to your physical condition.
Here, various possibilities to train your heart, helping to make it fitter and healthier.
| Walking If you do not exercise regularly, start by going for a 30-minute walk every day. Try continuously increasing your speed.
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| Nordic Walking Once you have achieved a quick walking pace, you can take the next step and try Nordic walking. This is the perfect way to try something new and keep your heart healthy. You should perform this exercise three to five times per week.
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| Jogging If you and your joints are healthy enough, try jogging. Visit a specialty running store to find the right running shoes, so that you do not damage your joints. Proper attire ensures a healthy body temperature while jogging.
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Bike riding Bike riding is especially good for traveling short distances every day. You not only make the environment more beautiful, but also can do something good for your heart. An ergometer is a good alternative to have at home when it is too cold or rainy to bike outside. It is good to try occasionally increasing the speed and length of your rides. It is important not to “overdo it”! | |
| Swimming Swimming is not only a good form of cardiovascular activity for your heart, but it is also good for your joints and trains every muscle group in the body. |
| Rowing Rowing requires good coordination and strengthens the heart’s stamina.
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| Hiking Hiking is particularly nice when on vacation and is easy on the musculoskeletal system. It trains not only your heart, but you get to be outside in the fresh air and can explore new areas. |
| Dancing Dancing requires the whole body, and keeps one fit and happy at the same time! You can choose between various forms of dance to suit your tempo and style. Your partner’s health will also benefit from this activity!
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| Cross-Country skiing Cross-Country skiing is the ideal cardiovascular sport for your heart in the winter. It requires a large amount of coordination and requires many of the body’s muscle groups. |
We wish you lots of fun and success, as well as a healthy heart!