1. It can save your life – really! Regular cardio and strength training reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and endometrial, colon, and breast cancer. The American Heart Association recommends exercising for 30-60 minutes most days to reduce your risk of heart disease. (This push-up test may be able to predict whether you'll have heart disease later in life)
2. You'll feel less stressed and happier. Exercise has been shown to improve mood and reduce anxiety. Studies show that the fitter you are, the better you can manage the long-term effects of stress. One moderate-intensity 50-minute aerobic workout has been shown to significantly reduce anxiety levels. And a study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that exercise may be more effective than medication in treating mild to moderate depression.
3. It strengthens your bones. Exercise increases bone density, helping to prevent osteoporosis. High-intensity activity, such as jumping and running, is most beneficial for maintaining bone mass.
Top cardio workout tips
4. Always warm up and cool down. This exercise tip will help you maintain mobility and flexibility and prevent injury. Spend 5-10 minutes gradually increasing your heart rate at the beginning of your workout and then lowering it. Before strength training, do low-intensity cardio that engages larger muscle groups such as legs, back and core. Try this quick warm-up before every workout.
5. Accept this jump rope challenge. "The best cardio exercise is the two-turn jump rope," says Michael Olajide Jr., former world number one middleweight competitor and co-founder/trainer at AEROSPACE High Performance Center in New York. "It's intense: you burn about 26 calories a minute! Do a basic jump for 5 minutes, then jump twice as high and spin the rope twice as fast so it passes under your feet twice before you land. It takes timing, patience and power. But you'll get in great shape just by working at it.” (Once you've mastered that, start our 30-minute jump rope workout.)
6. Don't skimp on cardio. Increase intensity by doing intervals: After warming up, alternate 1-2 minutes of activity at a rate of perceived exertion, or RPE, of 7 or 8 with 2-4 minutes of lower intensity (RPE 3-4). . Repeat 4-6 times. Use our handy guide to help you determine your RPE during any workout.
7. Tone on the treadmill. “Save time at the gym with this 10-minute cardio/sculpting routine: Hop on the treadmill, hold a three- to five-pound dumbbell in each hand, and set the speed to brisk walking. Do a 60-second set of standing shoulder presses, biceps elbows, triceps extensions, lateral laterals, anterior laterals, and triceps jerks one at a time while walking. It's an amazing upper body challenge that also gets your heart pumping. Do this series two or three times a week. you'll improve, you'll work up to 4-minute sets," says Michael George, trainer and author of Body Express Makeover.
8. Beat your running routine. "Unless you're training for a marathon, skip the long, slow distance run—sprinting builds more muscle. Add several 10- to 60-second sprints to your run, slowing down long enough to catch your breath in between." says Stephen Holt, ACE personal trainer. (See: How to use running for weight loss)
9. Use the speaking test. If you can't say a sentence or two with each breath, you're pushing too hard (unless you're intentionally doing a high-intensity interval)
10. Get a jump on your weight loss. "Add plyometric box jumps to your workout to improve your cardiovascular endurance and leg strength—you'll really tone your hamstrings, quads, and glutes. Find a sturdy box that's at least a foot high [like the j/fit Plyometric Jump Box, $71 ; amazon.com. (Related: Upper and Lower Body Plyo Box Workouts)
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