Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for over 1.9 million deaths in 2017. In addition to being a major cause of death, cardiovascular disease (CVD) also poses a major threat to people’s health. If left untreated, it can lead to other diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, and even dementia in later life.
The best way to ward off CVD is to adopt a healthy lifestyle, which includes regular physical activity. Heart diseases are largely caused by unhealthy lifestyle habits such as smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, and excess weight gain, instead of genetics. In addition, the combination of healthy lifestyle habits such as regular exercise and a diet rich in antioxidants and vitamins can help reduce the risk of CVD.
Here is a list of the best exercises for heart health:
Exercise is the key to good health. It might not be enjoyable, but it can make the difference between a healthy life and an unhealthy one.
Table of Contents
1. Walking
Walking is a natural and effective form of exercise that can be done almost anywhere and is available to everyone. It’s also low impact so it’s relatively easy on the joints and easier to do for long periods of time than running.
The Benefits Of Walking.
- Lose body fat while maintaining a healthy weight.
Prevent or manage a variety of conditions such as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. - Increase your cardiovascular fitness.
- Increase the strength of your bones and muscles.
- Increase your muscle endurance.
- Increase your energy levels.
- Increase your mood, cognition, memory, and sleep quality.
- Improve your coordination and balance.
- Boost the immune system
- Reduce anxiety and stress.
Check out these 21 Best Heart-Healthy Foods you Should be Eating
2. Swimming
Swimming is another great way to get your heart rate going quickly but in a very low-impact way. It also provides you with lots of resistance from the water, which is great for strengthening your muscles and bones as well as stimulating your metabolism.
The Benefits Of Swimming.
increases endurance, muscle strength, and cardiovascular fitness aids in the maintenance of a healthy weight, heart, and lungs Muscles are toned and strength is gained. Swimming works nearly all of your muscles, giving you an all-over body workout. Cardiovascular exercises are exercises that work the heart and help to improve cardiovascular health.
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3. Aerobics
This form of exercise may seem outdated, but it is still going strong today and should not be underestimated as a great workout to increase your cardiovascular health.
Aerobics is a type of physical exercise that combines rhythmic aerobic exercise with stretching and strength training routines in order to improve all aspects of fitness
The Benefits Of Aerobic Exercises
Aerobic exercises are typically used to improve cardiovascular fitness and reduce the risk of heart disease. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 150 minutes per week for general health benefits.
The term aerobic exercise refers to exercises that use large muscle groups, make you breathe more deeply, and cause an increased need for oxygen. These types of exercises will cause your heart rate to rising, which can lower blood pressure and improve your cholesterol levels.
4. Elliptical Trainers
The elliptical trainer is a cross between a stair climber and a stationary bike. Unlike the stair climber, it does not require any climbing and unlike the stationary bike, it does not require pedaling. The machine is constructed of two circular pads or pedals, one for each foot. The user stands on these pedals and revolves his or her body around them in order to simulate walking or running movements.
The Benefits Of an Elliptical Trainer.
Incorporating an elliptical machine into your fitness routine can help strengthen your heart, lungs, and muscles while also increasing stamina, improving balance, and burning a lot of calories. It’s also an excellent choice if you have joint problems or want to improve or maintain your fitness after an injury.
Here are the best 3 Elliptical Trainers under $200
5. Yoga
Yoga is a physical activity that combines exercise, meditation, and philosophy. It is a means to attain mental and physical balance. Yoga is an ancient spiritual discipline that originated in India during the first millennium BC with origins in Vedic philosophy. Yoga postures are a series of poses or bodily positions performed by practitioners on a yoga mat to improve body strength
The Benefits Of Yoga.
Yoga, like other forms of exercise, can enhance your cholesterol and blood sugar levels by improving metabolism, and can reduce blood pressure by improving artery relaxation,” says Dr. Helene Glassberg, a cardiologist at the Penn Heart and Vascular Center. Yoga is a great way to reduce stress, deal with anxiety, improve posture, and reduce back pain.
6. Cycling
Cycling is primarily an aerobic activity, which means that it works your heart, blood vessels, and lungs.
The Benefits Of Cycling.
You will breathe deeper, perspire more, and have a higher body temperature, all of which will improve your overall fitness level. Regular cycling has the following health benefits: improved cardiopulmonary fitness
Here are some of the best indoor and outdoor Cycling bikes
Indoor Cycling
- LANOS Workout Bike For Home – 2 In 1
- Sunny Health & Fitness Pro II Indoor Cycling Bike
- Lanos Exercise Bike, Stationary Bike for Indoor Cycling
Outdoor Cycling
- Dynacraft Magna Front Shock Mountain Bike
- Outroad Mountain Bike with Lock-Out Suspension Fork
- Schwinn High Timber Youth/Adult Mountain Bike
7. Jogging
Jogging is a type of trotting or running that is done at a slow or leisurely pace. The main goal is to improve physical fitness while putting less strain on the body than faster running but more than walking, or to maintain a steady pace for longer periods of time.
The Benefits Of Jogging.
- Cardiovascular fitness is improved.
- Increases Muscular Endurance and Strength
- Bones that are more durable
- Weight Loss is facilitated
- Active Recovery Immune System Boosting
- Diseases are less likely to occur.
- Better sleep promotes better mental health.
8. Running
Running is a terrestrial locomotion technique that allows humans and other animals to move quickly on foot. Running is a type of gait that is distinguished by an aerial phase in which all feet are elevated above the ground.
The Benefits Of Running.
Running on a daily basis may have some health benefits. Running 10 to 15 minutes per day at a moderate pace may help reduce your risk of death from heart attacks, strokes, and other common diseases, according to research.
9. Pilates
Pilates is a type of exercise that focuses on strengthening the body, particularly the core. This contributes to better overall fitness and well-being. Pilates focuses on posture, balance, and flexibility, much like Yoga.
The Benefits Of Pilates.
Pilates exercises help to mobilize the rib cage. The ribcage serves three functions: protection, support, and respiration. Tissue connects the heart and lungs to the ribcage, and pilates can feed our heart and lungs by performing rib and spinal movements such as side bends and twists. That will keep your heart healthy!
10. Resistance Training
Strength training, also known as resistance training, entails performing physical exercises that are intended to improve strength and endurance. It is frequently associated with weight lifting. It may also include calisthenics, isometrics, and plyometrics as training techniques.
The Benefits Of Resistance Training.
Strength training increases lean muscle mass, which gives your cardiovascular system more places to send the blood it pumps. This reduces the pressure on your arteries, lowering your risk of heart problems.
11. Jump Rope
It’s a gear used in the skipping/jump rope activity, in which one or more people jump over a rope slung under their feet and over their heads.
The Benefits Of Jump Rope.
- It quickly raises your heart rate.
- It’s simple to do when you’re on the road.
- It can be a good warm-up.
- It’s a low-impact cardio workout.
- It increases your explosive power.
- It helps with coordination and agility.
- It makes working out enjoyable.
- It increases bone density.
- It’s extremely adaptable.
- It aids in balance.
12. Treadmill Training
The Treadmill, which provides a simple, efficient aerobic workout, is one of the most popular types of home exercise equipment. Treadmills are a good place to start a new exercise routine for many people because walking is well tolerated by most people regardless of fitness level or back condition.
The Benefits Of Treadmill Training.
Treadmill workouts are effective at raising heart rate to a healthy level. As a result, they are also very useful as a warm-up exercise. Elevating your heart rate to a healthy level will allow you to perform other exercises with greater safety and success, such as weight training or other cardio exercises.
13. Bootcamp training
A boot camp workout is essentially a form of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) — bursts of intense activity followed by intervals of lighter activity. A boot camp workout can also include functional fitness, such as whole-body, multijoint exercises that mimic movements people do in everyday life.
The Benefits Of Bootcamp Training.
Bootcamps are extremely effective at providing a great workout because they combine several intense exercises into one difficult circuit. As a result, your heart rate will be very high and you will burn a lot of calories. This is especially useful for people who want to lose weight.
Check Out this Bootcamp workout equipment list
14. Isometric Training
Isometric exercises involve the tightening (contractions) of a single or group of muscles. The muscle length does not change noticeably during isometric exercises. The affected joint is also immobile.
The Benefits Of Isometric Training.
Isometric exercises aid in the maintenance of strength. They can also increase strength, but only ineffectively.
Isometric exercise causes a pressor increase in blood pressure, which may be important in maintaining muscle perfusion during sustained contraction. This response is mediated by afferent input from both the central and peripheral nervous systems to medullary cardiovascular centers.
Some of the best Isometric training equipment
- Push Down Bar Machine
- Dragon Door Isochain Isometrics Training Device
- ALMAH Hand Grip Strengthener (2pack)
- Bullworker Iso-Bow Pro Pair
15. Dense Stationary Training
The amount of work you do in a given time is referred to as density. To calculate the density, multiply the weight lifted by the number of reps performed. Rather than focusing on sets, reps, or weight, do as much work as you can in the time you have allotted for your workout.
The Benefits Of Dense Stationary Training.
Escalating Density Training (EDT), like aerobic and anaerobic exercises, helps with fat loss, diabetes management, heart health, body toning, and overall fitness.
Conclusion
A healthy, active lifestyle is vitally important for everyone and especially for those who have heart disease.
Exercises recommended for people with heart disease include aerobic exercise, resistance training, and balance exercises.
Aerobic exercise includes activities such as walking, jogging, dancing, or bicycling.
Resistance training is an exercise that uses weights, resistance bands, or other devices to increase your strength.
Pilates and yoga are types of exercise that involve balance and stretching.
They help increase flexibility and build strength.
In addition to following an exercise plan, those with heart disease should avoid smoking and obesity.
If you have heart disease you can still benefit from a variety of different types of exercise.
