Cardiovascular Exercises

The cardiovascular system refers to the heart and lungs, and the body’s system for deliverying oxygenated blood to the muscles that perform our motor functions. This systems needs to be able to deal with increased loading during periods of intense exercise, and lower levels during resting periods.

The ability to handle more intensity for longer periods of time is commonly known as your fitness level, ie, the fitter you are, the more able you are to handle the exercise. To increase your fitness levels, you need to push yourself to a level of intensity that increases your heart rate, and generally gets you hot and sweaty. High intensity interval training (HIIT) is a good cardio workout for those wishing to burn fat quickly.

There are many different forms of cardio exercises that can be done either down the gym, on the sports fields, or simply out and about in your neighbourhood. The following is a list of cardiovascular exercises that can be done by any able bodied person:

  • Jogging - either on a treadmill, round a field or on the road (pavement is preferable)
  • Walking - hill walking is best, but walking on the flat is still good for you, as long as you get at least 30 mins in
  • Cycling - either on stationary bikes, on the road or off road
  • Cross Training - this exercise is only available on a cross training machine
  • Swimming - can’t do this exercise unless you are in a swimming pool unfortunately
  • Rowing - can be done either on a rowing machine or in a rowing boat on a river or lake
  • Canoeing - as far as I know, this can only be done in a canoe on a lake or river

In addition to these exercises, which are all exercises you can do by yourself, there are many team sports that can done that incorporate aspects of these different exercises. A great thing about team sports is that it improves your ability to work in teams, and can be a much more fun way of getting exercise. The following are some of the best team sports to do to get a good cardiovascular workout:

  • Football - lots of running around, usually fast paced
  • Rugby - again lots of running around, a bit more physical than football
  • Hockey - again, lots of running around, but less physical than football or rugby (girls game)
  • Basketball - not as much running around as other sports, but more jumping and throwing which is good for the upper body as well as the legs
  • Rowing - when done as part of a team can be very good cardiovascular training and good for team building as each oar needs to be co-ordinated