While improving cardiovascular fitness requires, for obvious reasons, cardiovascular activity, this article will highlight important aspects of the methodology to get you there. A lot of emphasis in health and wellness includes many types of exercise. Cardiovascular fitness in my opinion is probably the most important as it is the baseline for any sport, physical activity, certain types of work, and general health.
As a chiropractor in West Vancouver, a large percentage of my patient base falls into the middle age category. Home life, work, and kids makes it a fine act to juggle while trying to also look after your own health in that age group. If nothing else, find the time to include cardiovascular activity at least three times a week to maintain your cardiovascular fitness levels.
In order to improve your cardiovascular fitness, of course, you need to take part in cardiovascular activity and aerobic exercise.
However, to take your cardiovascular fitness to the next level, certain tips, ideas, and mentality shifts need to be implemented. These tips are less known to the general public, which is why we’ll be discussing them in this article.
As a Chiropractor in West Vancouver, there’s nothing more I enjoy talking about than ways to improve one’s health and fitness. So, if you’re stagnant in your fitness journey, or maybe you’re just beginning, this article is for you!
Below are four effective tips that you can implement today to immediately improve your cardiovascular fitness.
Progressive Overload
It’s recommended to partake in approximately 150 minutes of vigorous exercise weekly, or 30 minutes of exercise five times per week. This, however is simply a recommended starting point for the average individual.
In other words, while this is a great start for those who are currently sedentary, it’s simply a prerequisite for those wanting to progress, increase performance, and improve results, whatever your fitness goals may be.
A popular programming strategy in the bodybuilding and weightlifting community is a methodology known as progressive overload. The good news is that this strategy can, and should, be implemented within a cardiovascular fitness program as well.
In short, the progressive overload principle involves a gradual increase in one or more facets of training and thus increasing total workload overtime. The hypothesis here is that by doing so, one will continue to reap the rewards of muscle growth, strength increases, greater cardiovascular fitness, or whatever said fitness goal may be.
In terms of improving cardiovascular fitness, there are three main determinants of progressive overload that one can implement during any given training session:
- Distance
- Time
- Speed/Intensity
By trying to increase the total distance, time and/or speed/intensity at which you perform a given workout, one should continue to see an improvement in results. The idea behind progressive overload is to simply make each workout more difficult in some way than the last workout you did.
Using a progressive overload approach in your cardiovascular fitness training program can provide tremendous results in the long term and it’s been shown in the literature to work.
There’s a reason it’s a popular approach in any training facet. Give it a go and thank yourself for it later.
High-Intensity Interval Training
While cardiovascular fitness is largely a means of training the heart and lungs, it also requires a certain amount of muscular strength, muscular endurance, and muscular power.
Unfortunately, those who are primarily trying to improve cardiovascular endurance fail to recognize or pay any attention to muscular strength training. Whether it’s because they don’t know any better, or that they simply have no interest in lifting weights, the truth of the matter is that muscular strength is imperative to building cardiovascular strength.
In other words, you’re only going to get so far by executing cardiovascular activity exclusively. If you’re looking to take it to the next level, or if you find yourself at a plateau, implementing a strength training routine of some sort should do the trick.
Lucky for those who enjoy and largely prefer cardiovascular training, there’s a way to continue to do so while also building muscular strength and endurance simultaneously. The method is known as HIIT, or High-Intensity Interval Training.
What does a HIIT session look like? While there are several ways to perform a HIIT workout, here is a basic example that you can use as a guide. First, you’re going to want to perform 30-seconds of cardio, whether biking, running, or rowing, for example. Next, combining it with a strength exercise like a dumbbell thruster, perform it for the following 30-seconds.
Repeat this for the duration of your workout and you’ve got yourself a HIIT workout!
As you can tell, this was just a simple example for explanation’s sake. However, the premise of a HIIT workout is simply performing short bursts of exercise with minimal rest. It’s a great way to elicit both an aerobic and anaerobic response, build muscular strength and endurance, and improve overall cardiovascular fitness in the process.
Be Consistent
Being consistent and disciplined is a prerequisite for any fitness goal or journey. Otherwise, it’s simply pointless to start. However, how do we stay consistent in the face of difficulty? How do we stay on track when the going gets tough? While the execution may not be so easy, the answer is quite simple. As the Nike slogan goes, “Just Do It”.
One way to “just do it” is to find what you enjoy and keep doing that. It’s like the saying “the best diet is the diet you’re going to stick to”. The same goes for pursuing your cardiovascular goals. Find an activity you enjoy and stick with that. This will make your journey that much more tolerable and enjoyable.
At the end of the day, consistency and enjoyment are the two most important factors of any fitness journey. For starters, if you aren’t consistent, you won’t see any improvements. In contrast, if you don’t enjoy what you do, you’re likely not going to be consistent. As you can tell, both work hand-in-hand.
In order to see results and improve cardiovascular fitness, you need to stick to it.
Take the Stairs
Although this is intended to be a metaphor, it’s also quite literal. What do I mean by this? While many think of exercise as an intentional workout in the gym, or an activity congruent with your goals (i.e. running, biking, swimming, etc.), you can also improve your performance and overall cardiovascular fitness by being more active throughout your day.
You see, the majority of us work 9-5 jobs, sitting in an office chair for the majority of it. After a long day’s work, we get home, flop on the couch from fatigue, and relax until it’s time to go to bed. The time available for intentional exercise, then, is limited.
However, what if you could improve cardiovascular fitness, or at the very least maintain it, during everyday activities? Well, I’m here to tell you that you can!
If you work in a building that has stairs, take them instead of the elevator. If you have a stand-up desk at the office, use it. If you sit down on your mid-day breaks, start going for walks instead. If you don’t clean your house very often, begin to. Find a parking spot further from the entrance to the store and walk that extra few steps.
By implementing these tiny acts of fitness throughout the day, not only will you burn more calories, but you’ll also inherently spend more time in motion, more time on your feet, and thus, more time spent improving your cardiovascular fitness!
Monitor Your Heart Rate
Monitoring your heart rate during exercise provides valuable insights into the intensity of your workouts. Using a heart rate monitor or wearable fitness tracker can help you stay within the target heart rate zone for optimal cardiovascular benefits. This zone typically ranges from 50-85% of your maximum heart rate, depending on your fitness level and goals.
Pay Attention to Nutrition and Hydration
Proper nutrition and hydration are crucial for improving cardiovascular fitness. Fuel your body with a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Stay hydrated by drinking an adequate amount of water before, during, and after your workouts. Avoid excessive consumption of sugary drinks and processed foods.
Final Thoughts
Improving cardiovascular fitness requires dedication, consistency, and a well-rounded approach to exercise. By choosing the right activities, gradually increasing intensity, incorporating HIIT and long-distance cardio, including strength training, monitoring heart rate, and maintaining proper nutrition, you can enhance your cardiovascular endurance significantly. Remember, it’s essential to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have any underlying health conditions. Feel free to talk to our chiropractor in West Vancouver if you have any questions on how and where to start your cardiovascular fitness plan. Embrace the journey to a healthier and fitter you by prioritizing your cardiovascular fitness.
