One of the ironies of building up the body is that when people are unfit, exercise is simple: practically any movement helps. As a person builds up muscle, every physical action can be carried out more easily, so it gets harder and harder to provide a proper workout for the heart and lungs. Most people don’t have the time to run for several hours a day, so what can be done? The key is to choose exercises carefully, monitor response, and introduce new challenges.
Choosing Exercises
An hour-long workout using only the legs or only the arms will provide roughly the same challenge to the cardiovascular system as a half-hour workout using the whole body, so choosing better exercises to fill that hourly workout slot can effectively double the gain. Swimming is a fantastic choice, using every muscle in the body, while using a cross trainer generates a similar effect.
Unsupported running can also be good because core muscles need to be active to support the upper body, but it only works if it’s actually hard, so running on flat ground should be replaced by running up hills (stairs should be avoided as they can damage the knees), and treadmills need to be placed on a challenging setting.
Once exercise becomes easy, it can be hard to maintain the drive that made building up appealing in the first place. In light of the benefits of cardio fitness, there is never a time when it’s okay to be lazy. Exercise must always be a challenge.
Bodily Response
.png "Tumblr")