Cardiovascular training is a type of aerobic exercise that causes you to breathe more deeply and forces your heart to work harder to pump blood. It improves your health in many ways, including reducing the risk of early death, coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancers, and depression. Some examples of cardiovascular exercise are walking, running, aerobic dance, bicycling, rowing, and swimming.

For true cardiovascular training, you need to be sure to reach your target heart rate. You can check this by measuring your heart rate (in beats per minute). If you count your pulse for 15 seconds and multiply the number of beats by 4, you’ll get an accurate measurement in beats per minute.

Your target heart rate depends on your age. Generally, your maximum heart rate is about 220 minus your age. When you’re just beginning an exercise program, it’s best to aim for the lowest target heart rate, which is about 60 percent of your maximum. As your fitness improves, you can exercise harder to drive your heart rate closer to the top target number, which is about 85 percent of your maximum heart rate.

Generally, a desirable goal to work up to is four to six 30- to 60-minute workouts a week. You should start by speaking with your doctor about developing an appropriate program for you. It’s always a good idea to start slowly.

To prevent injuries, it’s best to begin every workout with a 5- to 10-minute warmup, including light activity at an easy pace and stretching to help make your muscles and joints more flexible. You should do the same thing at the end of your workout to cool down and return your heart rate to normal. Stop exercising at any time if you have pain or feel dizzy, faint, or nauseated.

ADDITIONAL FACTS

  1. People sometimes find it difficult to stick to an exercise plan. It helps if you choose an activity that you enjoy, work out with a friend, and vary the kind of exercise you do. This keeps workouts from becoming boring and helps prevent injury.
  2. Avoid working out after you eat or when it’s too hot or cold outside.
  3. Walking 1 mile at least three times a week is the minimum necessary to improve your cardiovascular health.