Deciding what kind of exercise you should focus on can be overwhelming. While some activities work better for reaching specific goals than others, it’s always best to mix things up and try a little bit of everything. It keeps things exciting and opens you up to the possibility of finding new ways to stay fit. Wayne Chung, the CEO and Co-Founder of GOFA Fitness, believes that a holistic approach to fitness is best. He says that “procrastination and boredom are two of the biggest factors stopping people from working out.” With a good variety of workout options available, there’ll always be something to look forward to.
As you journey through different forms of exercise, you’ll probably notice that more cardio-heavy workouts leave you feeling a little more out of breath and with a lot more energy expended compared to others. Cardio is undoubtedly one of the most polarizing forms of exercise: some people absolutely love it, while others despise it! Whatever your stance on cardio is, just know that it’s very, very good for you. Take a look at a few of the incredible benefits it carries.
A stronger heart
Cardiovascular exercise works the heart muscle and improves blood flow. Whenever you do cardio activities like biking, walking, or running, you strengthen your heart by accelerating its pace and ability to pump blood through your body.
Breathe easy
One of the main reasons that so many people hate cardio is because it can often (and very quickly!) leave you feeling breathless. While most people take this as a sign of being unfit, it’s actually a signal that your lungs are working harder to improve. Cardio increases the capacity of your lungs while you push your breathing to the limit as you power through a workout.
Boosted energy levels
Whenever we feel a bit tired or lacking in energy, most of us instinctively reach for a coffee or energy drink. This can be harmful to your health if you overdo it. Cardio is one of the healthiest natural alternatives for an energy boost out there. Millions of people start their day off with a bit of cardio first thing in the morning, as it releases endorphins (our feel-good hormones), which help boost our bodies’ energy levels.
Enhanced mental health
Have you ever heard of the phrase “runner’s high”? This doesn’t pertain just to running but to every form of cardio. Endorphin chemicals are invaluable in helping combat mental health issues like stress, anxiety, and depression. Cardio also provides you with plenty of opportunities to challenge yourself mentally – sure, there will be times that you’ll want to quit, but there will also be times when you just want to push through, which will give you an unrivaled natural high from your accomplishment.
Sleep tight
Health professionals generally recommend that we get between seven and eight hours of sleep every night. This is actually something that most people struggle to achieve simply because they have trouble falling asleep. By adding some cardio workouts to your lifestyle, your quality of sleep will improve as your body will be more ready to fall asleep after a heart-pumping workout.
GOFA has plenty of workouts to get you started on your cardio journey. Each one has been developed by a certified personal trainer to help you reap the maximum benefits from every workout. Download Now.
