Cardio Health

Keeping up with cardiovascular exercise over a long period of time involves finding new ways to enjoy your workouts and to challenge yourself — both physically and mentally. In fact, pushing yourself to try new activities is critical to prevent plateaus in progress, boredom, and burnout. Varying your cardio routine ensures you'll have more fun — and stay more consistent — with the habits required for lifelong health and fitness.
Why “variation” is so important
Making fitness a lifelong habit demands a willingness to consistently “stretch” your comfort zone. Those afraid to “try something new” often get bored with the same old cardio routine and before long lose interest in maintaining their efforts.
Those who push their limitations grow from their experiences and enjoy the confidence, health, and success that come from new achievements. Varying your activity is a critical element to challenging your current limitations.
Top ten cardio activities
While the options are endless, listed are ten great ways to vary your cardio routine:
1. Wind sprints – nothing will get your heart pumping and your lungs breathing faster than some sprinting. On the track, grass, or road — choose what terrain is available to you.
2. Swimming – in the ocean, the lake, or the local Olympic size pool. Safe at any age, swimming is a great total body cardio routine and non-impact (good for joints) activity. Try alternating various strokes and pushing yourself for timed distances.
3. Cycling – if you’ve got a road bike, great; if not then an indoor model or “trainer” will work fine as well. Spinning classes also offer a fun environment to push your cardio limits.