• • • Improves Heart Health: even though you can’t see it, your heart is like any other muscle in your body; you have to train it in order for it to become stronger. When you train your heart you are enabling it to contract better and push more blood to the rest of your body during exercise. This will make exercise and daily activities, such as walking or taking the stairs, much easier.
    • Increases Your Metabolism: increasing your heart rate not only creates a stronger and healthier heart, but it will also increase your metabolism. Higher metabolism = more calories burned during exercise and at rest.
    • Releases Endorphins: Did you know individuals who partake in some sort of cardiovascular training are said to have a better outlook on life? This is thanks to chemicals inside of our bodies known as Endorphins. When we workout our body releases endorphins, thus causing an ease to symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and anger.
    • Weight Management: By performing cardio a few times per week we are helping to manage conditions such as obesity and diabetes.

• • • Plyometrics/HIIT training: strength training, cardio training, muscle building, and fat burning like no other! Killing 4 birds with one stone? No matter how you put it, this one is guaranteed to get your heart rate up.
    • Active Rest Period: instead of just waiting 30 seconds-2 minutes before hitting your next strength training set, throw in a body weight movement (jumping jacks, mountain climbers, burpees, squat jumps) that will keep your heart rate up while waiting.
    • Super Sets, Drop Sets, Giant Sets: all of these are ways to continue to elevate your heart rate and burn more calories while still engaging your muscle.
    • Reduce the Amount of Rest Time: instead of waiting 1 minute between sets, drop it down to 30 seconds between sets. It doesn’t sound like a major difference but it’s sure to get your heart up!

picture: Haley Springer