We all know that we should probably exercise more and the numerous health benefits to working out more. Whilst exercise can help to tackle obesity, maintain weight, and become fitter, it is also essential if you want to keep your heart healthy. The heart is such a vital organ and can so easily become damaged or worn out. If we put too much stress on our heart and it doesn’t have the strength to cope, unfortunately this is where heart attacks occur. It is therefore in our own best interest to ensure we work out enough, and focus on keeping our heart healthy. Regular exercise helps to not only burn calories, but also it actually lowers blood pressure and replaces the bad cholesterol in our body with good, heart friendly cholesterol. If you are new to exercise or haven’t worked out for a while, it is crucial that you start off slowly and gradually build up the workouts. You can actually do more damage to your heart if you put too much strain and pressure on it in a short space of time. You heart needs to build up strength just like any other muscle. Although exercise on its own is not enough, it can make a huge difference to the heart’s ability to cope with the pressures of daily life. Here are some exercises that are specifically beneficial to the heart.

Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise can take many forms so almost everyone should be able to find something they can enjoy doing. Examples include running, walking, and swimming; swimming is particularly beneficial for people who have injuries or need a low impact form of exercise. Whichever option you go for, aerobic exercise increases the heart rate, which strengthens the heart over time. For maximum benefit, you should aim to exercise regularly several times each week.

High Intensity Interval Training

This type of workout might not be for everyone, and is possibly something for beginners to aim for rather than start with. In this type of workout, you engage in short bursts of high intensity workouts interspersed with small, brief, rest periods. This can be beneficial to your heart as requires blood to be pumped quicker and harder which can strengthen the arteries. A leading cause of heart attacks is clogged arteries, so ensuring they are strong and can keep blood flowing is essential.

Weight Training

This is particularly beneficial for those who have already experienced heart disease and really need to look after their heart. As well as building muscle mass and tone, weight training is especially good for improving heart health. However, it is important to start small and slowly work your way up to higher targets.

Yoga

Yoga has many health benefits for so many different people. For the heart, yoga promotes calmness and de-stressing which lowers blood pressure. Alongside strengthening your core muscles, the calm environment is essential for giving your heart a break. High blood pressure is repeatedly shown to be a major cause in heart attacks so yoga can really help to prevent problems later on.

Regular, Daily Activities

Working out to benefit your heart does not necessarily involve going to the gym several times a week and really working hard. It is possible to engage in small, simple workouts on a daily basis. For example, walking up the stairs, gardening and other usual day-to-day tasks can help keep your heart healthy. If you have an active lifestyle, such as always-running round after children, you will be more active than you might think. Keeping active in whatever way fits in around your lifestyle will be much more beneficial than spending time sat in an office every day. Even the smallest of activities can make a difference when you do it on a daily basis.