How to improve your cardiovascular fitness

Increasing cardiovascular fitness is the best way to reduce your risk of heart disease. It also improves your physical and mental health and makes everyday tasks easier to complete. 

What is cardiovascular fitness?

Cardiovascular fitness is an indication of how well your body can perform physical activity at a moderate to high intensity, and for varying durations. It refers to the way your heart and lungs consume and transport oxygen during exercise. 

To develop good cardiovascular fitness, you should limit the amount of time you spend being sedentary. It’s recommended that adults complete 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise daily, and that children should aim for at least 60 minutes a day. 

Why is cardiovascular fitness important?

Increasing cardiovascular fitness provides you with a number of physical and mental health benefits. Many of the benefits apply regardless of your age, though some apply more to some age groups than others. 

The benefits

•  Improves your physical health

Better cardiovascular fitness can help you to regulate your weight and increase your exercise tolerance level. As you improve your body’s ability to consume and transport oxygen, you can work out and perform normal tasks with less fatigue. 

• Improves your mental health

The more you move your body, the more you can improve your mood. This is due to exercise releasing ‘feel good’ chemicals like serotonin and endorphins in your brain. Aerobic exercise can also relieve stress by lowering your cortisol levels. 

• Lowers your cholesterol

Better cardiovascular fitness can lead to a decrease in “bad” cholesterol levels in your body (LDL), and an increase in “good” cholesterol levels (HDL). 

• Reduces your blood pressure

Regular physical activity makes your heart stronger, allowing it to pump more blood with less effort. With an increase in your cardiovascular fitness, you will be lowering your blood pressure and putting less strain on your arteries. 

• Regulates your blood sugar

Consistent exercise can lower your blood sugar and regulate your insulin levels. Aerobic exercise is especially beneficial if you suffer from diabetes. 

• Strengthens your immunity

Physical activity increases antibodies in your blood, which ultimately leads to a strengthened immune system. 

•  It’s safe for all ages

Cardiovascular exercise is among the safest types of exercise. It’s recommended for people of all ages. 

Ways to improve your cardiovascular fitness

There are plenty of ways you can increase your cardiovascular fitness. 

• Join a gym/hire a personal trainer

The best and most obvious way to improve your cardiovascular fitness is to get moving! Your heart is a muscle, and it can only be strengthened through consistent exercise. If you’ve never been to a gym, you might want to hire a personal trainer to help you get started. 

• Sign up for swimming classes

If you prefer to keep things cool instead of sweating it out at the gym, you might want to visit your local pool or sign up for swimming lessons. Swimming is an aerobic exercise that targets your heart, leading to better blood flow throughout your body. 

• Enter a sporting competition

If you’re a competitive person and enjoy group environments, there’s always the option of joining a sports team. Sports like futsal, soccer and netball are highly aerobic and great for increasing your heart rate.

• Eat more heart-healthy foods

It’s no surprise that diet plays a critical role in the health of your heart. Some foods influence your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, while others contain important minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. 

For a healthier heart, try eating more whole grains, leafy green vegetables, avocados, berries, tomatoes, walnuts, dark chocolate, garlic and almonds. Limit your intake of sugary and saturated foods such as bacon, pizza, French fries, butter, fried chicken, ice cream and potato chips. 

How we can help

HBF Arena in Joondalup has all the facilities and activities you need to improve your cardiovascular fitness, including:

• a state-of-the-art gym where you can join one of our diverse range of group fitness classes, or just come for a workout yourself or with one of our personal trainers.
• an indoor, 50-metre lap pool.
• netball, futsal and soccer competitions. 

Contact us today to find out more or simply drop in to check out our facilities. We’d love to see you!