Full Body Tone Up & Cardio Exercises

Running is great cardio exercise.

Cardiovascular exercises help strengthen your cardiovascular system, prevent many chronic diseases, burn calories, help you lose or stabilize weight and improve your mood and mental health. Toning exercises improve your strength as well as your appearance. Some toning exercises contribute to cardiovascular health, and cardio exercises generally improve your appearance, but not your strength. A well-balanced exercise program includes both.

Cardiovascular Exercise

Cardiovascular exercise uses the large muscles of the body, usually the legs, in a rhythmic manner over a period of time. Popular cardio exercises are running, walking, bicycling, skating, cross-country skiing, swimming and rowing. You can also use cardio machines such as a treadmill, stationary bikes, elliptical trainer, stair climber or rowing machine. You have to spend at least 10 minutes on the activity for it to be effective. To be in the heart rate training zone, you should be able to talk but not sing.

Toning Exercise

Toning, or resistance exercise, uses your muscles against resistance. This will make your muscles firm, but not large. You can use your body weight for resistance. Squats, lunges and step-ups use your lower body, and push-ups firm your upper body. Be sure you do exercises for both upper and lower body. If body weight exercises are too easy, use dumbbells for resistance. Do some abdominal exercises and dumbbell curls and extensions for your arms, if you want to. If you belong to a gym, you can use the resistance machines.

Sports

Some sports can contribute to cardiovascular fitness, if you have enough skill. Tennis, soccer and basketball have periods of sustained exertion. Baseball and volleyball are more sporadic. In general, you get in shape to play sports, rather than playing sports to get in shape. Continue to play whatever sports you enjoy. If your favorite sports are also cardiovascular exercises, like running or biking, practice them regularly.

How Much Exercise?

Professional organizations generally recommend 150 minutes minimum of moderate cardio exercise (e.g., fast walking) per week or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, like running. This level has health benefits, but you should do more for cardiovascular conditioning. Work out three to five days a week, at a comfortable pace. Go longer or harder as you get in better shape. Do toning exercises two or three times a week -- but not two days in a row -- and add weight or resistance when it gets easy for you.

References

• Health.gov: Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
• ShapeFit