- Using weights is a great way to strengthen your exterior muscles. The repeated contracting of the muscles will not only increase the strength of those muscles, but in time can increase the size of the muscles as well. This kind of exercise is good for your heart, too, because weight training increases the blood flow in your body, which forces your heart to beat faster in order to provide the needed blood. This increased heart rate gives the heart muscle its own specific workout, which in time will strengthen your heart and keep it healthy.
- A cardio exercise is typically any sort of exercise you perform that will keep your heart rate at an elevated level for a set period of time. These exercises range from running and bike ridding to swimming. It is important to get your heart rate up to an elevated level and hold it there for at least 20 minutes. Anything less will not give your heart the needed workout it requires to strengthen the muscle. People with sore joints are advised to avoid jogging at all costs, because of the leg impact, and to stick to swimming. There is little to no impact while swimming (as long as you don't run into the pool wall), and it is an excellent form of cardio exercise.
- It is important to maintain a set workout schedule. If you exercise only once or twice a week, your heart will not receive any benefits. Instead, you need to exercise multiple times a week. Ideally, you should weight train three days a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday, for example) and perform your cardio workout three days a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, for example). Take Sunday off so you have a day to recover. If you are just starting to exercise and simply can't do so that often, it is all right. Begin with two days of each type of exercise and slowly work up to doing some sort of heart-healthy exercise six days a week.
