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You’ve read a lot about the benefits of exercise, but how much thought have you given to the condition of your heart? Perhaps you dabble in “cardio,” or aerobic exercise, because it is a great method for burning excess calories and spiking the metabolism, but are you reaching a true cardio training level?

A cardiovascular workout is any type of exercise that increases the work of the heart and lungs. Only when your pulse quickens and your breathing gets deeper to the point of being “winded” have you reached a cardiovascular zone of physical exertion. You don’t necessarily have to be a runner to get the best results because any activity that keeps your heart rate up will suffice. In fact, there are a number of regular activities you may already be enjoying that will help to improve your cardiovascular system’s efficiency.

The kind of cardio exercises you need requires the combination of using large muscle movements over an extended period of time (duration) so that you heart rate is elevated to at least 50% of its maximum level (intensity). For true cardio benefits, you must engage in aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour, and reach a “target heart rate zone” several times a week.

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Walking is the easiest and least expensive method to maintain your weight loss program and to keep fit. A 150-pound person walking for an hour, at a steady pace of 18 to 20 minutes to complete one mile, will burn about 320 calories. You can hike in the woods, around the neighborhood, or do it on a treadmill. And don’t forget you can take the stairs instead of the elevator, and park further away at the store.

It’s easier and more convenient to make walking a daily regular routine than almost any other exercise.

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It’s time to set the record straight about Pee Wee Herman’s bike, the spiffy red Schwinn. It’s not the coolest bike in the whole wide world. Mountain bikes are, with their ruggedness and advanced technology that have fanned the craze for fat tire bikes everywhere. These bikes are every rider’s dream with upright seating on a comfy saddle, longhorn handle bars, plus disc brakes and shock absorbers. And, of course, those forgiving fat tires.

A Rebel and His Bicycle

A city-slicker fat tire bike ($300 to $700) is not what it seems. It’s actually a heavier hybrid of the mountain bike and is less reliable, although fine for the concrete jungle. Its components look similar, but are not designed for rough treatment, and the bike is more likely to break down. For real off-road adventure, look for bikes with frames and components made of strong, durable materials.

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Whether you ride a mountain bike, a road racer or a city hybrid bicycle, chances are you’re health conscious. When you adopt a regime of outdoor biking for both exercise and commuting, you’ve found a life-enhancing solution that will keep you lean, healthy, and happy.

And it can all be done on a bike. Cycling is as good as running and swimming as an aerobic (meaning “with oxygen”) exercise that will elevate your pulse rate and increase your cardio-vascular activity. Sports medicine specialists often prescribe cycling because it causes less wear and tear on the joints and muscles than running, while still building endurance and alleviating stress.

Cycling, both road and mountain, tones many of the same large muscles of the lower body as hiking does. You’re working the quads, hip flexors, and calf muscles when pushing the pedal down; and the hip flexors, hamstrings and calves when pulling the pedal up. But it’s an upper body conditioner as well since the muscles of the torso, as well as the arms and shoulders, are very active while riding. (more…)

Exercises for the heart, body and mind

Sit cross-legged with your hands on your knees. Focus on your breath, while keeping your back straight, and allow your knees to gently lower to the floor. Take five to ten slow, deep breaths. On the next inhale, raise your arms over your head. As you exhale, bring the arms down slowly.

You’ve just experienced a beginning yoga pose called Sukhansana. Simple, yet amazingly effective. Ashtanga yoga’s dynamic exercises blend breathing and movement allowing your inner essence to unfold naturally, without strain. Some call it the most physical yoga, yet with proper instruction, the workouts are an efficient and, best of all, pain-free way to achieve total fitness.

The Most Talked About Form of Yoga Today

What seemed to evolve from the om-chanting flower children of the sixties has actually been around for centuries and remains enormously popular today. Celebrities such as Madonna, Sting, and Demi Moore are devoted to the daily practice of Ashtanga Yoga, also known as Power Yoga. In North America alone, over 18 million Americans are reported to be practicing some form of yoga and are reaping the benefits of improvements in strength, flexibility, weight control, increased cardiovascular and energy levels, an enhanced immune system, and stress reduction. (more…)

It goes without saying that the best way to see the world is to do it on foot. Candidates for the World’s Top 10 hiking spots are all are considered to be reasonable treks for fit hikers.

Our picks are:

1. John Muir Trail, California, USA

Not only is the scenery magnificent, but the John Muir Trail can boast of having the sunniest and most mild climate of any mountain trek in the world. The trail starts in the Yosemite Valley and stretches for 211 miles to Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the US. Along the way, it takes you past countless lakes and waterfalls, ancient giant sequoias and looming granite towers as it follows the spine of the Sierra Nevada range. The area is so remarkable for its breathtaking vistas that naturalist John Muir once wrote it was “as if into this one mountain mansion Nature had gathered her choicest treasures.” Despite complaints that it is the crowded Interstate of Sierra trails, the JMT was named as Outside magazine’s 2004 North America Trip of the Year, and places high on Adventure magazine’s list of top 11 classic hikes.

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