As the year draws to a close, maintaining your exercise routine takes on even greater significance, especially regarding workouts. Whether your goal is to shed those extra kgs, torch calories, or mitigate the risk of heart disease and diabetes, incorporating exercise into your daily routine offers many benefits that shouldn't be overlooked. But first, let's delve into what exercise entails.
Cardio exercise, also called aerobic exercise, elevates your heart rate, deepens your breath, and engages large muscle groups such as those in your legs, arms, and buttocks. From brisk walks to invigorating swims, from dynamic runs to energizing cycling sessions, the options are diverse and tailored to your preferences. Finding an activity that resonates with you and fuels your enthusiasm is the key.
Strive to dedicate around 150 minutes to moderate aerobic exercise per week. The choice is yours; adapting to your schedule and individual preferences.
Resistance training increases muscle strength by making your muscles work against an opposing force. Resistance doesn't need to be heavy to be effective. Research shows that light resistance regularly can be equally effective. The key is challenging your body with progressive overload. Progressive overload means challenging a muscle to continue seeing results.
Water Cycling is one exercise that should not be missed it combines resistance training with a strong cardio and calorie-burning workout. Using purpose-built Hydrorider bikes, it combines intense cycling with arm and chest exercises. Water cycling uses water as resistance. The water is a gentle resistance that increases with speed and equipment.
By incorporating regular water cycling classes into your routine, you optimize oxygen distribution throughout your body during physical exertion. This optimisation, in turn, enhances the efficiency of your oxygen utilisation—spanning your lungs, heart, and blood vessels. As your cardio journey progresses, your fitness level improves, allowing you to intensify your workouts and refine your oxygen utilisation skills. With these considerations in mind, let's explore the myriad benefits that embracing both cardio and resistance activity like water cyling can bring:
Muscular Fortitude: Water cycling workouts contribute to muscle strength enhancement and tone – to protect your joints from injury.
Cardiovascular Wellness: Water cycling mitigates the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease, promoting cardiovascular health.
Calorie Conflagration: Torch calories and facilitate weight loss through consistent cardio activity like Water cycling.
Mood Enhancement: Experience an upswing in mood as cardio triggers the release of endorphins, nature's mood elevators and painkillers.
Improved Sleep: Enjoy better sleep quality due to regular Water cycling engagement.
Diabetes Defense: Cardio workouts like Water cycling assist in diabetes prevention.
Joint Flexibility: Combat joint tightness and alleviate arthritis discomfort through cycling in water
Enhanced Circulation and Skin Clarity: Cardiovascular activity boosts circulation, contributing to healthier, clearer skin.
Improve flexibility and balance: Both flexibility and balance can help you remain independent for as long as possible as you age.
Greater stamina: Stamina is improved with regular water cycling as you grow stronger, you won't get tired as easily.
Prevention or control of chronic conditions: Regular resistance and cardio activity can help prevent the onset or escalation of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, back pain, depression, and obesity.
Pain management. Improve mobility and reduce pain.
Better brain health. Those who engage in cardio and resistance training combinations may have better brain health and protection against age-related cognitive decline. Researchers believe it has many neuroprotective effects, such as improved blood flow, reduced inflammation, and an increased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is linked to memory and learning.
Improved sense of well being & self esteem: Resistance training may boost your self-confidence, and improve your body image and mood.
Improved quality of life: Regular water cycling can build the strength and fitness to enhance the performance of everyday tasks.
To extract the utmost benefit from your cardio endeavors, consider implementing the following pointers for an optimal experience:
Begin Gradually: If you're new to cardio, start with modest efforts and progressively build intensity. For instance, transitioning from walking to running can be achieved by gradually incorporating running intervals into your routine.
Buddy Up for Motivation: Enlist a workout partner to sustain motivation and enjoyment. Exercising alongside a friend or family member adds an element of accountability to your routine.
Fuel with Clean Nutrition: Prioritise a well-rounded diet comprising fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains, cereals, and dairy alternatives. Nourishing your body optimises its performance during workouts.
Stay Hydrated: Hydration is paramount. Aim for 8 to 10 glasses of water daily to prevent dehydration during workouts and throughout the day.
Allocate Time for Rest and Stretching: Integrating rest days between cardio sessions and incorporating post-workout stretching promotes recovery and minimizes injury risks. A balanced approach to rest and stretching will aid in maintaining your exercise momentum.
For a comprehensive guide to spin bikes underwater and their benefits, the Water Resist blog offers valuable insights.
Embrace the transformative potential of daily cardio in a cool and refreshing way. Elevate your fitness, boost your mood, and invigorate your well-being through the power of aerobic exercise. It's not just a workout—it's a pathway to a healthier, more vibrant you.