How do you keep your heart healthy? The most important thing is to maintain an active lifestyle and avoid certain behaviors that can put undue stress on your heart and make it work harder than it needs to. While there are many ways to exercise, here are five of the best exercises for your heart. If you regularly incorporate these types of physical activity into your life, you’ll find yourself with more energy, lower blood pressure, and a reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Best of all, these are easy to fit into any schedule!
1) Walk
Walking is one of best ways to keep your heart healthy. The good news is that you don’t have to walk fast or far to reap benefits. Just regular walking throughout your day can have major health benefits, especially if you’re overweight or obese. In fact, research has shown that obese individuals who were assigned light activity such as walking regularly lost more weight than those who were instructed to eat less and exercise more.
2) Run in Place
Running in place can help strengthen your heart and improve its ability to pump blood. If you run in place 20 times, 2-3 times per day, three days a week, your heart will be stronger than if you never ran in place at all. Just make sure that while you’re running, you’re pushing off with your toes (and not your heels), so that you’re moving up and down and not across.
3) Lift Weights
Weight training is a foundational exercise that can help improve overall heart health. Research suggests muscle mass declines with age, and weight training can make your heart beat better. While it’s vital to get at least 30 minutes of moderate activity every day, you should also incorporate strength training into your routine two or three times per week by lifting free weights, using resistance bands, or even doing push-ups and crunches.
4) Ride an Exercise Bike
Cycling on an exercise bike (commonly referred to as spinning) has been shown to increase levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or good cholesterol, in your body. While HDL is not considered one of your key indicators of cardiovascular health, elevated levels are associated with lowered risks for heart attack and stroke.
5) Swim
Swimming is an excellent cardiovascular exercise that can help you burn calories, improve your endurance and build strength. If you aren’t much of a swimmer, don’t worry—there are plenty of ways to get started and stay motivated. Start by talking to your doctor about whether or not swimming is safe for you (especially if you have heart problems). You may also want to consider taking lessons from a certified instructor.
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