The Most Effective Type of Exercise?

When it comes to getting off the sofa and moving around, anything is better than nothing. But experts have found that not all exercise is created equal.

When it comes to heart health, cardiovascular - or aerobic - exercise is what you need to focus on, with stretching and weight training playing a supporting role.

Good forms of cardiovascular exercise include swimming, which is an overall body workout and which really gets your heart pumping; walking, when done with purpose; and running, which  is well known for its overall health benefits and has a great impact on heart health in particular.

If you prefer to exercise at a gym there are a great number of aerobic classes to choose from, including spinning, aerobics, Tae-bo and many more. You can also join a dance group and learn salsa or ballroom dancing, both of which are extremely good cardiovascular exercises and just so happen to be great fun.

The American Heart Association advises that whichever option you choose, to be effective you must do it regularly, three to four times a week, for a minimum of 30 minutes and it must increase your heart rate for the duration. You can also break your exercise sessions down to 10 minutes three times a day, if necessary.

And while weightlifting may make you look good on the outside, the experts advise that unless it is done in conjunction with aerobic exercise it will not have much of an impact on heart health.

Don't forget; The heart is a muscle, so the stronger it is, the more effective it will be in pumping blood around the body, improving oxygen transport and circulation. 

And the more physical activity we do the better chance we have of lowering our blood pressure, and the less pressure there is on the heart the healthier it will be.