Walking is an easy and safe form of exercise that is extremely effective in training the heart muscle. Not only does it help improve circulation and blood pressure, but regular walking also increases cardiovascular endurance and reduces the risk of chronic cardiovascular disease, according to the health website Healthline (USA).
Walking uphill is a better cardio workout than walking on flat terrain.
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However, not all forms of walking are equally effective. Some walking variations are particularly beneficial for the heart.
Hiking
Walking uphill, such as climbing stairs, walking up hills or using a treadmill with a high incline, requires the heart to work harder to pump blood to working muscles. The American Heart Association says increasing the incline of your walk can improve measures of cardiovascular fitness, such as VO₂ max.
Research published in the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine found that walking on a 9% incline increases your heart rate and burns 60% more calories than walking on a flat surface. This type of exercise forces your heart to contract more, making it stronger over time.
Walking with dumbbells
Combining walking with carrying light hand weights of about 0.5-2 kg on each side helps activate additional muscle groups in the upper body, thereby increasing heart rate and oxygen consumption. This forces the heart to work harder to meet the body's oxygen transport needs.
In fact, walking with hand weights increases the intensity of the exercise by about 20% compared to regular walking. However, it is important to ensure that you use the correct technique, such as not swinging your arms too much or using weights that are too heavy. This can cause injury to your shoulder or wrist joints.
Interval walking
Interval walking is a method in which the exerciser alternates between periods of fast walking and periods of slow walking. This exercise helps the heart adapt to changes in exercise intensity, similar to high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
Research published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that interval walking is more effective at improving cardiovascular function, controlling blood pressure, and increasing oxygen uptake than regular walking. Practitioners should perform 5 walking cycles per day, in which each cycle is 3 minutes of fast walking and 2 minutes of slow walking. The number of days of exercise per week should be maintained from 3 to 6, according to Healthline.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/3-kieu-di-bo-giup-co-tim-ngay-cang-khoe-hon-18525071218120707.htm
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