The benefits of cardiovascular exercise are well documented; from fat loss, to increased stamina, heart rate and oxygen uptake, there are tons of very good reasons why you should be doing some regular cardiovascular exercise. Running is, perhaps, the foremost cardio exercise that pops into most people’s minds but as much as it is indeed a great idea exercise, there are some disadvantages to it particularly for overweight people or people with prior history of knee or related injuries. For some other people, particularly people in places like Dubai, where there is some extreme heat, running might not always be ideal either.
So here’s a list of other cardiovascular exercises that you can do, if running is really not your cup of tea:
Swimming
Swimming is a great cardiovascular exercise that is also very appropriate for people in hot regions such as Dubai. An average person swimming at a moderately intense pace can expect to burn an average of 500 calories per hour, which makes swimming a remarkable tool for weight loss and general fitness. Swimming also requires the activation of practically every major motor unit in the body, so when you swim you’re muscles receive a full-body workout, albeit not a very intense one.
Cycling
Cycling is another cardio exercise that will get your heart rate up, burn calories and improve oxygen uptake. One fun thing about cycling is that unlike swimming, you have a bit more flexibility and you might choose to vary your route from day to day if you would like different scenery. On the other hand, Cycling effectively works a limited range of muscles, mostly in the lower limbs, and if you’re in Dubai, the heat might still be a problem.
Soccer
Most of the sports and exercises on this list will be outdoor exercise but you may find some sports facilities in Dubai that allow you do certain sports like soccer, indoors. Soccer is a great aerobic and anaerobic exercise with some elements of resistance training and high-intensity training and has been proven to be way more effective than running for fitness and weight loss.
Basketball
Team sports have an advantage over other kinds of exercise because the fact of playing with other people often makes it easier for people to play, additionally most people do not notice the strain and pain their bodies are going through because their minds are so focused on playing and winning the game. Basketball, in particular, is usually a very fast paced sport and before you know it, you’ll be panting and out of breath without noticing how much running you’ve had to do.
Tennis
Tennis is a fun and, usually, very competitive sport that has great fitness and weight loss benefits. Because you spend most of the time running around the court, at alternatingly high and low speeds, tennis forces you to go through high-intensity interval training without even realizing it.
Conclusion
If you have physiological reasons why running is not ideal for you, or would simply prefer something less monotonous, these five exercises and sports are excellent alternatives to help you get fit and stay fit in Dubai.
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