Beauty

Burn off the calories: Find the right cardio for you

Harder, better, faster, stronger

28.10.2015

By Buro247

Burn off the calories: Find the right cardio for you

Although strength training is a great way to increase your muscle mass, those who are looking to burn fat should prioritise cardio in their workout routine. Besides speeding up your metabolic rate, cardio also improves your heart condition by getting it to pump at a faster rate — just like muscles, your heart needs to be worked to get better.  Performing cardio workouts will also cause your body to release endorphins (also known as the ‘feel good’ hormones) and decrease depression and stress. If you’re looking to shed pounds fast with a quick recovery rate, we recommend that you alternate between different cardio exercises to get the most out of your workout. Here are 5 cardio activities and the amount of calories burned in 60 minutes*. 

 

1. Running – 532 calories

This classic cardio activity, is the easiest way to get your heart pumping. Not only does it deliver all the benefits of being a cardio exercise, most people do not know that running also increase the  bone strength in your legs as it is a weight bearing exercise. 

 

2. Cycling at 22 km/h – 540 calories

Cycling is the most low impact source of cardio and causes less injuries. But what of the best benefits of cycling is that it uses all of your major muscle groups as you pedal, giving you a full body workout. 

 

3. Dancing – 324 calories

A fun way to boost your metabolic rate is by dancing. You can either join a class or watch a YouTube video to do this. But if you’re feeling really sluggish, the best way to get into it is to blast your favourite dance songs and move to the beat — it will definitely break out a sweat. 

 

4. Swimming – 594 calories

Similar to cycling, swimming requires almost all of your muscles to work as you swim while still remaining a low-impact exercise. Swimming not only helps build endurance but it also tones your muscles and makes you stronger. 

 

5. Kickboxing class – 596 calories

 

Kickboxing is a great way to relief stress and get a good cardio session in. On top of increasing your heart rate, kickboxing also helps to build your flexibility. This high energy workout is great for when you are looking to add variety to your cardio sessions instead of repeating the same movements for an hour. 

 

*The calories burned may vary depending on your body weight. 

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