About a year ago, I was stuck in a small apartment with no exercise equipment. It was also the beginning of a lengthy course in the UK, and I had to quickly adapt to my training at home.
I have a set of resistance bands, which become my strength training tool. So what about the heart? I don't have a sport bike and I can't even run, because it aggravates an old knee injury.
At that time, I put on my Polar Ignite watch and started experimenting with bodyweight exercises and found a smart way to do cardio at home. My goal is to find a cardio workout that won't get my heart rate up too high. I want exercises that allow me to do it continuously at a steady pace for a long time: up to 30 minutes
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This type of cardio is called: 'stabilizing cardio' or 'zone 2 training' and it is the most effective training intensity for building aerobic fitness.
Can those exercises be done in place with bodyweight exercises? That was also the question I asked then.
Using real-time heart rate data, I quickly learned that certain exercises like burpees would definitely be disqualified. These high-impact exercises will increase the heart rate but cannot be sustained for long.
However, I have learned that some exercises are not very strenuous but have a strong effect on the body, such as jumping rope and high-knee jumps.
HIIT push-up exercise was born
This is a newly developed cardio workout using heart rate data. Without it, I would just use pure guesswork. As Polar says, #MeasureEveryMove (measure every movement) if you want to train for maximum effectiveness.
I'll show you exactly how to use heart rate data to track your HIIT push-ups and keep your heart rate in good shape, but let's first take a look at the benefits of low-heart rate training.
BENEFITS OF EXERCISES TO IMPROVE HEART RATE
Low-intensity cardio is the foundation of an effective cardio plan. Elite endurance athletes spend up to 80% of their training time at zone 2 intensity (about 60-70% of maximum heart rate). We are not all professional athletes, so we should approach cardio in the same way. The growth of the aerobic system that comes from this type of training is amazing and leads to a host of physiological benefits, such as:
Metabolically
Exercise generates most of our energy needs to support life and physical activity. A healthy metabolism improves quality of life and significantly reduces morbidity.
Physical
With improved workouts, we produce energy in a more efficient way. This means we can train harder for longer periods of time and have better stamina throughout the day.
Faster recovery
Sleep better, wake up feeling more refreshed, recover from your workout faster, goodbye to feeling exhausted!
Burn fat
Low-intensity cardio is called the 'fat-burning zone' for a reason. At this intensity, fat is the primary source of fuel, and in the long run, this training helps you store less fat by improving fuel breakdown.
SOME EXERCISES TO IMPROVE HEART RATE
- Raise the knee: do it within 20-30 seconds
- Rest: 0 - 10 seconds
- Combination exercise: done within 20-30 seconds
- Rest: 0 - 10 seconds
- Mountain climbing exercise in place: done within 20-30 seconds
- Rest: 0 - 10 seconds
- Repeat the above exercises for 20-40 minutes
TRAINING INSTRUCTIONS WITH POLAR WATCH SUPPORT
Press start on your watch . I'm using Polar Ignite 2 in the photos above!
Once you start working out, it will take some time for your heart rate to get up to the right target - that's okay. It is advisable to start by not resting between exercises, so that your heart rate increases faster.
Once you've worked out for a few minutes, look at your watch and adjust the duration of each exercise and the remaining time based on your active heart rate. If your heart rate is climbing too high, reduce your work time and increase your rest time. If it's too low, increase the working time and reduce the rest. You'll soon find a pace that's right for you.
Finally, try to breathe through your nose only. This is a much more efficient way of breathing and will get more oxygen into the body. You will develop breathing aerobics much faster this way.
Above are my shares about exercises to help you improve your heart rate. If you find it useful, don't forget to share it so more people know!
