Chapter 8
Chapter 8: Cardio Crash Course ..................................................................................
In This Chapter
Warming up and cooling down
Knowing how hard you need to push to achieve cardio benefits
Following a cardio workout for good health
Using a cardio program to help you lose weight
Getting in your best cardio shape ever
Deciding whether to take a day off
I
f you hang around people who exercise, you’re going to hear the word
cardiopretty often. Someone may say, “I prefer to do cardio after I lift
weights” or “My gym has awesome cardio equipment.” Cardio— which means
“for your heart” in medical jargon — is short for cardiovascular exercise, the
kind that strengthens your heart and lungs and burns lots of calories.In Chapter 24, we list all kinds of reasons to pursue this sort of exercise —
everything from lowering your blood pressure to sleeping more soundly
to trimming that spare tire. This chapter explains how exactly to get those
benefits — in other words, what type of exercise counts as cardio. We intro-
duce you to terms such as aerobic, anaerobic,and target heart rate zone,which,
in case you were wondering, has nothing to do with what happens to your
heart when there’s a sale at Target. After you understand the basic concepts
involved in cardio exercise, use the cardio plans near the end of this chapter
to design a cardio workout program based on your goals.Two Cardio Rules That You Can’t Break ..................................................
You wouldn’t try to sell someone a stereo without a few pleasant introduc-
tory words to your potential customer, right? You need to ease her into
things with a couple of jokes or at least a “Good morning. How can I help
you?” And certainly you wouldn’t turn your back on her the minute she