Endurance training is a very important part of any sport and fitness program. A regular endurance training, or cardio activity, will help you to improve your mental and physical level in many aspects. With proper guidance and coaching, endurance training can improve your movements, your health, your wellbeing and your performance. Find in this article a list of the most important health effects of endurance training on mind and body. You might be surprised to see how many benefits you will enjoy with a regular cardio activity.
Goals of endurance training in a brief overview
- You can keep an optimum performance in sport disciplines for a maximum of time
- You improve the recovery process for sports performance and daily life
- You stabilize the movement technique in sport disciplines and life
- You sustain health and fitness in general
- You improve physical and mental wellbeing
Health effects of endurance training or cardio activity
Strong active body
Endurance training influences your daily activities in a highly positive way, because it increases your energy reserves and muscle strength. When following a regular cardio routine, you can carry heavier loads for a longer time. You can work faster and finish tasks easier because of the heightened energy that you have.
As we grow older our muscle mass shrinks. The same is true for a sedentary or inactive lifestyle. With regular cardio activity you make sure that your muscles get used and your body stays strong. The stronger and more enduring your body gets, the more energy you will have available for work and other daily activities.
Health maintenance and younger look
Endurance exercises also have anti-aging properties because they eliminate free radicals in the body which cause cell aging. Some experts say that endurance training and exercise stimulates the production of human growth hormone. This hormone is very helpful in tissue repair and regeneration. People who train regularly have look younger and can enjoy leisure time more.
Disease and injury prevention
Endurance training decreases the risk of hypertension, stroke, chest pain, diabetes, and other associated diseases. Exercise and training regulates the level of cholesterol, glucose, and triglyceride in the body. Active people have lower blood pressure because their cardiac muscles can better compensate the increased blood demand that accompanies physical exertion. Physical activity also improves physical wellbeing by promoting good blood circulation, respiratory reserve, and cardiovascular health.
In addition to disease prevention endurance training has also a preventive effect against injuries. As we grow older our bone mass tends to shrink. With cardio activities you can improve your bone density and therefore prevent your skeleton from osteoporosis or bone fractures.
Improvement of mental wellbeing
Exercise and endurance training increases the person’s ability to focus on given tasks. Endurance training promotes oxygen and glucose transport to all body systems including the brain. With training you improve your mental performance and memory.
Good feelings
Psychologists recommend physical activity because it stimulates the natural production of the happy hormones serotonin and endorphin. It makes you feel more confident and satisfied after an endurance training session. Endurance sport works similarly as antidepressants because of the regulation of happy hormones.
Improvement of recovery and quality of sleep
Endurance training improves the ability of your body to recover. The better you are trained, the faster you will be able to train or be active again with full power. Cardio activity can also improve relaxation and the therefore the quality of sleep.
Keeping or improving body weight
Endurance training helps you to maintain or improve your weight by improving your metabolism and increasing the caloric consumption. An active lifestyle and a good endurance are key factors to achieve ideal weight and look great.