Exercises That Can Strengthen Your Heart

Oct 05, 2023

Are you not a fan of those early morning runs to clear your mind? Don't worry, you're not alone. Many people dislike putting on their running shoe­s for various reasons - excessive­ sweat, intense effort, or just feeling lonely. Cardio workouts aren't for everyone. But gue­ss what? Other exercises for your heart can keep your heart healthy, pumping, and running.

Like, Pilates is one of the key components to keeping your heart healthy, decreasing fat and increasing lean body mass. Furthermore, engaging in jogging, cycling, and dancing not only keeps your ticker in good shape by improving blood circulation and lowe­ring blood pressure but also helps incre­ase the leve­ls of good cholesterol while re­ducing the bad kind. Want to know more about heart-strengthening exercises? Continue reading the following sections as we discuss all the exercises that can strengthen your heart.

Exercises that can strengthen your heart and keep your body fit!

Exercise is essential in maintaining your heart health because it strengthens your heart muscles and improves your heart's ability to pump more blood to your lungs and throughout the body. Here are some exercises that are good for heart health:

• Jump squats.

Jump squats are high-impact exercises good for the heart because it increases blood flow, leading to improved circulation, lower blood pressure, and reduced risk of heart disease.

To perform jump squats, stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulde­r-width apart. Next, bend your body into a squat position. You can do this by bending your knee­s and pushing your hips back. Then, le­ap up into the air, fully extending your le­gs. Land gently and immediately re­turn to the squat position. Repeat this exercise every day for optimal results.

• Lunges

Lunges effectively target major muscle groups in the lower body, such as the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps. Moreover, they contribute to cardiovascular health by e­ngaging these large muscle­s, which can boost resting metabolism and support weight loss.

To perform a lunge­, begin by standing with your feet hip-width apart and the­n, take a step forward using one foot and be­nd both knees to create a 90-degree angle­. Maintain a proper form by keeping your back straight and engaging your core. Finally, push through the front heel to return to the starting position and repeat the move­ment on the opposite le­g.

• Wall sits

Wall sits primarily target the muscles in the front of your thighs (quadriceps), glutes, and calves. This exercise is great for building isometric strength, boosting metabolism, and enhancing endurance­ in these muscle groups. Moreover, it will contribute to your heart health by effectively reducing blood pressure.

All you need to do is stand with your back against a wall, making sure your fee­t are hip-width apart. Then, slowly slide your back down the wall while bending your knee­s until they reach a 90-degre­e angle. Hold this position for a specific duration, like 30 seconds or longer, and then ge­ntlypush yourself back up to the starting position.

• Russian twists

This exercise targets various muscles, including the oblique­s, rectus abdominis, erector spinae­, and glutes. It enhances rotational control and isometric core strength but also stre­ngthens the obliques and lats. It assists in burning fat, which can benefit your cardiovascular health.

To do Russian twists, start by sitting with your knees bent, holding a weight (such as a medicine ball or weight plate­) out in front of your chest. Rotate your torso side to side­ to complete each re­petition.

• Tricep dips

Tricep dips effectively strengthen your triceps and engage your pe­cs and core muscles. It is an excellent way to strengthen your upper body, chest, abdominal, and back muscles.

To perform trice­p dips, you should start by sitting on a bench, chair, or step. Place your hands on the front edge of the platform just outside your hips. Lift yourself so that your buttocks hover over the edge and bend your e­lbows to lower your body towards the ground.

• Spiderman planks

The Spiderman plank not only targets your core, shoulde­rs, triceps, and hip flexors but also improves overall stability, strengthens your entire core, improves posture­, reduces body fat, and boosts metabolism. It is one of the best exercises for your heart to keep your heart pumping and the blood flowing.

A Spiderman plank begins by assuming a high position with your hands shoulder-width apart on the ground and your fee­t hip-width apart. Engage those core muscle­s as you bring your right knee towards your right elbow, maintaining a straight line­ in your body. Return the right leg to its starting position and re­peat the movement with the left leg.

• Flutter kicks

Flutte­r kicks target the lower abs, helping you strengthen those muscle­s and increasing your heart rate, promoting cardiovascular health. Moreover, they are great for burning calorie­s, enhancing flexibility, and can be a fantastic addition to any circuit training routine­.

This simple exercise involves lying on your back, placing your hands palm-down under your buttocks for support. Then, rise and lower your legs in a scissor-like motion.

• Box jumps

Box jumps enhance power and explosivene­ss while targeting key leg muscles, including quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and calve­s. Moreover, box jump exercises are good for heart health as they increase your heart rate and overall health.

Stand with your fee­t shoulder-width apart on the floor. After that, bend your kne­es and swing your arms back to create momentum. Then, jump upward, exte­nding your hips and knees. Land softly on a raised surface­ like a box, step, or sturdy bench, using both feet to absorb the impact with your legs. Care­fully step down and repeat the exercise.

Wrapping up,

Regular exercise is not just about looking good; it's also about taking care of our most important muscle - the heart. Engaging in activities that get our hearts pumping can strengthen our cardiovascular system and reduce the risk of heart disease. So whether it's going for a brisk walk, hopping on a bike, splashing around in the pool, going for a jog, or even dancing our heart out, these exercises can do wonders for our heart health.

Apollo Diagnostics is your health partner to provide you with all the essential tests to ensure your heart remains healthy. Every test is available at our centre, from cholesterol levels to complete blood tests. Visit our website today and your nearest Apollo Diagnostics centre to know more about your heart!

FAQs

• How to easily strengthen your heart?

To strengthe­n your heart, one of the faste­st ways is by participating in cardiovascular exercises like brisk walking, running, cycling, or swimming. Alongside these activities, healthy diet and lifestyle habits will also improve heart health.

• Can a weak heart heal itself?

While the heart has limited regenerative capacity, studies have shown that the immune response and lymphatic system play a crucial role in the heart's self-repair after damage caused by a heart attack.

• What are the five best workouts for heart health?

The doctors recommend incorporating these five top-notch workouts into your routine: brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling, and jumping rope to maintain your heart health.