

If you're seeking a similar motivation, look into fitness programs that encourage friendly competition. The group asked to compete against other employees ended up walking more steps than any other group in the study.

In a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine in 2019, Patel and a team of researchers challenged 602 overweight and obese employees from a single company to participate in a step-tracking challenge. Research suggests that adding an element of competition to your exercise routine can actually help you work out. During the pandemic, Comer and her family had a competition from their respective homes across several states to see who could rack up the most points on some of the exercise games on their VR headsets, "as a motivator for us to exercise and stay connected," she says. Motivation mandatory, mood lift inevitable.Sarah Comer demonstrates the game Beat Saber using a virtual reality headset in Washington, D.C. In the spirit of making fitness accessible to all then, we've rounded up the 24 WH-approved cardio workouts you can do from home. This, paired with cardio and adequate recovery is the key to a balanced fitness routine. Now, not for one moment are we suggesting you swap all your strength chips for cardio workouts-building lean muscle through strength training is just as important because, whilst you're doing a bodyweight strength training workout, you're also getting stronger and sculpting muscle tissue, too. Reduces risk of heart attack and high blood pressure.

What are the benefits of cardio workouts? In other words, there's no cookie-cutter approach-you do you, hun. The NHS recommends adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate cardio activity every week, and this can include any of these types. There's the more vigorous methods, like HIIT but there's also LISS (low-intensity steady state) cardio too, such as cycling and swimming. In fact, by definition, a cardio workout is any movement that gets your heart and breathing rates up. The result? A big ol' endorphin boost and a solid dose of fitness.īesides the fact that there are fewer barriers to cardio workouts (no gym, no problem), another point that WH is keen to get across is that you're by no means limited to running. Cardio workouts are one of the easiest ways to get your sweat on-all you need is a mat's worth of space, a workout video and a pair of gym leggings that won't fall down with every burpee.
