February is best known for Valentine's Day, but did you know that it's also Heart month? Now is the perfect time to explore the best exercises for heart health. Improve your cardiovascular fitness with these six cardio exercises.

Walking

We were born to walk. It’s safe, inexpensive, and easy to fit into anyone’s day! Whether you walk on the treadmill or hit the road, walking is a great way to improve your fitness. Push yourself each time to walk at a faster pace and longer distance.

Running

I love to run because it’s an excellent way to stay in shape! Running intervals will push your cardiovascular fitness to the next level. Try incorporating sprints into your run, work hard until you’re out of breath, and take a minimal rest period for recovery. It’s one of the best ways to burn calories, which is a bonus if you are trying to lose weight. If you are a beginner at running, start with a brisk walk, and add 1-2 minutes of running after 5 minutes of walking. As you become more fit, you can increase the amount of running time.

Cycling

If you’re looking for a lower impact activity, cycling is a great activity that can be done at the gym or outside on the road and trails. While your heart is pumping, you’ll build strength and tone your lower body.

Swimming

Swimming is a non-impact workout and an excellent way to build heart health while being gentle on your joints. Pushing yourself through the water not only burns calories, but it raises your heart rate.

Interval Training

There's no chance of getting bored while performing interval training, which combines maximum burst of activity with short periods of rest. This will boost your heart rate, burn calories, tone your body and keep your heart healthy and strong.

Weight Training

Not only will weight training build muscle mass, it’s also good for your heart. To amp up heart rate in the weight room, incorporate total-body movements with limited rest in between sets.

For exercise to be effective, it needs to raise your heart rate. Remember, any type of exercise is better than no exercise at all. It will not only strengthen your heart, but will help with reduce body fat, reduce stress, and lower blood pressure. Talk to your doctor first about the best workout for you and let’s keep our hearts fit, healthy and happy!

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