The Benefits of Cardio for Abs and Overall Fitness

Many of us who are striving for a toned, sculpted stomach and waistline make the mistake of focusing only on targeted abdominal workouts. While this is definitely a key component of achieving the trim obliques and toned midsection to which we all aspire, it’s only part of the equation. For best results, even the most well-executed crunches need to work in tandem with diet and additional exercise.

No matter how well-developed your abdominal muscles may be, it’s nearly impossible to showcase them if they’re obscured by a layer of fatty tissue. The elimination of this “spare tire” effect is arguably more challenging than the toning of the underlying muscles themselves. One proven method of reducing extra bulk in the midsection is through diet -- reducing portion sizes, planning sensible and low-fat meals, eliminating empty calories, and drinking plenty of water can all help to reduce tummy bloating. However, another key component is the pairing of your targeted abdominal workouts with a regular cardiovascular exercise program.

Cardio exercise is loosely defined as any workout that compels the muscles to burn glucose stored in your body, which effectively eliminates fat cells. Committing to a regular cardio workout will also cause your body’s resting metabolism to speed up, which means you’ll burn more fat calories even while you’re inactive or sleeping. Your body will digest meals more efficiently, burning calories at a quicker pace. Over time, when pairing cardio activity with a reduced calorie diet and regular abdominal workouts, you’ll notice a marked decrease in the fleshy excess fat surrounding your midsection, bringing those muscles into sharper relief.

In addition to helping you lose weight and giving your muscles more exposure, cardio exercise offers a host of ancillary benefits. It helps to promote stronger lungs, a healthier heart, and better bone density. Plus, its feel-good factor can’t be ignored -- anyone who has finished a sustained, high-impact workout has felt the rush of adrenaline that comes with completing it. Cardio is a proven stress-buster and confidence-booster, and has also been proven to promote a healthy sleep pattern and higher energy levels throughout the day.

Technically speaking, a specific exercise qualifies as “cardio” if it raises your heart rate to at least 70% of its maximum rate. That’s not to say that lower-impact activity isn’t beneficial to your health, but it won’t achieve the same level of fat-burning capability as a higher-impact workout would.

So, what qualifies as cardio? The nice thing is, you’ve got plenty of options. If you’re able to exercise outside, jogging or brisk “power walking” are easy ways to get the blood pumping. If you belong to a gym, ideal cardio boosters include step machines, rowers, treadmills, aerobics classes, swimming, and elliptical machines. Any sport that requires sustained movement (i.e. basketball, soccer, kickboxing, etc.) also provides a great fat-burning benefit. You can even incorporate small bouts of cardio throughout your everyday activities -- take the stairs instead of the elevator, and opt for a push lawnmower instead of climbing on the riding version. Whatever method you choose, try to keep it up for at least 15-60 minutes, 3-4 days per week, for best abdominal results.

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