Cardio Workouts for Men

Men are usually found hitting the gym, sweating it out, lifting weights, pumping iron, etc., for building massive triceps and biceps. But quite conveniently they forget the most important muscle in our body, which is the heart muscle. Cardio exercises and workouts are primarily performed to burn body fat and strengthen the heart muscle by improving the heart rate. Effective cardiovascular exercises can increase your heartbeat to 50 - 100% of your maximum heart rate potential. These workouts increase endurance and also help in building muscle strength. Most men prefer weightlifting exercises to lose weight fast in place of cardio workouts. But the fact is that cardio workouts for men have the same fat burning effects as weightlifting exercises, and have more heart strengthening benefits.

The first thing that should be addressed with cardio workouts is the timing. Make sure you perform the exercises early in the morning on an empty stomach, as this helps in effective burning of the stored fats and carbohydrates as fuel. However, you can have some kind of zero calorie energy drink or black coffee prior to the cardio workout session. Here are some cardio workouts for men that are simple, yet effective.

Fat Burning Cardio Workouts for Men

Step Aerobics: Step aerobics is a form of aerobic exercise performed on a raised platform. It mainly targets the legs, butt and hips, burning up to 400 calories in 30 minutes. The amount of calories burned varies as per the speed of movements, step height, and exercise duration. Step aerobics help burn calories, control weight and maintain the health of our cardiovascular system. More on step aerobics and benefits.

Bicycling: Bicycling is a great way to burn excess calories, shed body fat and enhance cardiovascular health. Depending upon the body weight, intensity of the ride and motion of bicycling, especially uphill and high intensity cycling, one can burn around 400 and 500 calories on a one hour bicycling trip.

Running: Running or jogging is the best cardio workout that requires no special equipment (except a pair of good quality shoes), and can be done anywhere and anytime. It helps burning serious calories up to 300 in 30 minutes, if running at a speed of around 5 mph. The only thing you have to keep in mind is not to over stress your knees and ankles, which may result in some kind of pain or discomfort.

Elliptical Trainer: It is one of the most popular machine in the gym that provides a low-impact cardio workout. It's a great way to build endurance without a lot of pounding on the joints while protecting them from high impact activities. Elliptical trainer is an excellent cardio exercise that helps burning 300 calories in 30 minutes.

Swimming: Being a great cross-training for other cardio activities, swimming is a full body exercise which involves your entire body, and hence, more calories are burnt. Its different strokes, especially the breast stroke involves the use of many muscle groups, burning nearly 400 calories in 30 minutes without worrying about high impact injuries on the joints.

Cross-Country Skiing: Whether one is on a gym machine or swooshing over miles of snow, cross-country skiing is an amazing cardio exercise that also involves an element of fun with it. It involves both the upper and lower part of the body, and one can burn approximately 330 calories in 30 minutes of skiing. Read more on:

• Cardio Exercise Benefits
• Cardio Exercise Equipment

Therefore, the best way to achieve mind as well as body fitness is to have an exercise regime comprising few strength training sessions and a daily dose of cardio workouts. Make sure you perform a proper warm up session before starting any of these cardio workouts. Try incorporating these cardio workouts for men in your daily exercise regime, and perform the workouts four to five days a week for 30 - 75 minutes. You will surely see and feel the difference. All the best!