Classification Essay: Cardiovascular Exercise
A. Olived
October 14, 2010
Eng 090 Mark Price

In the past several years, it has become very clear to most people that exercise is beneficial and possibly even critical in maintaining optimal health. Many studies have shown that one particular form of exercise is the most effective in preventing premature disease and death and that is called cardiovascular exercise. Cardiovascular exercise or simply cardio, is defined in simple terms as any activity that raises your heart rate to a near maximum rate for an extended period of time. The most popular modes of cardiovascular exercise are running, using the elliptical machine, and swimming. Running or jogging has proven to be an excellent form of cardio. It is the most efficient way to burn calories, leading to weight loss. More importantly, it also uses several different muscles so the body is exerting a lot of effort which raises the heart rate. Although running provides great benefits to the body, there are also downfalls to this mode of cardio. One major disadvantage of running is that there is a constant striking motion as your feet hit the pavement or the treadmill belt so that results in quite a bit of wear and tear on the joints. Many complaints of arthritic pain or joint deterioration can be due to excessive running. Even with that disadvantage, running still sits at the top of the list as one of the most popular forms of cardiovascular exercise. Another type of popular cardio is called the elliptical machine or sometimes called the elliptical trainer. The machine requires the user to stand on two separate platforms called pedals, one for each foot, and propel those pedals forward to mimic a walking or running motion. The user can control how slow or fast they push the pedals. The idea is to get a full body workout, similar to running, but without all of the impact and injury potential. Often times, an elliptical trainer also has handles that can be pushed forward in stride with the users legs to maximize the effort, which will cause the heart rate to go even higher. Some critics say that a lot of machine-related momentum can be used to push the pedals forward so the user may not be getting the best workout. However, the elliptical machine remains a very common type of cardio. The third type of popular cardiovascular exercise is swimming. Whether you like the relaxing feeling of gliding through the water or you are just looking for something different than the machines at the gym, swimming is a great option. It is said to be the easiest exercise on the joints and it also an excellent alternative for those who have an existing injury and cannot manage other forms of exercise. It works nearly every muscle in the body if different strokes are used. One downfall of swimming is that once you are done and out of the pool, your body stops burning high amounts of calories whereas with other forms of exercise, your body continues to keep up a higher level of calorie burn for several hours. Swimming is a great option for anyone who is interested in cardiovascular exercise. Health and wellness has been a very popular topic in recent years. Cardiovascular exercise is at the top of the list of the things to do when considering a healthier lifestyle and disease prevention. While there are several different forms of exercise, running, the elliptical machine and swimming are among the most popular choices. There are benefits and disadvantages to all three options, but the important thing about any form of exercise is actually getting involved.