대학신문방송국

How to Start  Cardio Exercise: The  Cardio Exercise Guide

By Jo Tae-yeon Reporter, Senior of Economics

   The main interest of the MZ generation these days is a workout. When you get together with your friends, you naturally talk about workout and your interest and practice in exercise. If you go to the gym near HBNU, you can meet many friends. This means, more and more friends are starting to exercise, to improve their physical strength and get in shape. However, exercising through the gym costs money and is financially burdensome for students. Cardio exercise is recommended as a way to reduce this burden, and strengthen your body. This article gives a guide to students who want to start cardio exercise. 

The difference between Cardio exercise and Weight training:

   Cardio exercise is a full-body exercise that supplies more oxygen to muscle cells, allowing them to burn carbohydrates and fat. If we supply a lot of oxygen to our body, our cardiopulmonary function is improved and vascular tissue is strengthened, so if we exercise steadily, we can prevent many diseases, such as adult diseases. Typically, exercises such as walking, marathons, cycling, and hiking are cardio exercises.

  Weight training is an exercise that uses a lot of energy in a short time. It uses carbohydrates as an energy source in the absence of oxygen, which can increase agility by increasing muscle size and strength. Representative of this exercise is short-distance running and bench presses.

   The biggest difference between cardio exercise and weight training is muscles. Cardio exercise develops long and thin muscles, and weight training produces short and thick muscles. The reason why marathoners’ legs are thinner than weightlifters’ is that cardio exercise makes thin and long muscles.

Necessity of cardio exercise:

   Cardio exercise improves the function of blood vessels or muscles in the heart and prevents heart diseases, such as abdominal fat reduction, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and osteoporosis. Also, it solves obesity and prevents heart or cerebrovascular diseases. Cardio exercise is recommended for at least five days a week and at least 40 minutes a day, and intensity is suggested to the extent that it is difficult to talk while exercising.

   Some people only do weight training, but this reduces the effectiveness of exercise. If you don’t do cardio exercise after weight training, your cardiopulmonary function will stagnate and the effect of your motor function will only have half of the effect. Therefore, cardio exercise is recommended for about 40 minutes after weight training.

Representative cardio exercise:

Running

   When you run, straighten your upper body and adjust your chin to a 45 degree angle. Bend your arms gently into an L shape and shake them back and forth naturally. Your stride should be slightly narrower than usual. Your feet must keep parallel and run lightly with force on the big toe. Running in an 8 shape can hurt your knee.

Pose: One leg extends forward and the other leg extends backward.

Fall: Bend your knees slightly with your upper body lowered 15 degrees forward.

Pull: Raise your heel perpendicular to your hip.

   When running, you may feel pain in your shin, achilles tendon, ankles, and knees. This pain is caused by running in the wrong position, so you have to run in the right position. To prevent injury, beginners are recommended to run on midfoot.

 “Midfoot: A method of running so that the sole of the foot reaches the ground”

    Midfoot is a rising trend these days. You bend your knees slightly and move with the thought of running on your heels, the entire sole of your feet touches the ground. With the center of gravity tilted slightly forward, you can practice landing in the middle of the soles of your feet. When running in the midfoot positions, beginners can run for a long time because they can prevent pain. When you start running, most of the reactions occur when you land on your heels, resulting in injuries to your shins, knees, and hips. To solve this problem, it is better to take a video of yourself running and check it out.

Trail running

   Trail running is an exercise that takes place on mountain roads with severe terrain changes. Trail running is not just like ordinary running, but also like mountain leisure sports, such as hiking in mountains, prairies, hills, and forest roads.

Hiking

   Hiking is a cardio exercise that burns a lot of calories. You can also prevent psychological instability and depression by communicating with nature while hiking in mountains. Hiking improves cardiopulmonary functions because it uses muscular strength and breathing exercises that you do not usually use.

   When hiking a mountain, look five to six meters ahead and raise your head straight. Pull your chin down and make both shoulders horizontal, push your chest forward a little, and straighten your back. The arms should be lowered naturally and the knees, outstretched. When hiking, it is recommended that you walk for 2-3 kilometers for about 50 minutes, and also stretch lightly before hiking. People often relieve their tension when they go downhill, but going downhill is as important as climbing. On the downhill road, the body and backpack’s weight can cause shock to the knee joints and ankles, resulting in knee pain and blisters on the feet. In addition, the steeper the slope, you must slow the walking speed because your spine will be shocked. When you go down a mountain, you have to walk more slowly and bend your knees to absorb the shock. If you have a hiking stick, make it shorter uphill and longer downhill. After hiking the mountain, a light massage or hot pack is recommended. Also, if your joints are not good, it is recommended to take a walk rather than go hiking.

   When hiking a mountain, you should bring water, handkerchiefs, and energy bars and  freeze about 50 percent of the water. It is good to bring vegetables such as cucumbers and cherry tomatoes that replenish moisture.

   It is good to exercise steadily, but it is hard to use your body muscles when you do not know much about them. So, you must learn to prevent injuries and exercise that suit you. I hope all HBNU students find the right sports and do their best.