A most overused word in the fitness world is cardiovascular training or CV training. Yet despite its popularity, very few people understand what CV exercise is and what benefits we derive from it. What exactly is CV exercise?

The dictionary defines CV exercise as a "conditioning that exercises the heart, lungs and associated blood vessels." This means to say that when you undergo a CV activity, you are giving your heart, lungs and circulatory system a good workout. Regularly exercising your cardiovascular system is very beneficial to your health since it acts as the body's engine. Not having a strong CV system can be detrimental to your overall health. To determine the condition of your cardiovascular system you need to monitor your resting heart rate (RHR) or determine your blood pressure (BP). RHR refers to the number of times your heart pumps in one minute. The lower your RHR the more efficient and stronger your CV system is. On the other hand, your BP determines also determines your CV health by measuring the pressure it exerts each time the heart beats. The normal range for your BP is within the vicinity of 120/70 mmHG. This figure may slightly change with respect to the age of the individual.

There are various types of CV exercises. The most effective ones are those that employ large muscle groups like running, swimming, cycling among others. These exercises use the large muscles of the legs and arms for support while the activity is being done. Lifting weights in the gym, meanwhile, is less effective since you will only be using small muscle groups in performing the activity.

There are so many benefits that you can get from cardiovascular exercise. Other than keeping your heart and lungs in top form, you can also burn calories when you do your CV routines. Add to these benefits the your muscles that gets well toned when you do the CV exercises. Moreover, your body releases release the "happy hormones" known as endorphins when you exercise. Endorphins are the hormones that make you feel good after you do a CV workout.

To reap the health and fitness benefits of cardiovascular exercise you should aim to accomplish at least 40 minutes of continuous CV exercises five times per week. For those who are not used to walking or running this can be very challenging, However if you learn to integrate your CV exercises in your daily activities like your daily walks to the office or when you take the stairs instead of taking the elevator, you will find out that this is achievable. A study shows that about 17 percent of our car travels are less than 1 mile. These journeys include kids to drop the kids to school or going to the supermarket. That I mile can easily be covered in 20 minutes on foot.

Cardiovascular exercise is paramount in any fitness program. It should be understood well so that you will know how to benefit from it. Fortifying your heart and lungs does not have to be very complicated. If you understand the principles behind CV exercises then you will find ease and comfort in integrating it to your daily grind plus you get other health and fitness benefits as well.