Alright, you’ve probably heard that exercise is good for your heart. But do you really know what’s going on inside your body?
When you exercise, your heart rate goes up, pushing it to pump more blood to supply your muscles. This challenge prompts your heart to adapt. It actually becomes stronger and thicker through a process called cardiac hypertrophy. This means your heart can contract more effectively, pumping a greater volume of blood with each beat (stroke volume).
Over time, these adaptations reduce the heart’s workload at rest. Simply put, by being stronger, your heart has an easier time day-to-day, pumping blood throughout your body.
Benefits:
- Regular exercise-induced cardiac hypertrophy boosts cardiovascular efficiency. Your heart can pump more blood per beat, lowering your resting heart rate and, consequently, your blood pressure. Both reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Plus, as you continue to exercise, your heart will continue to get stronger. This leads to better physical endurance and stamina, enhancing your performance in daily activities and sports.
Life Hack:
- Cardiovascular exercise is the best type of exercise that supports heart health. Aim to perform 3 sessions of 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise every week.