cardio


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Cardiovascular exercise is a requirement for both bodybuilding success and overall health and well-being. It is perhaps the most hated and least rewarding part of the bodybuilding equation, due to the monotony of plugging away on a machine endlessly for hours with seemingly little to no reward. However, cardio doesn’t have to be boring and it doesn’t have to take place indoors. It’s time to get some sunshine and take your cardio routine to the basketball court!

Basketball is a popular sport for all ages. You can play alone, with a few others, or in a large 5-on-5 setting. You can choose the pace, you can choose the intensity. And if you plan it out, you can use basketball to complete your cardiovascular exercise.

Benefits
Basketball can be a great exercise for the cardiovascular system. Playing alone, you can shoot baskets, rebound, run half-or full-court layup drills, and easily keep your heart rate elevated in the recommended range (60 to 80%). Your skin will benefit from the Vitamin D and tan that comes from sun exposure. Your mind will benefit from the break from the horrid monotony of the treadmill. Your competitive spirit will thank you for the feeling of accomplishment that comes from making shots or winning games. And above all, you’ll boost your metabolism, which leads to losing body fat, and you’ll bring oxygen to your heart, brain, and other systems, the goal of cardio for health.

Watch the clock

You need to be on the court (with an accelerated heart rate) just as long as you’d be on the stationary bike or elliptical machine. Fifteen minutes of casually shooting hoops just isn’t going to cut it. You need to be running, jumping, shooting, rebounding, and playing defense for 25 to 45 minutes if you wish to gain the cardiovascular benefits of lifting. On the other hand, be careful not to overdo it. You’re going to burn a significant amount of muscle mass if you’re playing basketball for two hours per day. Use all good things in moderation – you wouldn’t be on the treadmill for two hours per day, so don’t spend that long on the basketball court either.

Cautions

Basketball can be a high impact sport. Making quick changes in direction can place the knees and ankles at risk. Also playing basketball at a higher bodyweight can cause problems, as all that jumping does require landing, and hard landings at high bodyweights are very tough on the knee joints.

If you love being lean and healthy, but don’t enjoy the hours on the treadmill, give basketball a try for your cardio session.