Running is fantastic for your health, but more is not necessarily better, but it is not necessarily harmful either. Learning more about running is good for your heart.
Exercise endurance with running
You may not want to train for a marathon or triathlon if your main goal is heart health. The health authorities recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise each week. A study found that people who engaged in physical activity 3-5 days a week had the best survival rates. The study also found it was not harmful to be active ten times or more a week.
Have a heart check before you start exercising
Death during or shortly after a race is infrequent, but most of these events occurred with people who had previous heart disease or a congenital heart problem. Check out your risk of heart disease and set your exercise goals. Before increasing the amount of exercise, get approval from your GP.
Build up gradually
Set up a training program that increases the amount of exercise over time and aims to complete a 5K first. Building up the amount of exercise over time will reduce the risk of injury and increase the chances of you continuing to exercise.
Recovery is vital
In a study of long-distance cross-country skiing (90-kilometers), skiers who went faster and completed several races had a higher risk of arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat) during their lifetime. After a strenuous event or workout, give your body time to rest and rebuild.
Have a healthy diet
Burning hundreds of calories after an extreme workout is not endorsing junk food. It is vital to have a healthy and balanced diet.
Listen to your heart
Symptoms during exercise that include chest pain, excessive shortness of breath, or unusual tiredness, or difficulty completing a workout should cause you to stop. Ask your GP what symptoms you should look for during and after exercise, and learn what to do if they occur.
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