'Pinoy MD:' 5 Exercises for a strong heart
One of the things that we keep mentioning in Pinoy MD is that being physically active is a significant step toward heart health.
It's one of the most effective tools to keep your cardiovascular organ strong and help manage the weight off.
To keep your heart in tip-top shape for years to come, Pinoy MD taps fitness coach Katrina Froilan to share five easy exercises to build a strong heart and provide an excellent foundation to your heart health.
Here are five exercises that will benefit you in the long run:
1. Standing knee crunches
Reps: 15, alternating sides
How to: Stand with your hands behind your head and with your elbows wide. Lift your right knee up as you twist to the right, pulling your abs toward your spine. Then, lower your right leg to complete one step. Switch sides by simply lifting your left knee and twisting to the left.
Besides strengthening your cardiovascular muscles, doing the standing knee crutches to your routine helps increase core strength and stability. It also helps improve flexibility and coordination, plus it sculpts and trims your waist.
Since the whole body is continuously moving, it also increases your heart rate and helps burn off fat.
2. Jumping Jacks
Reps: 15
How to: Stand upright with your legs together and your arms at your sides. Bend your knees slightly and jump into the air. As you jump, spread your legs to be shoulder-width apart and then over your head. Jump back to your starting position.
Jumping Jacks is an essential cardio exercise that uses oxygen to meet the energy demands, thereby stimulating your heart muscles. The pumping up of heart muscles helps decrease the possibility of a block in your heart or a stroke.
3. Standing toe touches
Reps: 15, alternating sides
How to: Start standing with your feet hip-distance apart. Swing your right leg up and touch your left hand to your right toes, and make sure to keep your chest up while doing so. Return to the starting position and repeat with your left leg, touching your right hand to your left toes.
Not only does this toe touching exercise bring your heart rate up but also stretches your muscles at the back and the hamstring. Standing toe touches stretch the four muscle groups found in the back of the thigh and work s the erector spinal muscles found in the lower back.
4. Closed to wide squats
Reps: 15, side to side
How to: Stand with your knees and toes together, arms at your sides and palms in. Engage your core and keep your chest lifted and back flat as you shift your weight in your heels and lower yourself into a squat. Drive through your heels to stand and bring your right foot sidewards, making your stance at least shoulder-width apart, and then squat again. Repeat the process on the other side.
Squats not only help you lose weight but also targets your gluteus maximus, quadriceps, inner thigh muscles, hamstrings, and core -- perfect if you want to display your bikini body soon this summer.
5. Jump squats
Reps: 15
How to: Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly turned out. Engage your core and keep your chest lifted and back flat as you push your hips back and bend your knees into a squat. Then, jump as high as you can, swinging your arms down by your sides for momentum. Land on your knees and do the process again.
Jump squats increase your power, improve your lower and upper body strength, and burn calories faster than a regular squat.
If you want to learn more about these exercises, check out this video from Pinoy MD:
For more tips on health and strengthening your heart, check out GMA Network's Lifestyle Page!