This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Taking your Exercise to Heart (with this Sample Workout)

February is our annual "Heart Month." Heart disease is the leading killer of Americans. Don't be a statistic! Start by improving your health now with this simple body-weight workout.

Are you upset that Patriots lost to Giants on Sunday night? If so, you'd better keep a close watch on your heart health.

As incredibly weird and unlikely as it sounds, research published last year in the journal Clinical Cardiology, suggests that emotional stress over a favorite team's Super Bowl loss may cause heart attacks, especially in people who already have cardiovascular disease.

Okay, I will openly admit that the "agony of defeat" is an unusual and unlikely trigger for a coronary. But heart health, in general, is a timely topic right now. Each year February marks the annual Heart Month during which prevention and management of this disease - the leading killer of Americans - is brought to public attention.

Find out what's happening in Brookfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The reason this is so important is not only because heart disease claims about 910,000 lives each year in this country, but also because the majority of these cases could be prevented.

According to American Heart Association, more than 70 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with some form of heart disease, and millions of cases remain undetected.

Find out what's happening in Brookfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Even though preventive measures such as low-fat diet and regular exercise have been proven to be effective cardiovascular disease deterrents, many people's attempts to get healthy are (no pun intended) half-hearted at best:

  • According to the 2010 National Health Interview Survey, only 5 percent of American adults engage in some type of vigorous physical activity on any given day. This means 95 percent either exercise infrequently or not at all.  I may be biased...but that is flat our RIDICULOUS!!!
  • A study by AC Nielsen market research group a few years ago showed that, even though many Americans know that bad nutrition is unhealthy, 20 percent - about 60 million - eat fast food at least twice a week. The abundance of saturated fat found in these junk foods will raise the cholesterol level and clog the arteries. And that's just heart disease waiting to happen.

Combine these two bad habits - poor diet and lack of physical activity - and your risk for coronary disease goes up, especially if you bring other factors, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high stress level, or smoking - into the mix.

Exercise and good eating habits help us lose extra pounds we may have piled on over the years and maintain healthy weight afterwards. This is very important because inactivity leads to obesity, and obesity is a risk factor for heart disease.

A brisk, vigorous workout that raises your heart rate and breathing for an extended period of time - for example, interval training.  Here is a sample "beginner" workout that virtually takes no equipment to do (pay attention to the guidelines that follow):

Workout A
A1) Lying Hip Extension (3 sets x 8 reps)
A2) Plank (3x15 seconds)
B1) Prisoner Squat (3x12)
B2) Bird Dog (3x5)
C1) Kneeling Pushup (3x8)
C2) Side Plank (3x5 sec per side)
D1) Band Pull (3x15)
D2) Ab Curl-up (3x15)

Workout B
A1) Bodyweight Step-ups (3x8)
A2) Stick-up (3x8)
B1) Split Squat with Front Foot Elevated (3x8)
B2) Kneeling Close-grip Push-up (3x8)
C1) Bicycle Crunch (3x20)
C2) 1-leg Hip Extension (3x8)

  • Workout 3 days per week alternating between workout A and workout B.
  • Take a day of rest between workouts.
  • In week 1, you will follow an A, B, A schedule. In week 2, a B, A, B schedule. In week 3, an A, B, A schedule, and in week 4, a B, A, B schedule.
  • Each pair of exercises constitutes a “Superset”. In each Superset, do one set of the first exercise followed immediately by the next (A1 & A2) and then repeat.
  • Beginners (and this is very important in getting the heart rate elevated): Try to only rest 30 seconds after completing the exercises in the Superset (i.e. after A1 & A2).
  • Use a "controlled" lifting tempo for all exercises (except for any holding exercises like the planks where it is just a static hold).
  • It's a good idea to finish each workout with stretching for the tight muscle groups.
  • ALWAYS WARM-UP FIRST!!! Never skip a warm-up.
  • Disclaimer: This workout information is for education purposes only. It is
    not medical advice and is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health-care professionals. Consult your physician before beginning any exercise program.
  • Important NOTE: Any questions regarding any of the exercises listed above or regarding the workout in general, please leave them in the comment box and I will be sure to answer them.

This is just a sample of how you can start to improve your cardiovascular health and body composition while burning lots of fat and calories. This is key to keeping your ticker healthy and strong, even long after the Super Bowl is finished!

*Anyone interested in learning these exercises first hand with some one-on-one personal guidance or wants to take their training to a higher level can contact me through my website.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?