Your Heart Has a Good Reason to Love Exercise

We all know regular exercise is good for us, but did you know it can reduce your risk for heart disease too?

February is American Heart Month – an opportunity to cast the spotlight on our most vital organ and the proactive steps we can take to focus on heart health. While eating a healthy diet, eliminating smoking, and reducing your alcohol consumption are all proven strategies to prevent heart disease, it's physical activity that has been shown to dramatically improve your chances for a long and healthy life.

Curious just how big of an impact movement can have on your heart health? Read on.

A little bit of movement can make a big impact.

With more of us working from home and in sedentary jobs, our risk of developing serious medical concerns like heart disease and diabetes significantly increases. In fact, those who typically sit at work have a 16 percent higher risk of mortality and a 34 percent higher risk of heart disease compared to those who don't.

Here’s the good news: you don’t have to commit to an hour or more a day for exercise to see improvements in your health.

A recent study published in the European Heart Journal found that as little as five minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a day can have a positive effect on your health in the long term, including lowering your BMI (body mass index) and blood sugar (A1c) levels. Examples of moderate activity include brisk walking, hiking, or bicycling, while vigorous activity includes running, weightlifting and circuit training.

Weather can make it harder to exercise outside during winter months. If you're looking for a way to maximize physical activity indoors in a short amount of time, the BowFlex Max Trainer might be a good option for you. Part stair stepper, part elliptical, this innovative cardio machine is a great space-saving addition to your home gym. Even just a few minutes of full-body HIIT (high intensity interval training) or low-intensity steady-state training on the Max Trainer can get your heart pumping indoors.

Cardio + strength training = a winning combination.

If lifting weights is your thing, you're in luck because experts agree that combining cardio and strength training is an effective way to lower your risk for heart disease and improve your overall health and wellbeing.

If you're comfortable getting your cardio in on a treadmill or exercise bike, but adding strength training into your routine feels daunting, workout apps like JRNY^® can help. The JRNY app with Motion Tracking uses the embedded camera in your phone or tablet to track your movement and give you real-time feedback on your form. It also automatically counts your reps (no more keeping track in your head!) and, when paired with BowFlex SelectTech dumbbells, offers adaptive weight targets, which will let you know when to scale up your weight selections based on your progress.

Looking for inspiration to get moving? The BowFlex YouTube channel features free workout content from Certified Personal Trainers Amy Schemper and Breann Mitchell, updated every week!

You can also take advantage of a two-month free trial of JRNY, which will give you access to hundreds of bodyweight, strength, yoga, and cardio classes led by motivating JRNY trainers.*

Whether you have 5 minutes or 50 minutes to spare, consider using that time to get moving. Your heart will thank you!

* Offer availability is subject to change without notice. At the end of the introductory offer period, JRNY membership automatically renews at then-current membership rate until canceled.