The Best Types of Cardio to Do in the Morning

Cardiovascular activities are aerobic exercises that are extremely beneficial for your body. Cardio strengthens your heart and improves your lung capacity while keeping your body trim by burning calories. Cardio can be performed anytime of the day, but you can receive maximum benefits from cardiovascular exercises by training in the morning before you eat. Your body will have depleted glycogen stores --- your body's main source of energy --- after sleeping, which will allow your body to resort to and target fat as fuel more efficiently.

  1. Running

    • Running is one of the most basic cardio exercises to perform without needing fancy machines or a gym membership. All you need are a pair of decent running shoes and the sheer determination to get through the morning run. Aim for 30 to 45 minutes of running at a moderate to fast pace, depending on your conditioning. Three to four times a week is fantastic for cardio. You can even keep a record of how far you run each time in order to keep track of your cardio improvements.

    Bicycling

    • Bicycling is fantastic aerobic exercise that allows you to go farther in mileage and is easy on your joints if you have knee issues. You can choose to hop on an actual bike or choose a stationary bike at a gym if the weather is cold or miserable. Bicycling in the morning can be a fantastic way to kick-start your day without pounding on your joints on the pavement or on a treadmill. Wear reflector or bright clothing if you bike outside in the early mornings to make motorists aware of your presence. You can shoot for overall mileage when you bike or to complete your ride a certain amount of time.

    Swimming

    • Swimming is a total-body aerobic exercise that can burn plenty of calories and fat storage within your body in the mornings. Swimming uses a plethora of muscles including your core, shoulders, arms, gluteus muscles, hamstrings and quadriceps. You can gain plenty of benefits from incorporating swimming into your early morning routine at least once a week if it is an option available to you.

    Elliptical

    • The elliptical machine mimics walking, jogging, running, cross country skiing and stair climbing. The machine allows people with injuries or issues pertaining to knees, hips or back to experience little to no pain when exercising because the machine incurs little impact on the joints. You can use the elliptical to perform cardio in the morning if you are a person with aggravated joint pain. Attempt to train three to four times a week for 30 to 45 minutes.