The heart muscle is the most important muscle in your body. You could live without your biceps working, but it's not the same case when it comes to your heart. Many people who work out tend to avoid a consistent cardiorespiratory training program. A regular CR routine has numerous health benefits. In addition to burning calories and decreasing body fat, it strengthens your heart and lungs. Since heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, cardiorespiratory exercise is extremely important and should never be neglected.

Due to the typical American diet, which consists of large amounts of cholesterol and fried foods, many Americans have been diagnosed with high blood pressure. If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, you are in a high-risk category for heart disease. Regular cardiorespiratory exercise can decrease your blood pressure almost immediately.

Cardiorespiratory activity also has the ability to speed up your metabolic rate, meaning you utilize more calories with daily activities. This results in a decrease in body fat. The combination of decreased blood pressure and an increase in metabolic rate leads to other health benefits, such as a decrease in resting heart rate, which means your heart doesn't have to work as hard throughout the day. An additional benefit is your body is better able to use oxygen generated energy within the cells of your body, which then leads to an increase in performance in every part of your life. To sum up, the benefits of cardiorespiratory exercise include:

Decrease in blood pressure

Decrease in body fat

Decrease in resting heart rate

Increase in ability to utilize oxygen

Increase in performance

Psychotherapists, doctors, and exercise experts know that cardiorespiratory exercise has a positive effect on one's psychological well-being. Endorphins, a chemical produced by the body, are released during exercise and communicate with the brain. Endorphins enhance mood, relieve pain, reduce the stress response, and increase the immune system function. Basically, endorphins make you feel good! Other psychological benefits include:

Decrease in anxiety and stress levels

Increase in self-esteem

A renewed sense of value in your personal worth