Heart Health: Test Shows Climbers Live Longer
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 600,000 American citizens die from heart disease every year. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America and in most cases, it’s totally preventable.
But how can you tell if your heart is functioning correctly? How can you minimize the risk of cardiovascular disease and live a long, healthy life? Well, exercising regularly and eating healthier are definitely good options, but don’t forget to also do the Heart Health Test. This test can tell you in under a minute if your heart is in good shape or not. Keep reading to find out more.
1. What is the Heart Health Test?
There are many ways you can test the health of your heart, but one of the simplest ones involve climbing a flight of stairs. Yes, going up stairs quickly can reveal how well your heart works. Keep in mind that the biggest muscles in your body are in your legs. When you work these muscles at full capacity, they need a lot of blood filled with oxygen to keep up with the effort. This puts a heavy demand on your heart and tests it thoroughly in a safe and efficient manner.
2. How Is the Test Performed?
The stairs climb test is pretty self-explanatory. You just need to climb 3 or 4 flights of stairs in under a minute. Obviously, you’ll reach the top and breathe heavily, but this is what you need to do to find out how healthy your heart is. Strong, fit individuals can do this with little to no effort. This is a sign that their heart works well and can cope with high physical demands.
3. What if You Fail the Test?
Obviously, there might be people out there who are scared that they might fail the Heart Health Test. If this is your case too then don’t worry. It doesn’t mean that you’re going to die soon. The test merely shows you that your heart could use some regular training to get healthier and stronger.
If it takes you longer than 1 minute to climb a few flights of stairs then you should get more exercise every week. Ideally, you’d want to go to the gym more often, jog daily or sign up for a high-intensity interval training session. In just a few weeks, you can improve the health of your heart while also losing a few pounds of fat!
4. Try Rock Climbing for an Added Dose of Excitement
If you’re not afraid of heights then you should seriously consider joining a rock climbing class. These classes are held in every major city, they are 100% safe and they will help you improve your cardiovascular fitness while enjoying a generous dose of adrenaline. Climbing rocks is exciting, it stimulates your creativity, and you also get the chance to make a few new friends!
Now You Know How To Get In Shape Quickly!
Remember that the Heart Health Test is not designed to scare, but to make you responsible. If you performed well on the test, keep doing what you’re doing. If you struggled to climb the stairs, it’s not too late to improve your cardiovascular fitness, so start exercising as soon as possible.
If you decided to give rock climbing a try, you’re in good hands! Check out our article on what muscles are worked during rock climbing and you’ll know what to expect when you show up.
