Stamina and Longevity

Last night, I went to see a corporate 'fight night' event.  This is an event where, white collar (men and women) train to box at their gym and then get into the ring for 3 two minute rounds of boxing bouts.
There is dignity in just having the guts to get into the ring...no one is a loser here.  The training that goes into fighting is grueling, rigorous and demands the highest standards of cardiovascular training.  2 minutes in the ring can be the longest 2 minutes of your life.  The bell rings and your opponent comes out of his or her corner, ready to beat your brains out...and they don't even know you.   It's nothing personal; you're just 'IT'.  The heart rate soars during those 2 minutes and can go up to as much as 170bpm.  You'd better be in really good cardio condition for this sport. 
Did you know that the resting heart rate of a conditioned athlete is approximately 48bpm?  This is because they are heart healthy.  Your heart is the most important muscle in your entire body.  Forget the quads and biceps that most think are the target muscles to hit at the gym.  Your heart rules:  the better cardio-conditioned you are, the better your heart will pump that oxygenated red blood cell supply to your organs, muscles and bones...oh yeah - and the brain.   In the long run, you'll be smarter, stronger, faster and you'll most likely live longer.
And if you think you've got what it takes to go into the ring....you'll have more stamina.  You'll have your 'day in the sun'.
Here's Your Tip of the Day:  try jumping rope...it's great stuff for the heart.  Start off with a consecutive 2 minute round.  Take a 60 sec break and then get back to it.  Next round, jump for 5 minutes, then take another 60 sec break.  Keep increasing the length of time you can jump without resting.  Breathe naturally and think about dancing.  Rope jumping is like dance...it's rhythym and fun.
And when you think you can jump for at least 20 minutes straight, give me a call and you can come jump with me!
Have a great weekend!