Try These Heart-Healthy Activitiesbr Instead of ‘Standard’ Cardio.br It’s not surprising that those with an active lifestylebr enjoy benefits such as a healthier cardiovascular system,br better oxygen flow and lower blood pressure. .br Thankfully, you don’t have to participatebr in “standard” cardio fitness, like running, swimmingbr or cycling, to achieve these benefits. .br Here are six activities outside the cardio-normbr that will get your heart pumping just as fast. .br 1. Going for a brisk walk that's fastbr enough that it raises your heart rate, but slowbr enough that it's still easy on your joints.br 2. Doing high intensity household choresbr like mowing the lawn or shoveling snow.br 3. Adding “active commuting” to your day, suchbr as taking the stairs or walking to your destination. .br 4. Performing strength-building activities, suchbr as yoga or lifting weights, two days a week.br 5. Letting loose with fun activities like dancing,br hula-hooping or pickup basketball. .br 6.