Cardiovascular Fitness Basics

What is Cardiovascular Fitness?

Cardiovascular fitness can be defined simply as your body's ability to get oxygen and blood to the muscles. The slang term "wind" sums it up nicely.

• When you do physical activity and your pulse quickens and your breathing gets deeper, you are using your cardiovascular system.
• You can improve your cardiovascular system's efficiency through regular training.
• The short term used when referring to cardiovascular exercise is Cardio.

How much Cardio do I need?

There are a few simple guidelines you can follow when determining how much cardio work you should do. Basically, it all comes down to your goals.

• If you are trying to lose fat, you need to do more cardio than if you are trying to gain weight. For fat loss, three to five times per week at 20 to 40 minutes per session is plenty. Start conservatively if you are just starting training, e.g. three times per week, 20 minutes per session.
  
  
• If you are trying to gain weight, you will find that goal easier to achieve if you don't do any cardio at all, though you will still maintain health benefits without much effect on your weight gain if you do light cardio work twice a week for 20 minutes.

• For improving cardiovascular fitness in general, three or four times per week for 20 to 40 minutes per session (depending on your current level of fitness) will yield good results.

Which Type of Cardio Should I Do?

Cardiovascular training, no matter what the exercise, is categorized based on duration and intensity. When you are choosing which type of cardio to do, keep your goals in mind.

• If your goal is to improve your general cardiovascular fitness, do moderate intensity work where you are starting to breathe deeply and you can feel that you are working..
• If your goal is fat loss but you're in poor shape, do low intensity, long duration work such as walking.
• If you want fat loss and you're in reasonably good cardiovascular shape, do the type that burns the most calories, i.e. high-intensity training (explained in detail below).

Maximum Heart Rate

• Your maximum heart rate (HR max) is the theoretical number of beats per minute that your heart is capable of producing.
  
  
• This is found by subtracting your age from 220, e.g. if you're 40 years old,
  220 - 40 = 180 HR max.
  
  
• This is simply an estimation, not an absolute limit.

• To measure aerobic exercise intensity, percentage of HR max (%HR max) is often used. If you want to exercise at 60% of your HR max, your heart rate should be, using the example above, around 108 beats per minute.
  
  
• Your heart rate is your guide for cardiovascular exercise intensity.

Target Heart Rate

Your Target Heart Rate is the range of heart beats per minute at which you should work at in order to best achieve aerobic fitness. This range is typically between 60% to 80% of your HR max. The bottom end of the scale is best for low intensity training while the top end is for high intensity training.

Taking Your Heart Rate

The first is on the inside of the wrist below your thumb. Use your forefinger and middle finger to feel the pulse (this is known as palpation). The second site is on the carotid artery on the neck (either side). Place your fingers on the side of your windpipe, just below the jaw. Count the beats for 10 seconds then multiply by six to get beats per minute. This count can last for 10 seconds, 15 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds or a full minute. Multiply by 6, 4, 3, and 2 respectively to get beats per minute.

An electronic heart rate monitor that is strapped to your chest or on a watch can also be used to keep track of your heart rate (the chest strap style is usually more accurate, being much closer to your heart). There are also some cardio machines that have touch sensitive pads on the handlebars that can take your pulse by counting the electrical signals of your heart beat. Make sure the pads are clean and dry and grip them firmly.

The Low Intensity = Fat Loss Myth

It is a myth that low intensity is best for fat loss just because more fat is burned for fuel as a percentage of the total calories burned. Low Intensity (L.I. for short) burns about 50% fat for fuel while High Intensity (H.I.) burns about 40%. This is not a big difference. Say, for example, you burn 100 calories in 20 minutes of L.I. work compared to 160 calories in 10 minutes of HI work, you've still burned more total fat doing HI.

Low Intensity 100 calories x 50% = 50 calories High Intensity 160 calories x 40% = 64 calories

• High intensity training will also boost your metabolism long AFTER the workout is done. This does not happen with low intensity training. High Intensity training is a powerful fat loss tool, but should only be used by trainers who already have a good level of fitness.

The basic idea when you're trying to lose fat is to create a caloric deficit. The type of training does not matter so much as creating that deficit. High Intensity training just creates the deficit more efficiently than Low Intensity training.

Aerobic vs. Anaerobic

Aerobic literally means with oxygen while anaerobic means without oxygen.

The Aerobic training zone is the training intensity where you are burning fuel with oxygen. The Anaerobic training zone is the training intensity where you are burning fuel without oxygen.

The Anaerobic Threshold is the point at which the aerobic, oxygen-burning system can no longer supply enough energy to meet the demands of the exercise and you begin to produce lactic acid. Once over 85% HR max, you will not last longer than a few minutes unless you decrease the intensity. High caliber endurance athletes can feel the point where they are about to cross their Anaerobic Threshold and can operate for long periods of time just below it.

Cardio and Weight Training

The best way to incorporate cardio into your training is to do it in a completely different session then your weight training. If you plan on doing both weights and cardio in the same session, do the weights first. There are two major reasons for this:

• First, doing cardio before weights will pre-fatigue your muscles, limiting your weight training. Doing cardio after weights will not.
• Second, weight training will serve as a sort of pre-exhaust for cardio; lowering your blood sugar and allowing you to burn fat immediately after you start cardio. If you do cardio first, it will take about 20 minutes before you really start to burn fat

Types of Cardiovascular Training
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There are a number of types of cardiovascular training which can help you meet your fitness goals. Each has it's own advantages and disadvantages. Some types of training are better for advanced trainers while some are more appropriate for beginning trainers.

1. Low Intensity, Long Duration

This type of training involves intensities of around 40 to 60% of Maximum Heart Rate. It is basically something slow, easy, continuous and long (over 40 minutes). This can be walking, cycling, jogging, etc. You should be able to converse comfortably while doing it (called the talk test). This type of training is good for people just getting started with cardio work. It is reasonably good for fat loss, especially in very obese people. It is also the least demanding form of aerobic training.

2. Medium Intensity, Medium Duration

• This involves aerobic work done at around 70% of max HR.
• It is harder, therefore it cannot be done for as long, usually between 20 to 40 minutes.
• This is the next step up from the low intensity work.
• This type of training can be used for fat loss and for increasing aerobic capacity.
• It is characterized by the beginning of heavy breathing but not so much that you are soon out of breath and must stop.

3. High Intensity, Short Duration

This version of aerobic work is done at around 80 to 85% of HR max. That point, at 85% of your HR max, is generally considered to be the Anaerobic Threshold, though this can vary depending on genetics and fitness level. This is a very demanding form of training. It is done for between 5 to 20 minutes generally, depending on fitness level and intensity.

4. Aerobic Interval Training

• The first way of doing aerobic interval training involves doing a period of moderate to high intensity aerobic work, alternating with a period of rest of low intensity work, e.g. 3 minutes of fast running then 1 minute of slow walking, repeated 4 times.
• You can vary the intervals and intensities to your liking, e.g. 10 minutes of moderate work, 2 minutes easy, 1 minute hard, or perhaps 5 minutes hard, 5 minutes easy.
• The key is variation during the work while not working so hard that you must stop completely.

5. Anaerobic Interval Training

• This type of training involves going hard for short periods of time then resting for equal or longer periods of time.
• It is done at intensities of 85 to 100% of your HR max.
• Here is an example of how it works: sprint as hard as you can for 30 seconds, walk for 30 seconds, sprint 30 seconds, walk 30 seconds, etc. Repeat 3 to 6 times depending on fitness level.

6. Fartlek Training

• Translated from Swedish, this means speed play.
• Basically, you mix up all of the above types of training together into one session. You might run for 10 minutes, sprint for 30 seconds, walk for 2 minutes, run fast for 2 minutes, jog slowly for 5 minutes then sprint again.
• It is a good way to work through the entire intensity spectrum as well as to prevent boredom.

7. Circuit Training

Circuit training is basically aerobic weight training. Set up a number of stations with a variety of exercises that work the entire body, e.g. bench, curls, pulldowns, leg curls, etc. Use a fairly light weight that you can lift without going to failure for a preset period of time. You will do each exercise continuously for a specified time interval, e.g. 1 minute at each station and go through the cycle 1 to 3 times. You can mix in treadmill work, skipping, cycling, etc. to add variety. It is a reasonably good way to do aerobic work and weight training work at the same time. It also has the advantage of working the entire body instead of just the legs as most forms of aerobic training do.

The following is a short list of the most common forms of cardiovascular exercise, with the advantages and disadvantages of each one. This is by no means a definitive list. If you do something that's not on the list and it works for you, keep doing it.

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1. Walking

Walking is probably the most common form of cardio. People all over the world do it everyday.

It is very low-impact and can be done for hours on end, making it perfect for low-intensity, long-duration aerobic training. Fast walking can even get your heart-rate up into the aerobic training zone (70%) if you really push it or walk up hills. This is the form of cardio most often recommended for beginning exercisers, as it is very easy and not stressful to the body at all. Walking shoes can be a good idea if you plan on walking a lot. If you use hand weights while you are walking, be aware that studies have shown no difference in calories burned, strength or bodyfat as compared to people who did not use hand weights.

2. Running/Jogging

This is classic cardio and probably the first thing people think of when they think of getting in shape. Running can be done on the road, on a track, on a treadmill, through the woods, etc. All you need is a pair of shoes. Running is a very natural activity, one that the body was built to do. Running is also very effective at reducing hip size. It is a very high-impact activity though, and very overweight people would be better off with something less jarring such as fast walking, cycling or swimming. As with anything, start off slowly and gradually work up your speed and distance until you get where you want to be. Running can also be a very social activity if you have a running partner or join a running club.

Performance Tips

• Be careful when running down hills, as the impact is much greater. Overuse injuries due to excessive running are often caused by running downhill.
• Ensure your foot is landing straight and is not splaying out to the side or inward.
• If you get abdominal cramps while running you have a few options: stop and let it fade, stretch it out a little while running, massage the area, press on the area with your fingers or use your fist and punch the spot lightly. Cramps are caused by localized circulation difficulties. These strategies will help increase the circulation.
• Get good shoes.
• Allow your torso to rotate when striding. This will lengthen your stride and tighten up your waist as a bonus.
• Keep your body erect and do not allow yourself to hunch over.
• Don't bounce up too high when running. The goal is forward motion, not excessive up and down motion.
• Don't run in areas where air pollution is bad. Running gets air into the really deep passages of your lungs. You don't want to saturate those areas with pollution.

3. Aerobic Dance Classes

The aerobic dance class is what likely pops into your head when you think of aerobic exercise.

• These classes can be very effective for cardio training.
• Be sure you are being taught by a qualified instructor.
• There are also many excellent videos out so you can exercise in the privacy of your own home instead of going to a class.
• For many people, the social component of aerobic classes is what keeps them coming back.
• If you have no rhythm, however, this may not be for you as you may get frustrated.
• You can buy aerobic shoes or simply use ordinary running shoes (make sure they have good padding and ankle support).

Types of Aerobics Classes

There are a few different basic types of aerobics: low-impact, high-impact, step and water.

• Low-impact aerobics classes always keep one foot on the ground. There is no jumping or pounding to hurt joints. This is a good thing for anybody but especially for those who have a lot of excess weight and can't or shouldn't jump around.
• High-impact aerobics involve some jumping movements and are appropriate for more advanced exercisers than beginners.
• Step aerobics are done on a raised platform (adjustable) using a variety of moves designed to take advantage of the stepping-up movement. Step aerobics can be low-impact or high-impact.
• Water aerobics are simply aerobics done in the water. They are very low-impact and, due to the buoyancy of the water, are very good for overweight people. It is not necessary to know how to swim to do water aerobics as they are usually done in waist-high water.

A recent innovation in aerobics is to include various marital arts or boxing moves into the mix, e.g. punching, kicking, etc. The popular Tae Bo™ videos are an example of this style. They give you the benefits of an aerobic workout plus some knowledge of self-defense.

4. Sprinting

Run as fast as you can. This type of cardio is suited to interval training and is generally not appropriate for beginners.

Explode with as much power as you can, keeping your stride length as long as possible. Kick your heels up behind you and stretch forward with your feet before you plant them. You should lean forward somewhat as you sprint to keep your center of gravity slightly unbalanced in the forward direction. Stay on the balls of your feet for the first few seconds of acceleration then stretch it out and plant with your heels. Your arms should be pumping powerfully and your head should stay looking straight forward. You can try finishing longer runs with a sprint at the end, just to finish strong or test your willpower or just to beat your running partner.

5. Swimming

Swimming is usually done in a pool (it can also be done in a lake or ocean as well). Lessons are always available at most swimming pools if you don't know how to swim.

• Swimming is a great total body workout that is completely non-impact.
• It is perfect for very overweight people, injured people and paraplegic people.
• Swimming can be done as long-duration, low-intensity exercise or as high-intensity, short-duration exercise.
• It is also a very useful skill to have.

Equipment

• A good pair of goggles is a must. They will allow you to train longer without burning your eyes out from chlorine or salt.
• For extra resistance, try wearing a shirt when you swim. When you swim without the shirt, you will feel like greased lightning.
• One of the great things about swimming is that it can be done arms-only if you have a leg injury and want to maintain your cardiovascular fitness.

Drawbacks

Swimming does have a few disadvantages, though.

• First, it is not particularly convenient if you don't own a pool or live near water. It's not like walking where you can walk out of your house and just do it.
• For maximum effectiveness you have to know how to swim, which can take a long time to learn properly.
• It is also a non-weight bearing activity and will not contribute to bone density, as other weight-bearing exercises such as running will.
• As well, swimmers tend to carry more of their bodyfat subcutaneously (under the skin). This is the body's reaction to training in water. Because you are constantly losing heat to the water, the body will try to protect against this by increasing the insulation near the skin (fat). If you are trying to get very lean, regular swimming is not the way to go, though it is okay for occasional use.

6. Road Biking and Mountain Biking

Cycling is becoming more and more popular due to its convenience, enjoyability and value as an exercise. The only downside is that it does require specialized equipment (a bike). Always wear a helmet when cycling to reduce the risk of head injury. Mountain biking is a great way to get some exercise and get out of the city at the same time. It is faster then hiking and can go where trucks cannot. It is a non-impact activity (unless you wipe out) and is very easy to monitor intensity.

Performance Tips

• Try to keep your pedaling cadence (r.p.m.'s) high, especially on hills. This will reduce the amount of force you need to exert.
• Make sure your tires are properly inflated. If they are too soft, you will have to work harder.
• Be very careful when cycling around vehicles. They aren't always looking for you.
• Standing up in the seat can give you extra pushing power by adding your bodyweight to the downward stroke of the pedal. This is especially useful on steep hills.

7. Rollerblading

Roller blading is exactly like skating on ice without the ice.

It is also known as in-line skating because the four wheels are in a row instead of at the corners like in traditional roller skates. This exercise is great for the lower body and is fun and convenient. The advantage of this over skating is the ability to go up hills. You can't do this on ice. Uphill rollerblading is great exercise. Be sure to wear protective equipment. You may find your lower back limiting you in this type of exercise. Be sure to stretch it out and take breaks when you need to. Rollerblading lends itself to all types of aerobic training and is very low-impact. The downside of blading may be your skating ability but it is fairly easy to learn how to do it enough to get a good workout.

8. Cross-Country Skiing

This is one of the best all-around aerobic exercises there is.

• Every major muscle group in the body is involved in cross-country skiing.
• The only limitations are snow, equipment and skill.
• It is a very smooth motion with no impact at all and is appropriate for all levels of conditioning.
• Skiing is more suited to long-duration aerobic activity.
  

There are many machines specifically designed for cardiovascular work. These machines usually mimic a non-machine activity such as running (the treadmill) or skiing (the Nordic Trak ski machine). Each works the body differently and has its pros and cons with regards to size, price, workout efficiency and skill required. Find out which one is right for you!

Treadmills Stair Machines Stationary Bikes Miscellaneous Equipment and Notes

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Treadmills

Treadmills are used for stationary walking or running and come in either motorized of self-powered models.

Treadmills have been shown to burn the most calories when compared to other machines at similar intensities. They are very versatile. You can go fast or slow, flat or incline and sometimes decline. Treadmills also keep you at the same pace. This is useful for trainers who have a tendency to slow down as they tire. A motorized treadmill will keep you honest! Most have some sort of electronic monitoring readout on the front as well as preprogrammed routines (e.g. interval training, hills, fat loss, etc.). These are useful for watching time and intensity as well as for varying your workouts. All in all, the treadmill is an excellent machine to do cardio work on.

The Problem With the Treadmill

The motorized treadmill does have a biomechanical problem to it, though, that is not immediately obvious.

Since the tread goes backwards by itself, there is no forward-pushing force needed from the muscles, unlike ground walking where if you don't push forward, you don't go anywhere. Much of the work done on a treadmill is done when you bring your leg forward. This can overwork your hip flexors and underwork your glutes. Many runners find that if they train too much on a treadmill, their hip flexors become very tight and can cramp up on long runs on regular ground. Their hip flexors may also become very strong and well developed at the expense of their quads of glutes.

The Solution

There are several ways you can remedy this problem.

• Consciously push back against the track as you walk or run, as though constantly trying to accelerate. Do not just passively allow the track to bring your leg backwards - push yourself forward. This alleviates the problem and has the added bonus of burning more calories by using more muscle mass.
  
  
• Avoid exercises that overstress the hip flexors. As well, sitting all day can aggravate tight hip flexors by putting them in a shortened position all day.
  
  
• Be sure to stretch your hip flexors after every treadmill session.

Buying A Treadmill

There are a number of things you should look for when you are buying a treadmill.

• Look for high continuous horsepower not peak horsepower. This will maximize long-term use.
  
  
• You should look for a treadmill with some give in the deck to cushion your body when you run. This will reduce the impact on your body.
  
  
• Another good feature to have is a reversible deck (the actual tread of the treadmill where you walk or run on). This will save money as once one side wears out, you can just change the side.
  
  
• An emergency stop button is also a very good feature. Some treadmills have clips that you attach to yourself that trigger an emergency stop if they get tugged too far (e.g. when you are slipping off the back or if you fall).
  
  
• If you wish to buy a foldable unit, be aware that they sacrifice stability for this feature.

Treadmill Safety Guidelines

Stand on the sides, not the belt when you start the machine. Gauge the speed before stepping on. Hold the handrails when you first get on. Take a few moments to get used to the treadmill feel. Always look forward, never behind or to the sides. This throws your balance off. Hold the rail if you must talk. If you lose your balance, grab the rails and step off to the side. Change your speed gradually. When you hit the “Stop” button, keep walking until it actually stops. There is a few seconds lag time. Try to stay in the center of the belt. Make sure your shoelaces are tied. Don’t lean on the rails. Use them for balance only.