Cardiovascular Training
What is cardiovascular training?
Cardiovascular training (CV) includes any aerobic activity that takes your heart rate above your resting levels. It will help to improve the following:
- Efficiency of the heart and the amount of blood pumped around the body
- Efficiency of the lungs
- Weight control
- Body fat
- Greater positive feeling
It is very important that everyone undertakes a certain amount of CV exercise each week, in fact the ACSM recommends that we take aerobic exercise on at least three to five days a week and for 30 to 45 minutes per session. For most of us, the intensity level needs to be at least 60 percent of our Maximum Heart Rate, so that we are exercising quite a bit above the levels at which we conduct our everyday lives.
What types of activity can you do?
CV training can involve a large variety of activities, including, fast walking, cycling, swimming, running, rowing, skiing, stepping machines and cross-training machines. Make sure you choose activities that you like doing; there is nothing worse than ‘forcing’ yourself to do activities you hate! Additionally, our bodies respond well to a variety of activities, so it is important to not always undertake the same activity; it’s also less boring! Two key methods that I use within most programs are:
- Steady State: where the heart rate remains fairly constant throughout the activity, sometimes called LSD training. This type of training will burn fat if carried out at the right level and can be ideal for very new exercisers.
- Variable: where the heart rate varies during the workout, interval training is an example of this. The heart rate peaks and troughs during the activity, thereby allowing us to train at a higher level than at a steady state. This type of training will also burn more fat over the same time than steady state training.
Additionally, at more elite levels where sports performance or a high level of fitness is important, we might undertake more advanced techniques, including:
- Lactate Threshold: this is training at a much higher level for short periods of time, either interval or steady state. This type of training can increase the body’s tolerance to and disipation of lactate.
- Plyometrics: this helps to improve power using short ballistic movements such as jumping. It is used a lot in many sports, including football, rugby and running.
- SAQ: this improves footwork and some upper body movements using various equipment. It helps develop faster reaction times, more agile movements and increased speed.
Recommended Reading
- Ultra Fit Magazine
- This magazine is for men and women and covers a variety of subjects on health and fitness. The coverage and advice appears to be sound and will give your more detailed information on training methods as well as diet and nutrition, products and clothing. You can subscribe to Ultra Fit Magazine from their website or order a copy from your local newsagent.
- Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning
- by Thomas Baechle and Roger Earle
- This book is the essential text for a variety of training methods, including RT, physiology and assessment. This book is the standard reference for most personal trainers and you can purchase Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning at Amazon.
