Heart and Lungs

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sbarrett7171
sbarrett7171 Posts: 65 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
A few years ago I read a very interesting theory about the cardiovascular system. It went something like this:


The heart and lungs cannot be strengthened. They are organs not muscles so they either work or they don't. They do not get larger and stronger because of excercise like other muscles. The only reason that cadio performance improves is through the strengthening of your other body muscles and loss of weight. In effect, your heart and lungs have to work less because your other muscles get stronger rather than your heart and lungs actually strengthening due to exercise and conditioning.

So, following this theory, weight training is the most effective way to improve heart and lung function.......making your legs stronger and more enduring is the reason people can run farther.....not because you build up your heart and lungs.


Interesting. Thoughts?

Replies

  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
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    Your heart is an organ made of muscle. The contractions of cardiac muscle is what pushes blood through your body. Whoever gave you this info is a bit off.

    They may have a point that you can't strengthen lungs (although there are muscles involved in breathing). But, lung function does improve with cardiac conditioning.
  • cjjones007
    cjjones007 Posts: 602
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    I'd have to agree with the lung part - it is NOT a muscle, but yes they proved that the heart is a muscle so I think it technically can be improved upon... however; the vast majority of benefit is exactly how it was put... lol

    Just yet another reminder of how losing weight (cardio / resistance) and creating leaner, stronger muscles (resistance) can improve your health ;)
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    Don't agree at all. First, as others have pointed out, the heart is one big muscle. Second, your body has a complex cardiorespiratory system that requires conditioning just like muscles and even bones require conditioning/strengthening. While it may not work exactly the same way as strengthening a muscle, the system itself (which involves various parts of your body - lungs, heart, other muscles, etc.), does start working more efficiently with regular cardio exercise. Here's a great resource:

    http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/articles/cardiorespiratory-fitness.aspx
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    So, following this theory, weight training is the most effective way to improve heart and lung function.......making your legs stronger and more enduring is the reason people can run farther.....not because you build up your heart and lungs.

    Also, if this were true, then bodybuilders/professional lifters (or anyone with strong legs) should be able to run super fast - but I'm willing to be that most of those folks who focus on muscles and not cardio exercise couldn't run much better than the average joe (if not worse). Most of the long-distance professional runners are lean and are NOT significantly bulky when it comes to leg muscles - they're good runners because they've conditioned their cardiorespiratory system and built up the stamina for run for long distances - it's WAY more than just building up leg muscles.

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