Bob's Lessons: Basic Cardio Conditioning
OldAssDude
Posts: 1,436 Member
I have heard questions about how to be able to walk/jog/run/bike for longer, and that it seems like some people do it every day, and do not seem to get to the next level.
I was a Master Fitness Trainer in the Army back in the 80's, and although the title may sound important, all it means is that I scored high enough on the Army PT test, and went through a 4 week course in basic fitness, and very basic nutrition.
Anyway, I would like to share my basic knowledge and attempt to explain the basics of moving to the next level as far as cardio goes.
FIRST... always check with your doctor to make sure you can do cardio, and what level he or she feels you should do.
To increase your cardiorespiratory capacity, you must achieve what is called a "training effect" which is basically the same thing, and there are a few things you need to know about how to achieve a training effect.
First, you must figure out your "target heart rate" (THR). This is more of a range that you want to keep your heart rate while doing the cardio activity in beats per minute (BPM). There are also different zones depending on your fitness level, and you can start off with the lower zones and work your way up to the higher ones.
In order to figure all this out you will need to know what your "maximum heart rate" (MHR) is, and to do that you simply need to minus your age from 220. For example, I am 57, so my MHR is 163 (220 - 57 = 163).
Now that we have that figured out, lets break it down into different zones that we can work out at. A zone is a range of percent of your MHR that you want to work out at. Lets break it down into 5 zones as follows...
Zone 1: 50 - 59 percent
Zone 2; 60 - 69 percent
Zone 3: 70 - 79 percent
Zone 4: 80 - 89 percent
Zone 5: 90 - 99 percent (100 percent would be your MHR)
Now lets put the actual numbers in, using my MHR of 163. To get the numbers multiply your MHR times the percent and divide by 100 (or just multiply moving the decimal point 2 places). So for me 50 percent would be 163 * .5 = 81.5 (rounded to 82). 59 percent would be 163 * .59 = 96.17 (rounded to 97). And so on...
Zone 1: 82 - 97 (more of a fat burn zone)
Zone 2: 98 - 113 (cardio zone for people who are at a poor to fair fitness level)
Zone 3: 114 - 129 (cardio zone for people who are in a fair to good fitness level)
Zone 4: 130 - 146 (cardio zone for people who are in a good to great fitness level)
Zone 5; 147 - 162 (athlete level zone (be very careful in this zone))
Ok, so now that we know about the zones and the heart rate stuff, how the heak is this going to get me to the next level?!?!? BOB!!!
Now comes the important part...
In order to achieve a "minimum" training effect in cardio, you "must" stay at your THR for a "minimum" of "20 minutes", and a "minimum" of "3 times per week". Please take note of "minimum". If you want to achieve a better training effect, you can increase the time and number of times to your liking, but you "must" do at least the "minimum' to get any noticeable training effect.
Any activity that can get your heart rate up and keep it up will work. Walking at a very fast pace, jogging, running, biking, swimming, aerobics, and the list goes on.
So, if you want to get to the next level, this is the way to do it, and you don't have to kill yourself doing it either. Start off at the minimum in zone 2, and slowly progress until you are comfortable before moving up. Push yourself a little, and over time you will start noticing the difference.
Some other tips are to warm up before exercise, and cool down after exercise. Warm up by rotating your joints, do a few jumping jacks, slightly stretch the muscles you are going to be using. Cool down by slowly coming to a stop and not just stopping abruptly. Your heart may be struggling to get the blood back from the muscle groups that you have been using. Once your heart rate comes down some, focus on your stretching more than you did on the warm up. Your muscles heat up during workouts, and warm muscles stretch better, and you can achieve better flexibility and range of motion from this.
Finally... You can do it. Don't overwhelm yourself, and do it gradually, and you "will" notice the difference.
This is only from my very basic knowledge, but I hope it will be helpful to some people who are just starting out.
I was a Master Fitness Trainer in the Army back in the 80's, and although the title may sound important, all it means is that I scored high enough on the Army PT test, and went through a 4 week course in basic fitness, and very basic nutrition.
Anyway, I would like to share my basic knowledge and attempt to explain the basics of moving to the next level as far as cardio goes.
FIRST... always check with your doctor to make sure you can do cardio, and what level he or she feels you should do.
To increase your cardiorespiratory capacity, you must achieve what is called a "training effect" which is basically the same thing, and there are a few things you need to know about how to achieve a training effect.
First, you must figure out your "target heart rate" (THR). This is more of a range that you want to keep your heart rate while doing the cardio activity in beats per minute (BPM). There are also different zones depending on your fitness level, and you can start off with the lower zones and work your way up to the higher ones.
In order to figure all this out you will need to know what your "maximum heart rate" (MHR) is, and to do that you simply need to minus your age from 220. For example, I am 57, so my MHR is 163 (220 - 57 = 163).
Now that we have that figured out, lets break it down into different zones that we can work out at. A zone is a range of percent of your MHR that you want to work out at. Lets break it down into 5 zones as follows...
Zone 1: 50 - 59 percent
Zone 2; 60 - 69 percent
Zone 3: 70 - 79 percent
Zone 4: 80 - 89 percent
Zone 5: 90 - 99 percent (100 percent would be your MHR)
Now lets put the actual numbers in, using my MHR of 163. To get the numbers multiply your MHR times the percent and divide by 100 (or just multiply moving the decimal point 2 places). So for me 50 percent would be 163 * .5 = 81.5 (rounded to 82). 59 percent would be 163 * .59 = 96.17 (rounded to 97). And so on...
Zone 1: 82 - 97 (more of a fat burn zone)
Zone 2: 98 - 113 (cardio zone for people who are at a poor to fair fitness level)
Zone 3: 114 - 129 (cardio zone for people who are in a fair to good fitness level)
Zone 4: 130 - 146 (cardio zone for people who are in a good to great fitness level)
Zone 5; 147 - 162 (athlete level zone (be very careful in this zone))
Ok, so now that we know about the zones and the heart rate stuff, how the heak is this going to get me to the next level?!?!? BOB!!!
Now comes the important part...
In order to achieve a "minimum" training effect in cardio, you "must" stay at your THR for a "minimum" of "20 minutes", and a "minimum" of "3 times per week". Please take note of "minimum". If you want to achieve a better training effect, you can increase the time and number of times to your liking, but you "must" do at least the "minimum' to get any noticeable training effect.
Any activity that can get your heart rate up and keep it up will work. Walking at a very fast pace, jogging, running, biking, swimming, aerobics, and the list goes on.
So, if you want to get to the next level, this is the way to do it, and you don't have to kill yourself doing it either. Start off at the minimum in zone 2, and slowly progress until you are comfortable before moving up. Push yourself a little, and over time you will start noticing the difference.
Some other tips are to warm up before exercise, and cool down after exercise. Warm up by rotating your joints, do a few jumping jacks, slightly stretch the muscles you are going to be using. Cool down by slowly coming to a stop and not just stopping abruptly. Your heart may be struggling to get the blood back from the muscle groups that you have been using. Once your heart rate comes down some, focus on your stretching more than you did on the warm up. Your muscles heat up during workouts, and warm muscles stretch better, and you can achieve better flexibility and range of motion from this.
Finally... You can do it. Don't overwhelm yourself, and do it gradually, and you "will" notice the difference.
This is only from my very basic knowledge, but I hope it will be helpful to some people who are just starting out.
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Replies
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Thanks, the number guidelines are very helpful to me!0
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The problem is that if your fitness is excellent and/or you have a very low heart rate/BP (genetic) none of these numbers will apply to you.
My actual MHR is much lower than what the formula would predict. My RHR is really low too.
Riddle me that mister Master Fitness Trainer 35 Years Ago.
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I just swim. Sometimes harder, sometimes slower. When I wear out, I stop.
I also walk. When I'm too tired or hot/sweaty, I slow down.
I try to make this stuff as easy as it can be. I don't take my pulse or keep pushing until I vomit or worry about how many steps I took.
Does this make me a bad soldier? Do I lose my stripes or whatever?
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Wonderful share! Thank you for this information.0
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I was under the impression from lots of information that I've read that the target heart rate equation doesn't really work and one is best to take an "ability to talk" measure
Also that target workout zones had been debunked0 -
Also, and I'm really not picking I'm sorry...but what is your take on HIIT? I thought that was a great way to achieve cardiovascular fitness ?
The zones don't work for me ...I need to train around 145- 150 and peak at around 165 (during intervals) and I'm 48
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azulvioleta6 wrote: »The problem is that if your fitness is excellent and/or you have a very low heart rate/BP (genetic) none of these numbers will apply to you.
My actual MHR is much lower than what the formula would predict. My RHR is really low too.
Riddle me that mister Master Fitness Trainer 35 Years Ago.
There is another way in which you can use your resting heart rate (RHR) too.
220 - age - RHR * (the percentage) + RHR = THR. I didn't want to make it that complicated.
And you don't have to be mean. I'm just trying to help with some basic knowledge. I'm pretty sure I already pointed out that master fitness trainer means nothing, and that it was in the 80's.0 -
I just swim. Sometimes harder, sometimes slower. When I wear out, I stop.
I also walk. When I'm too tired or hot/sweaty, I slow down.
I try to make this stuff as easy as it can be. I don't take my pulse or keep pushing until I vomit or worry about how many steps I took.
Does this make me a bad soldier? Do I lose my stripes or whatever?
No it does not make you a bad soldier.
I started this thread for people who want to increase their cardio capacity, and are having trouble figuring out why. If you do not intend to, that's fine.0 -
Maybe the world doesn't revolve around outliers. I have quite a long list of ways in which the world could better accommodate my height, but I don't expect every store to start stocking a nice selection of 40" inseam pants and 39" sleeves, for example.azulvioleta6 wrote: »The problem is that if your fitness is excellent and/or you have a very low heart rate/BP (genetic) none of these numbers will apply to you.
My actual MHR is much lower than what the formula would predict. My RHR is really low too.
Riddle me that mister Master Fitness Trainer 35 Years Ago.
And if your fitness is excellent, the information about working up from a poor fitness level doesn't apply to you, anyway.
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azulvioleta6 wrote: »The problem is that if your fitness is excellent and/or you have a very low heart rate/BP (genetic) none of these numbers will apply to you.
My actual MHR is much lower than what the formula would predict. My RHR is really low too.
Riddle me that mister Master Fitness Trainer 35 Years Ago.
The 220 - age forumla for estimating MHR is very generic - in fact I would wager it is only generally accurate for a small minority of people (I believe it was initially derived from a study using young, trained athletes but for some reason has become an accepted standard for the general population.)
The best way to determine your MHR is through real life testing involving a stress test done under supervision or a DIY test or using data from recent races etc.0 -
I was under the impression from lots of information that I've read that the target heart rate equation doesn't really work and one is best to take an "ability to talk" measure
Also that target workout zones had been debunked
This is interesting, and I am wondering if that is one reason for soldiers singing cadence during the morning runs and marching. I've always had a theory that this can not only measure fitness level, but help with breathing during exercise and add value to the conditioning.0 -
Also, and I'm really not picking I'm sorry...but what is your take on HIIT? I thought that was a great way to achieve cardiovascular fitness ?
The zones don't work for me ...I need to train around 145- 150 and peak at around 165 (during intervals) and I'm 48
Never heard of this, but doing a quick search, it seems a little intense for the basics of what I am trying to share in this thread. It does seem good for more advanced fitness though.0 -
If you're starting out into fitness, general guidelines are very helpful. You don't start out knowing your body, your limits, what works and what doesn't - all that is gained from experience. You have to start somewhere and it's very helpful to know at least where to aim. If you're more experience and don't find the method helpful, that's okay because it's not meant for you anyway. Some people like myself tend to think I have to practically kill myself working so hard in order to make any progress. I push way too hard, burn out, and quit. Having a minimum number to just stay above helps me pace myself. Some others might need an extra push so they have an effective workout that isn't too easy, and knowing what number to push above is helpful.
General guidelines are general. That doesn't make them useless. It was great of the OP to write this up to help others.0 -
bcalvanese wrote: »I was under the impression from lots of information that I've read that the target heart rate equation doesn't really work and one is best to take an "ability to talk" measure
Also that target workout zones had been debunked
This is interesting, and I am wondering if that is one reason for soldiers singing cadence during the morning runs and marching. I've always had a theory that this can not only measure fitness level, but help with breathing during exercise and add value to the conditioning.
Yes, the "talk test" (or in the example you cited, the sing test!) helps to ensure that the person is working aerobically and improving their basic endurance rather than working too hard to target this improvement.
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Thanks to those who found this helpful in some way.0
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This. Most people haven't taken the time to build up a good aerobic base via lots and lots of mileage at zone 1 and 2. World class endurance athletes have incredibly high work output in those zones. Granted, this is probably only important to you if you are an endurance athlete or aspire to be. I worked for years at higher heart rates with very little improvement. Lower heart rates give you more time in diastole which allows more ventricular filling giving a stronger stimulus for hypertrophy and improvements in stroke volume. That results in higher cardiac output at lower heart rates and the ability to do greater work over time.
If you are an endurance athlete you want to be doing about 80% of your cardio training volume in zones 1 and 2. It's boring but effective and the upside for me personally is that I can be more consistent because i don't feel dead all the time compared to when I was always pushing myself to zone 4-5.0 -
This. Most people haven't taken the time to build up a good aerobic base via lots and lots of mileage at zone 1 and 2. World class endurance athletes have incredibly high work output in those zones. Granted, this is probably only important to you if you are an endurance athlete or aspire to be. I worked for years at higher heart rates with very little improvement. Lower heart rates give you more time in diastole which allows more ventricular filling giving a stronger stimulus for hypertrophy and improvements in stroke volume. That results in higher cardiac output at lower heart rates and the ability to do greater work over time.
If you are an endurance athlete you want to be doing about 80% of your cardio training volume in zones 1 and 2. It's boring but effective and the upside for me personally is that I can be more consistent because i don't feel dead all the time compared to when I was always pushing myself to zone 4-5.
This is a really good point, especially for those just starting out with walking (like me). I am up to almost an hour of walking at a fast pace in zone 1,2,3. I don't want to start jogging yet because I want to be at my healthy weight first to avoid impact injuries, and once I get to that point I will be at a good enough point cardio wise to start jogging again.0
This discussion has been closed.
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