Today’s topic is the second component of a complete fitness plan: CARDIO. Cardio is training that makes your heart more efficient. Since the heart is a muscle it can be conditioned and strengthened, making us healthier and creating a reserve before we get “winded”. Cardio training also helps in our breathing rhythm, can help your sleep, and has a side benefit of assisting in building muscular endurance.
There are many ways to get your cardio training, and many we don’t even call “exercise”! Depending on the intensity level, some house work/yard work, dancing, skating and other activities can have a cardio-vascular benefit (there, I said it!). So let’s talk about intensity. There are many formulas and calculators out there, including some like laboratory VO2 Max testing that get very complex. The most basic is that cardio work is generally done above 60% of your max heart rate over time-not just a minute or two. To figure our max heart rate, the rule of thumb is to subtract your age from 220. You then multiply this number by .6 to get a heart rate you should try to achieve to get basic cardio fitness. You then take your pulse either on your wrist or neck or you can buy an inexpensive heart rate monitor. (Shameless plug here-follow the links to Performance and Bike Nashbar to check some out!)
The other easy check for basic cardio training is the “talk test”. If you can carry on a conversation in short sentences you are at about the right level. You shouldn’t be gasping for air, but you also shouldn’t be able to read this post out loud non-stop!
This is basic low-intensity training. To benefit from any cardio training, you have to perform it 3-4 times a week, but the good news is you start seeing gains in 10-14 days in most cases, especially when starting out. Any activity counts toward that 3-4 times a week when done at enough intensity and long enough, so you don’t have to do just one sport or activity. That said, finding an activity you enjoy and can commit to really pays off. My Mom for example walked with friends to control her high blood pressure-for over 20 years! She successfully kept it in check and maintains a vibrant productive life. If you are just starting out, build up slowly-as we train our heart and lungs, we also have to make sure our joints and muscles can handle the new activity. After a long break from running, I started run/walking just a mile (humility training as well!) but within about 9 months was able to complete a half-marathon.
Later I will discuss specific types of training, like intervals, event training (say you are targeting a 5K/10K or century bike ride), and mixing cardio with muscular endurance training.
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