Cardio Improvement Strategy
What is 'moderate' exercise? How much should I push myself? To know where you're going, you need to know where you are. The article below reveals the results:
"How To Determine The Right Exercise Intensity For You".
Here's a list of other ideas to Tone Up & Increase your Cardio.
How To Determine The Right Exercise Intensity For You
We’ve all heard the exercise guidelines that recommend we
participate in 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity 3-5 times per
week. That seems easy enough to implement. Or, does it? The duration and
frequency guidelines are very straight-forward and easily defined. But,
“moderate” intensity is often left to interpretation. So, how do we define
“moderate”?
First we
need to understand that the definition of moderate intensity can be completely
different from one individual to another. For example, a well-trained athlete
may be in the moderate zone when running 5 miles in 30 minutes. Yet, for a
novice exerciser who is very overweight, moderate means walking one mile in 30
minutes.
Don’t let
this confuse you. While the intensity level is very critical in the overall guideline,
fortunately it’s also fairly easily identified. The ACSM (American College of
Sports Medicine) defines moderate as an intensity of 40 percent to 60 percent
VO2 maximum. But, since most of us don’t know how to determine our VO2 maximum,
there are easier definitions to utilize.
You can
base VO2 loosely on your maximum target heart rate zone. A VO2 maximum of
40-60% equates to about 50 to 70 percent of maximum heart rate (MHR). And
determining your MHR and the corresponding percent zones is relatively simple.
Below is an easy calculation for determining your specific MHR and what 50-70
percent of equates to.
·
Take 220 and subtract your age. This equals your MHR.
(Example: For a 30 year old your MHR is 190)
·
Next to determine your low range of 50 percent, simply take
190 and multiply it times 50 percent. (Example: For a 30 year old this would
equal 95).
·
Finally, to determine your high range of 70 percent, simply
take 190 and multiply it times 70 percent. (Example: For a 30 year old this
would equal 133).
So, in this
example the 30 year-old would want to exercise in a heart rate range of
somewhere between 95 - 133 BPM. Keep in mind that this calculation is
age-related. It does not take into consideration your fitness level. So, it is
not completely accurate, but still a good guideline. For an even more accurate
(and more complicated) method for determining your training intensity range,
visit this link: http://www.workoutsforyou.com/intensity.htm
Also, some
medications can raise or lower your heart rate and change the heart’s response
to exercise. Beta-blockers are among those that alter the heart rate. This
means that people taking these types of prescriptions should probably use
another option for monitoring their intensity.
There are
some other very good ways to measure intensity for both people taking
medications or those just looking for a more convenient method. Two good
options are the Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) method and the Talk Test.
This takes
into account what the exerciser is perceiving in terms of exercise fatigue and
it correlates well with cardiorespiratory and metabolic factors like heart rate
and overall fatigue. The RPE scale starts with 0 and ends with 10. A rating of
0 equates to doing nothing, being at rest. A rating of 10 is equal to maximum
effort, working very, very hard. For moderate intensity, an exerciser should
strive for reaching somewhere between a 4-6, which the scale defines as a
somewhat hard to a hard effort.
A great way
to measure intensity (where appropriate), is utilizing both the RPE and Target
Heart Rate Zone. The exerciser should identify where they fall on the RPE scale
when their heart rate is between 50 – 70% maximum. This will allow them to
accurately use only the RPE scale for measuring intensity when it is not
feasible to determine their THR.
The final
method for measuring exercise intensity is the Talk Test. Like the RPE, the
talk test is subjective. The exerciser simply ensures that he works out at a
level where he can carry on a comfortable conversation. He should be able to
breathe comfortably during exercise. In simple terms, the exerciser would be
working out too hard if he has to take a breath between every word he says. On
the flip side, he would be exercising at too easy of an intensity if he could
sing several phrases of a song without breathing hard.
Now you
know how to define “moderate” and that means you don’t have any more excuses.
It’s time to get moving. Keep in mind that the ACSM guidelines are minimum
recommendations. For more significant health improvements and/or weight loss or
for more advanced exercises, consider increasing any part of the three
recommendations found in their guideline.
About the author: Lynn Bode is a certified personal trainer
specializing in Internet-based fitness programs. She founded Workouts For You,
which provides affordable online exercise programs that are custom designed for
each individual. Visit: http://www.workoutsforyou.com for a free sample workout and
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