Cardio

Cardiovascular exercise, also known as aerobic training, has many health benefits for the heart, lungs, and the rest of your body. When engaging in aerobic exercise, your heart rate increases to pump enough blood to the regions of your body that require more oxygen, like your muscles. Regular aerobic activity can have positive long-term adaptations, such as a stronger heart muscle to pump the blood to the parts of the body and more oxygen-carrying red blood cells. Ultimately, aerobic exercise allows for a more efficient nutrient delivery by the cardiovascular system and respiratory system due to a greater number of capillaries, both around the muscle fibres and the alveoli of the lungs. These adaptations can lower resting heart rate and lower blood pressure, which can benefit health.

FITT Principles

In order to see these adaptations, aerobic training follows the FITT principle:

  • Frequency – the number of training sessions each week, recommended 3 – 5
  • Intensity – the level of exertion based on a percent of your Heart Rate Max (HRmax), which can be estimated by using the equation: 220 – age. Intensity should start at approximately 55% HRmax, which is moderate to 85% HRmax , which is vigorous.
  • Time – refers to the length of time you are engaged in aerobic activity. The suggested time is 10 – 60 minutes where your heart rate is elevated to the 55 – 85% HRmax for the duration of the session.
  • Type – this will often be determined by availability and the preferences of the participant. Jogging, cycling, rowing, and cross-country skiing are a few examples.

Sessions

When integrating cardio into your whole-body resistance training session, we suggest that your aerobic exercise follows your resistance training and precedes the cool-down. In the early stages of training, your aerobic exercise may only be 10 – 20 minutes, but as you progress in weeks, you should increase to 20 – 30 minutes of cardio.

Suggested Activities

  • Brisk Walking/Jogging – outside, treadmill, or indoor track
  • Cycling – outside, stationary at the gym (upright or recumbent)
  • Elliptical/Stair climbers – at the gym
  • Rowing – at the gym

Continuous – moderate to vigorous-intensity maintained for the full duration of a session.

Intervals – 2 minutes at moderate intensity followed by 1 minute of vigorous-intensity repeated for the full duration of a session.

The above activities can be performed as a single aerobic training session with a 5 minute warm-up at low intensity (30-40% HRmax), usually with the same activity and continuing for 30 – 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity. Other aerobic activities include:

  • Aerobic Classes – online video at home or group classes
  • Sports – hockey, tennis, curling, skiing, squash, soccer, etc
  • Hiking – on trails, through the mall, or on the sidewalk
  • Swimming – in the pool or at the beach
  • Zumba – online videos at home, group classes, or at the Bell Aliant Center pool

Many aerobic activities can be a social activity with friends and/or family which can help us to stay active while increasing enjoyment.

Suggested weekly progression

  • Weeks 1 – 2 :
    • 3 sessions / week
    • 55 – 65% HRmax
    • 10 – 15 minutes
  • Weeks 3 – 4 :
    • 3 – 4 sessions / week
    • 60 – 70% HRmax
    • 15 – 20 minutes
  • Weeks 5 – 8 :
    • 3 – 4 sessions / week
    • 65 – 75% HRmax
    • 20 – 30 minutes
  • Weeks 9 – 12 :
    • 3 – 5 sessions / week
    • 75 – 85% HRmax
    • 25 – 30 minutes

Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults 18 – 64 is 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activity per week, in bouts of 10 minutes or more.

The above information was taken from:

Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology Manual (2018). Physical Activity Training For Health. Ottawa: ON.