Cardiovascular conditioning
Cardiovascular conditioningConditioning Assignment: Cardiovascular Conditioning
Cardiovascular conditioning can be defined as the efficient transport and utilization of necessary oxygen and nutrients to the tissues of the body. The cardiovascular system needs to be well conditioned to enable the body to deliver adequate oxygenated blood and nutrients to the working muscles, in addition to improving the muscles� capacity to use extra oxygen. Cardiovascular training is the most important style of training both for general health and for overall athletic performance.
One of the major systems of the body, which is effected by cardiovascular conditioning, is the circulatory system. With proper exercise the heart becomes stronger and is able to use energy more efficiently. Blood pressure will lower because the heart muscle does not have to work as hard to pump the blood. The heart will beat fewer times per minute while it is at rest, but it will be able to deliver a greater amount of blood with each stroke as a result of adequate conditioning. Conditioning has other benefits to cardiovascular fitness as well. It will increase oxygenation of the blood due to the fact that while exercising deep breathing increases the blood flow to the lungs. Under a well-planned conditioning program conditioning can help to decrease cholesterol and the incidents of deadly heart disease. Individuals who exercise regularly have a lower rate of heart attacks than individuals who do not participate in an exercise program. One of the most important aspects of conditioning for the heart is the warm-up. Warming-up before intense exercise gradually increases the heart rate and prevents abnormal heart rhythms. Sudden extreme exercise can cause the heart to demand more oxygen than the circulatory system can provide, resulting in strain on the heart muscle. Warming-up will help to prevent heart attacks that result from abnormal heart rhythms.
During the first one or two minutes of exercise, before the heart has pumped enough oxygenated blood to the working muscles, the muscles are powered by anaerobic energy. In order for these muscles to continue exercise, the body must supply them with continuous supply of oxygen, the more efficiently this is done, the better the cardiovascular fitness level. During cardiovascular conditioning, a program such as interval training can help to relieve some of the discomfort of anaerobic exercise, increasing muscular endurance. Interval training is a good method for competitive runners in which usual aerobic training is mixed with several repetitions of faster running. Not only does this program increase muscular endurance, it also helps to increase the temperature of the muscles. The higher the temperature of the muscle cells, the faster they are able to metabolize oxygen and fuel they need. Cardiovascular helps to increase muscle mass, and as muscle mass increases more fat cells are burned. Nerve stimulus to the muscles also becomes more efficient through exercise.
With proper training, the body�s usage of oxygen can be improved by up to twenty-five percent. Cardiovascular endurance is best improved by training with the right balance of intensity, duration, and frequency. The right intensity is determined by monitoring training pulse. Once exercise is finished the pulse should be taken immediately. An adequate beginner�s rate is 120-130 beats per minute; intermediate (after 3-6 weeks of training) 130-140 beats per minute; and conditioned athletes should have a training pulse of 160 or higher. If training pulse is too high the athlete should slow the pace to get the best benefits of the training. The duration of training is determined by monitoring the recovery pulse rate. After a heavy cardiovascular workout, the athlete should wait two minutes and take the pulse, if the duration is appropriate it should have dropped approximately twenty-five to thirty percent of the training pulse. If it doesn�t recover quickly the duration is too long and the time of exercise should be decreased. The frequency of a workout should be a combination of heavy and light exercise. Three times per week (every other day) the athlete should exercise at the highest training pulse. On the other two to three days in between, the intensity should be the same or somewhat easier, but the duration should be one-third to one-half of what it is on heavier days. The easier pace and shorter distance on lighter days helps to clean out work waste products that are produced in the tissues on previous heavy training days. Even the most dedicated athlete should take one day off per week to rest.
One of the best ways to test your level of cardiovascular fitness is to ask yourself how much oxygen you use per minute. The more oxygen used per minute the better condition you�re in (Max VO2). This simply means that if the heart and lungs can supply a large amount of oxygen to the tissues the body is able to go farther, and faster, before fatigue sets in. It is important to take into consideration some key things before you design your conditioning program: your current fitness level, what you hope to achieve, how much time you are willing to spend, what health risks do you have, and how motivated are you to begin your program.
A good program for beginners is the walk-jog routine. If you have not been exercising regularly or are recovering from an injury, this is a gradual, progressive program. To begin with walk one hundred paces, and then jog one hundred paces, alternating for ten minutes each day. Gradually walk ten fewer paces and jog ten more, continue on with this pattern until you are jogging for ten minutes straight. Once you have achieved this you can increase your jogging speed until it is within training range.
As mentioned before, warming up before beginning your conditioning is very important. Brisk walking, light jogging, or riding a stationary bike are good way to gradually increase blood flow to the muscles. Usually a good sign that your muscles are becoming warm and loose is that you will begin to sweat, letting you know your body is warming up.
There are a number of different pieces of exercise equipment that can assist you with your conditioning program, though it is important to be sure that the equipment will be used. It cannot work if it is not put to use. The most common training aids are stationary bikes, rowing machines, and treadmills. Stationary bikes are excellent for cardiovascular fitness, and also for strengthening the leg muscles. Biking is a good idea since it is easy on the body, and is less jarring on the body than something such as running is. The problem with using a stationary bike is that it is easy to get bored and become strayed from your exercise program. There are also certain injuries that may be associated with bike riding such as tendinitis in the knee, nerve compressions from pressure on the seat, and back problems. To incorporate cycling into your conditioning program, for minimal cardiovascular training it should be done three times per week, for at least 30 minutes. Ideally your speed should be at around 90 RPMs with a resistance that will keep your heart in the target zone. Although if you are just starting out, take it slow, you must build up your endurance before overloading yourself.
Treadmills are another piece of equipment that may be utilized. They are excellent for people who would like to run, but do not have the opportunity to run outside. They also decrease shock to your legs and back, and will help you keep an even pace. The disadvantage to a treadmill is that there is the tendency for people to not vary the elevation, and ignore the interval training aspect of a conditioning program, which is important.
Another common item of equipment is the rowing machine. They are good for both aerobic and anaerobic training, and provide excellent workouts to both upper and lower body, and can also help with strength training and endurance. The problem with rowing machines is that there is a higher incidence of back injury attempt to begin a program with a rowing machine before they have the proper flexibility and coordination, people do not pay attention to the proper technique. The most important thing to remember when starting on a rowing machine is to make sure you use proper technique, and start slowly. You can begin your training program with a moderate resistance, and go for a two-minute workout with a two-minute break, repeating for six minutes. Keep increasing by two to four minutes each week until you have built up to thirty minutes, three times per week.
Something that can turn into a serious problem with cardiovascular training is overtraining. For an athlete who is successful in their sport who continues to build strength and endurance they feel there is no limit to their training and conditioning. This of course, is not the case. Overtraining is not only harmful, it is self-defeating as well. There is a good chance of experiencing internal fatigue, this in turn can lead to sports injuries, especially stress-related injuries. Overtraining may leave the athlete constantly tired, negatively affecting their performance. Being constantly tired and not being able to match the past performance achieved, or not being able to experience performance improvement can lead to depression.
Obviously cardiovascular fitness is very important. The cardiovascular system of our body is extremely vital and helps to fuel other systems such as the muscular system as well. By conditioning, for an average person, they are decreasing their risk of heart disease and stroke, and are also building up their strength and endurance as well. For an athlete, cardiovascular conditioning helps them to build their endurance and speed, and helps them to utilize the oxygen they need more efficiently. It is important to have that base of cardiovascular fitness, so that other forms of training, such as strength training, are more effective.