Free Samples For Members Only INTRODUCTION CONTINUOUS TRAINING IMPORTANCE OF CARDIOVASCULAR TRAINING INTERVAL TRAINING CARDIOVASCULAR TRAINING  METHODS COMPOSITE TRAINING   more....

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  More For Members

	BODY TYPES AND ACCEPTANCE
			MEASURING PROGRESS
	SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
			MONITORING HEART RATE
	HEART ZONE TRAINING
			IMPORTANCE OF COMBINING STRENGTH , FLEXIBILITY, AND GOOD NUTRITION WITH YOUR CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE PROGRAM.
	WARMING UP AND STRETCHING
			COOLING DOWN
	FREQUENCY OF EXERCISE
			DURATION OF EXERCISE
	INTENSITY OF EXERCISE
			Recommendations for Exercise in Pregnancy and Postpartum
	Contraindications to Exercise

 

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INTRODUCTION

In the cardiovascular exercise component, you will find information on :

1. The benefits of cardiovascular exercise.

2. The Principles and guidelines for:

   Warming-up, stretching, and cooling-down to assure safety and effective.

3. How many days per week you should exercise.

4. How long each exercise session should last for maximum benefits

5. How to monitor your training intensity.

6. The five different training zones and how to identify the best zone for achieving your goal.

7. How to overcome plateaus by using different training techniques that affective boredom and produce new results.

8. Guidelines for determining an activities potential for generating cardiovascular benefits.

9. How to combine strength training, flexibility training, and good nutrition into cardiovascular exercise program.

10. Ways to stay motivated.

11. Your body type, what results you can expect.

12. The best ways to measure progress.

13. The precautions you should follow to assure safety.

 

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 IMPORTANCE OF CARDIOVASCULAR TRAINING

Women Fitness (WF) believes that the kind of body a women desire is completely in her hands. As the old cell die and the new ones replace them, the new cells are totally dependent upon the building material we supply it. The food we eat, the liquids we drink and the air we breathe determine the body we will possess in near future. Exercise plays an important role to maintain a fit body and sooner we realize this the better we will feel.

Cardiovascular exercise consists of a variety of exercises, which increase the demand of oxygen by the body after 20-30 minutes. With the maintenance of heart rate at 55-85% of the estimated maximum heart rate laid down for every women she can workout to achieve the body she desires.

 

 

 

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 CARDIOVASCULAR TRAINING METHODS

It is important that you understand and implement the different methods of cardiovascular exercise into your program. It’s critical that you realize the different options of a cardiovascular program so you can overcome any plateaus you encounter and prevent boredom. Both of which eventually happen if you continue to do the same exercise and the same training style. You should always be going through a momentum phase in your cardiovascular exercise program where you continue to achieve good results. Thus when you reach a plateau, you want to change your routine and implement a new method. We will teach you the three different training methods to help you achieve a successful cardiovascular program. Namely, interval training, composite training and continuous training, each having its own significance in a fitness program.
 

 

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CONTINUOUS TRAINING

The first method, the most common and traditional way of doing cardiovascular exercise, is called continuous training. This means that you do one from of cardiovascular exercise for the full duration. So your entire cardiovascular exercise session is one continuous activity, such as riding a stationary bike. As a result you’re using large muscle groups (your legs) continuously for at least 20 minutes at 50-100 percent of your max HR intensity.  You may get board with this and want to increase the intensity, so the next method will be something to eventually incorporate into your program.

 

 

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  INTERVAL TRAINING

Interval training is an intermediate method of cardiovascular training and thus should not be done by beginners or those of low functional capacity. Interval training consists of repeated intervals of relatively light intensities such as walking interspersed with relative hard intensities such as jogging or running. The ‘light’ interval should be done at intensity ranging from 50-70 percent of your max HR, depending on functional capacity and personal goals and interests. The ‘hard’ interval should be done at an intensity ranging from 70-100 percent of your max HR (you should first get cleared by your physician to train at an intensity greater than 80 percent of max HR ), depending on functional capacity and personal goals and interests. The light interval, or the walking interval in this example, should take approximately the same time to complete as the hard or jogging/running interval. Intervals typically last 2-10 minutes in duration. Many times, however, the light interval lasts longer than the hard interval, especially for those of low functional capacity or those of high functional capacity training at intensity greater than 80 percent of max HR. These intervals should be repeated until you have reached the desired duration, usually 20-60 minutes.

 

Please note: Before doing your interval training, start with a warm-up of the same cardiovascular activity for about 5-10 minutes at 50-60 percent of max HR, stretch the muscles used, then begin your light interval, hard interval, and so on. For example, if you are in moderate shape and you want to train for 30 minutes, you should: begin with a warm-up of the same activity (walking in this example) for 5-10 minutes at light intensity (50-60 percent of your max HR) do a light interval of walking slowly. Increasing the intensity for about 5 minutes; do a hard interval by either jogging or running for about 5 minutes. Do this two more times and you have completed your cardiovascular workout and trained at several different heart rate zones, gaining several different benefits. Be sure to cool-down for 5-10 minutes at a light intensity of 50-60 percent of your max HR. Stretch the primary muscles used.

 

 

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COMPOSITE TRAINING

The third training method is called composite training. This is a combination of several different cardiovascular exercises, one after the other. One example is bicycling 15 minutes (after a warm-up and stretching the muscles used) to a track or running course, running or jogging 10-15 minutes, then bicycling back home, followed by a cool-down and stretching those muscles used. Or, if you work out in a health club, you could walk on a treadmill for 10 minutes (after warm-up and stretching the muscles used) and do the stair stepper for an additional 10 minutes. If you’re shooting for 30 minutes total in duration, you could then go right to the rowing machine and finish with a final 10 minutes followed by a cool-down and stretching the same muscles as before. This is another way of fighting boredom and also increasing the intensity and results.

 

If you want to take it one step further and really try something intense and exciting; incorporate the interval and the composite training. While you’re on the treadmill change the speed from walking to jogging every other minute, or from flat to a 5 percent grade. Then, after 10 minutes of treadmill, move on to the stationary bike changing the resistance from intense too less intense, every other minute. Remember, always begin with a warm-up of 5-10 minutes at a low intensity and stretch the muscles used, and conclude your workout with a cool-down of 5-10 minutes at a low intensity of 50-60 percent of max HR. Stretch the same muscles as before.

 

 

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BODY TYPES AND ACCEPTANCE

Every women inherits a certain amount of body type from her parents, and these genes have a big impact on our size, strength, and appearance. It is very important that you not become obsessed with trying to took like a fashion model or world-class body builder-or any other type that is not your own. We are not all meant to look the same. It is very important that you learn about and accept your own body's characteristics and type, so you can develop a reasonable program specific to realistic goals and personal interests.

Genetics does clearly play a role in your health and appearance, but they certainly do not determine what you are going to have for dinner or how often you exercise. Even if you are born with a genetic predisposition to being overweight or weak, the way you live is what will ultimately determine whether you become fit and strong or fat and week.

There are basically three different body types:

• Endomorphs (round),

• Mesomorphic (muscular), and

• Ectomorphic (lean).

 

Endomorphs are usually large framed and have relatively highly body fat. They may or may not be muscular, but they usually have a soft appearance. Endomorphs are good at powering through moderately intense, long-haul exercises such as cross country asking, cycling, rowing, and football. Unfortunately, their metabolism is often slow and they are sometimes vulnerable to heart disease and injury to the knees and ankles.

 

Mesomorphic are medium-framed and are characterized by a muscular build, compact and stocky. Mesomorphic respond especially well to strength-training and do not have to work too hard to appear fit. They are however, vulnerable to weight gain if they don't eat carefully and exercise regularly. 

 

Ectomorphic are light-framed and are low in both fat and muscle. Ectomorphic are naturals at endurance activities such as long distance running. It is relatively easy for them to stay lean and they're less prone to heart disease. Unfortunately, they have a harder time gaining muscle size and strength.

 

Although many women are a combination of two body types, no one can change and become a body type different from their own. If you understand and accept your body, you will be able to work with it, not against it. Every women from any of the three types, can improve their health, appearance, and performance level by implementing the WF principles we teach.

 

 

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MEASURING PROGRESS

Remember never use your scale as a way of measuring progress. The scale only measures pounds, it cannot distinguish between muscle weight and fat weight. Someone who is of "ideal" body weight may be very out of shape and someone who is in great shape may be 10-20 or even 30 pounds "overweight", since fat weights much less than muscle. Fat is made of a lightweight spongy material and takes up a lot of space for its weight. Muscle, on the other hand, is made of dense material and thus takes up very little space for its weight. Those who are muscular can weight more than "fat" people and yet wear smaller sizes in clothing and be in much better physical shape.

Many women who begin a exercise program gain weight and get discouraged, when in fact they have improved their muscle tone, improved physical performance, increased their basal metabolic rage, and gained the many other benefits that accompany a sound strength training program.

If you follow the WF Strength Training, Cardiovascular, and Nutrition/Weight Management programs you will decrease body fat, increase muscle and strength, condition your heart and lungs, improve nutrition and ultimately improve your health, even though the scale may indicate that you have gained a pound or two.

Measure your progress by how you are feeling. When you implement our fitness programs you will notice increase in energy and overall physical performance after what may seem to be a very short time-perhaps only a few weeks. You may realize that your daily tasks have become easier, and activities or sports you enjoy will not only seem easier, but also much more enjoyable.

Remember too, that many of the benefits of these programs are "invisible" -you may not be able to notice a physical difference. Remind yourself that you are drastically reducing your risk of disease and chance of becoming injured. In addition, your self-esteem and personal confidence inevitably improve.

If improving your appearance is your primary motivation for cardiovascular exercise, use your mirror to evaluate your progress. The mirror, unlike the scale, does not lie. Notice the improvement in your muscle tone.

You can also measure your progress by the duration and intensity of your cardiovascular exercise routine. If you are able to increase the exercise duration (time you spend exercising), you are making progress. In addition, if you are able to increase the intensity and maintain the same duration, you are also making great progress.

 

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SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

Several precautions should be taken to help maximize exercise safety.

POST-MEAL EXERCISE
Cardiovascular exercise soon after a full meal can compromise oxygen and nutrient delivery to the working muscles, and cause gastric discomfort. Thus, you should wait at least 60-90 minutes after a full meal before engaging in cardiovascular exercise. The level of exercise and the amount and type of food consumed affect the time required for digestion to be completed before beginning exercise. The higher the exercise intensity and/or the greater the amount food consumed, the longer the time should be between eating and exercising.

EXERCISING IN HOT WEATHER
Another factor that increases the risk of injury and complications is exercising in hot weather.

 

The following are guidelines to prevent heat stress:

1. Allow 1-2 weeks for getting accustomed to a hot environment.

2. Avoid training in the hottest part of the day, usually between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., during the summer.

3. Drink water before, during the after exercise. During prolonged cardiovascular exercise, drink 4-6 ounces of fluids (preferably water) every 20 minutes.

4. Wear loose-fitting clothes that allow for evaporation of sweat.

5. Decrease training intensity by monitoring heart rate in hot environments.

6. Take a 10-15 minute rest for every 45-60 minutes of physical activity.

7. Give special consideration to, and use caution if you are a heat-sensitive women (obese, unfit, history of heat stroke, etc.)

 

POLLUTANTS
Pollutants can also have adverse effects on the body. This is of concern if you exercise outdoors in or near big cities. Some common ones include ozone, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide. The most problematic of these pollutants is ozone, or smoke, which is caused by the combination of ultraviolet light and emissions from internal combustion engines. Ozone exposure may impair lung function during cardiovascular exercise. Carbon monoxide is another common air pollutant that can reduce exercise safety and effectiveness. This is caused by exposure to crowded freeways or smoke-filled rooms. Sulfur dioxide is not a major irritant for most women, but those with asthma or broncho-spasms tend to be adversely affected by it.

 

 

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MONITORING HEART RATE

How to monitor exercise intensity and heart zone training ? There are several ways to monitor the exercise intensity. The best way to test the intensity is to take your heart rate during the exercise, within the first 5 minutes of your cardiovascular exercise session and again just before the cool down.

There are two ways in which you can check your heart rate during exercise. The most accurate one is to purchase a heart-rate monitor that you strap around you chest. It will give you feedback on a digital watch that tells you exactly what your heart rate is at a specific time in the exercise session. The other way to obtain your heart rate is by palpating (feeling) either the carotid artery, the temporal artery, or the radial artery. The easiest site is either the carotid or the radial artery. The carotid artery may be felt by gently placing your index finger on your neck, between the middle of your collar bone and jaw line. Palpating the radial artery is done by placing your index and middle finger on the underside and thumb-side of your wrist.

When you're taking your heart rate you measure it in beats per minute (counting the number of beats for 60 seconds). For convenience, many women take their pulse for 6 seconds and multiply that number by 10, or simply add a 0 behind the number just obtained. So, if in 6 seconds you counted 12 beats, that would mean your heart rate was 120 beats per minute (bpm). Although counting for 6 seconds is most convenient, keep in mind that the longer the time interval used, the more accurate the results will be. For example, counting your heart rate for 30 seconds and then multiplying that number by 2 will give a slightly more accurate reading than counting your heart range for 15 seconds and multiplying by 4, or 10 seconds and multiplying by 6, What ever time interval you use, be consistent.

 

 

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HEART ZONE TRAINING

How do you know if you are training too intensely or not intensely enough for what you want to achieve ? This is where Heart Zone Training comes in. To use Heart Zone Training you must first determine your maximum heart rate (max HR).

You can determine your max HR one of two way., One way is to use the age predicted max HR formula, whereby you subtract your age from 220. So, if you are 40 years old, your predicted max HR would be 180 bpm. The other method, which is much more accurate and more individualized, is actually having a medical or fitness professional administer a max HR test for you, which is usually done on a stationery bicycle or treat mill for several minutes and requires very hard work. Thus, only those women cleared by a physician should do this test.

 

 

HEALTHY HEART ZONE
The first zone is called the Healthy Heart Zone. This is 50-60% of your max HR. This is the easiest and most comfortable zone within which to train and is the one that is best for women who are just starting an exercise program or have low functional capacity. Those of you who are walkers most likely train at this zone. Although this zone has been criticized for not burning enough total calories, and for not being intense enough to get great cardio respiratory benefits, it has been shown to help decrease body fat, blood pressure and cholesterol. It also decrease the risk of degenerative disease and has a low risk of injury. In this zone, 70% of carbohydrates are "burned" (use as energy), 5% of protein is burned and whopping 85% of fat is burned.

FITNESS ZONE
The next zone is the Fitness Zone, which is 60-70% of your max HR. Once again 85% of your calories burned in this zone are fats, 5% are proteins and 10% are carbohydrates. Studies have shown that in this zone you can condition your fat mobilization (getting fat out of your cells) while conditioning your fat transportation (getting fat to muscles). Thus, in this zone, you are training your fat cells to increase the rate of fat release and training your muscles to burn fat. Therefore, the benefits of this zone are not only the same as the healthy heart zone training at 50-60% but you are now slightly increasing the total number of calories burned and provide a little more cardio respiratory benefits. You burn more total calories at this zone simply because it is more intense.

AEROBIC ZONE
The third zone, the Aerobic Zone, requires that you train at 70-80% of your max HR. This is the preferred zone if you are training for an endurance event. In this zone, your functional capacity will greatly improve and you can expect to increase the number and size of blood vessels, increase vital capacity and respiratory rate and achieve increases in pulmonary ventilation, as well as increases in arterial venous oxygen. Moreover, stroke volume (amount of blood pumped per heart beat) will increase, and your resting heart rate will decrease. What does all this mean ? It means that your cardiovascular and respiratory system will improve and you will increase the size and strength of your heart. In this zone, 50% of calories burned are from carbohydrates, 50% are from fat and less than 1% is from protein. And, because there is in increase in intensity, there is also an increase in the total number of calories burned.

ANAEROBIC ZONE
The next training zone is called the Threshold or Anaerobic zone, which is 80-90% of your max HR. Benefits include an improved VO2 maximum (the highest amount of oxygen one can consume during exercise) and thus an improved cardio respiratory system, and a higher lactate tolerance ability which means your endurance will improve and you'll be able to fight fatigue better. Since the intensity is high, more calories will be burned than within the other three zones. Although more calories are burned in this zone, 85% of the calories burned are from carbohydrates, 15% from fat and less than 1% are from protein.

RED-LINE ZONE
The last training zone is called the Redline Zone, which is 90-100% of your max HR. Remember, training at 100% is your maximum heart rate (maximum HR), your heart rate will not get any higher. This zone burns the highest total number of calories and the lowest percentage of fat calories. Ninety percent of the calories burned here are carbohydrates, only 10% are fats and again less than one percent is protein. This zone is so intense that very few women can actually stay in this zone for the minimum 20 minutes, or even five minutes (you should only train in this zone if you are in very good shape and have been cleared by a physician to do so). Usually, women use this zone for interval training. For example, one might do three minutes in the Aerobic Zone and then one minute in this Red-line Zone and then back to the Aerobic Zone (this is called interval training and will be discussed further in a future article).

When you begin achieving great results, the excitement and fun you experience will make the change well worth the effort. Action creates motivation.

 

 

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IMPORTANCE OF COMBINING STRENGTH TRAINING, FLEXIBILITY TRAINING, AND GOOD NUTRITION WITH YOUR CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE PROGRAM.

By now you have probably realized that cardiovascular exercise should be an important part of your exercise routine. Cardiovascular exercise provides many important benefits that cannot be achieved by any other exercise or activity. In additional to cardiovascular exercise, there are four other important components of overall health and fitness: strength training, flexibility training, and proper nutrition/weight management.

 

Implementing all four components of health and fitness may seem overwhelming at first, but making small simple change over time each of these areas will drastically improve how you think, look, and act.  For maximum effectiveness and safety, cardiovascular exercise has specific instructions on the frequency, duration, and intensity. These are the three important components of cardiovascular exercise that you really need to understand and implement in your program. In addition, your cardiovascular program should include a warm-up, a cool-down, and stretching of the primary muscles used in the exercise. This article is part one of a two part series discussing the very important principles and guidelines for a safe and effective cardiovascular exercise program. We will explain the proper methods of warming –up, stretching and cooling-down and discuss the frequency and duration of a sound cardiovascular routine.

 

 

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WARMING UP AND STRETCHING

One very common mistake is stretching before muscles are warmed-up. It is important to stretch after your muscles are warm (after blood has circulated through them), Never stretch a cold muscle. First warm up. A warm-up should be done for at least 5-10 minutes at a low intensity. Usually the warm-up is done by doing the same activity as the cardiovascular workout but at an intensity of 50-60% of maximum heart rate (max HR). After you’ve warmed-up for 5-10 minutes at a relatively low intensity, your muscles should be warm. To prevent injury and to improve your performance, you should stretch the primary muscles used in the warm up before proceeding to the cardiovascular exercise.

 

 

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COOLING DOWN

The cool down is similar to the warm-up in that it should last 5-10 minutes and be done at a low intensity (50-60% of max HR). After you have completed your cardiovascular exercise and cooled-down properly, it is now important that you stretch the primary muscles being used. Warming-up, stretching , and cooling-down are very important to every exercise session . They not only help your performance levels and produce better results; they also drastically decrease your risk of injury.

 

 

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FREQUENCY OF EXERCISE

The first component of cardiovascular exercise is frequency of the exercise, which refers to the number of exercise sessions per week. To improve both cardiovascular fitness and to decrease body fat or maintain body fat at optimum levels, you should exercise (cardiovascularly) at least three days a week. Three to five days a week for most cardiovascular programs. Those of you who are very out of shape and/or who are overweight and doing weight-bearing cardiovascular exercise such as an aerobics class or jogging, might want to have at least 36 to 48 hours of rest between workouts to prevent an injury and to promote adequate bone and joint stress recovery.

 

 

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DURATION OF EXERCISE

Another component of cardiovascular exercise is the duration, which refers to the time you’ve spent exercising. The cardiovascular session, not including the warm up and cool-down, should vary from 20-60 minutes to gain significant cardio respiratory and fat burning-benefits. Each time you do your cardiovascular exercise, try to do at least 20 minutes or more. Of course, the longer you go, the more calories and fat  you’ll ‘burn’ and the better you’ll condition your cardiovascular system. All beginners, especially those, who are out of shape, should take a very conservative approach and train at relatively low intensities (50-70% max HR) for 10-25 minutes. As you get in better shape, you can gradually increase the duration of time you exercise.

 

It is important that you gradually increase the duration before you increase the intensity. That is, when beginning a walking program for example, be more concerned with increasing the number of minutes of the exercise session before you increase the intensity, by increasing your speed or by walking hilly terrain.

 

 

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INTENSITY OF EXERCISE

The final component of cardiovascular exercise is intensity. There are several ways to monitor the exercise intensity. The best way to test the intensity is to take your heart rate during the exercise, within the first five minutes of your cardiovascular exercise session and again just before the cool-down.

 

There are two ways in which you can check your heart rate during exercise. The most accurate one is to purchase a heart-rate monitor that you strap around chest. It will give you feedback on a digital watch that tells you exactly what your heart rate is at a specific time in the exercise session. The other way to obtain your heart rate is by palpating (feeling) either the carotid artery, the temporal artery, or the radial artery. The easiest site is either the carotid or the radial artery. The carotid artery may be felt by gently placing your index finger on your neck, between the middle of your collar bone and jaw line. Placing your index and middle finger on the underside and thumb-side of your wrist does palpating the radial artery.

 

When you’re taking your heart rate you measure it in beats per minute (counting the number of beats for 60 seconds). For convenience, many people take their pulse for 6 seconds and multiply that number by 10, or simply add a zero behind the number just obtained. So, if in 6 seconds you counted 12 beats that would mean your heart rate were 120 beats per minute (bpm). Although counting for 6 seconds is most convenient, keep in mind that the longer the time interval used, the more accurate the results will be. For Example, your heart rates for 15 seconds and multiplying by 4 or 10 seconds and multiplying by 6. Whatever time interval you use be consistent.

 

 

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Recommendations for Exercise in Pregnancy and Postpartum

By-The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists

 

The following guidelines are for women who do not have any risk factors for adverse maternal or prenatal outcomes:

1. During pregnancy, women can continue to exercise and derive health benefits from participating in mild to moderate intensity exercise routines.

2. Working heart rate should be measured during peak levels of activity to ensure that exercise intensity is within the desired range.

3. Regular exercise (at least three times per week) is preferable to intermittent activity.

4. Extremes of joint flexion and extension (Such as deep knee bends and ballistic hyperextension of the knee) should be avoided.

5. Pregnant women should avoid exercising in the supine position (on their backs) after the first trimester.

6. Prolonged periods of motionless standing should be avoided.

7. Pregnant women should be aware of the decreased oxygen available for aerobic exercise and should be encouraged to modify exercise intensity according to maternal symptoms. Pregnant women should stop exercising when fatigued and not exercise to exhaustion.

8. Avoid exercises in which loss of balance could be detrimental to maternal or fetal well-being, especially in the third trimester. Any type of exercise involving the potential for even mild abdominal trauma should be avoided.

9. Women who exercise during pregnancy should be particularly careful to ensure an adequate diet.

10. Women should gradually increase exercise intensity after delivery.

 

 

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Contraindications to Exercise

1. Pregnancy-induced hypertension 

2. Pre-term rupture of membranes 

3. Pre-term labor during the prior or current pregnancy 

4. Incompetent cervix . 

5. Persistent second- or third-trimester bleeding 

6. Intrauterine growth retardation 

7. In addition, women with certain other medical or obstetric conditions, including chronic hypertension or active thyroid, cardiac, vascular or pulmonary disease should be evaluated carefully in order to determine whether an exercise program is appropriate.

 

Warning Signs of Overexertion

1. Sudden sharp pain 

2. Excessive fatigue 

3. Difficulty breathing 

4. Persistent lethargy 

5. Nausea Vomiting 

6. Faintness Dizziness 

7. Excessive muscle soreness or pain 

8. Any irregularity of the heartbeat