Cardiovascular Strength; Training Effect - Schwinn IC Pro Owner's Manual

to the guidelines is a result of a ten year follow-up study on master runners (along with other
studies). Those who continued to train aerobically without upper body exercise maintained
their body's oxygen transporting capacity over the years, but lost about 4.5 pounds of lean body
mass; those who included strength training in their program maintained their lean body mass
along with their aerobic capacity after 10 years of aging.
The guidelines also show where consistent resistance training helps maintain bone and
muscle mass as we get older. For women, strength training (along with the aerobic work) may
also protect against post menopausal bone loss and osteoporosis in their later years.
The guidelines recommend that two strength training sessions per week should be added to
your workout schedule. We recommend three sessions a week during the off-season and two
sessions a week for maintenance during the in-season. The new ACSM guidelines recommend
one set of eight to 12
repetitions of eight to 10 strength exercises of your major muscle groups per session as the
minimum requirement. A complete detailed strength training program will be outlined in a
later section of this book. If weights or other resistance training devices are not available, add
calisthenics to your program.
n Cardiovascular Fitness
The new statement, published in 1991, repeats the four recommendations on duration,
intensity, frequency and various modes of aerobic activity, with slight changes. The duration is
now 20 to 60 minutes, versus a minimum of 15 minutes in the past.
Intensity of exercise can be determined by two methods. The first is the familiar use of
target heart rate. The guidelines state that you should aim to work at 60 to 85 percent of your
maximum heart rate (max HR = 220 - your age) or 50 to 85 percent of your maximal oxygen
capacity (determined by doing a stress test on a bicycle ergometer or treadmill at a medical
facility).
Duration is dependent upon the intensity of the activity; for those who like to work at a
lower intensity they should work out longer. Low to moderate intensity cycling, stepping,
walking, or cross-country skiing is best for most adults, because higher intensity workouts can
lead to increased risk of injury and it is easier to adhere to the exercise routine. Beginners can
achieve a
significant training effect from low intensity workouts. If you're already fit and want to improve,
gradually increase your intensity.
The type of activity, once again, should include anything that uses large muscle groups, and is
rhythmical and aerobic in nature, such as cycling or running. Other activities could include stair
climbing, cross-country skiing, walking, etc. These activities need to be carried out three to five
days per week.
n Training Effect
Duration, intensity and frequency of training stimulate the aerobic training effect. Any
training done below the ACSM guidelines will not be sufficient enough to give you the aerobic
training effect. If you are exercising more than the recommendations, it will not significantly
increase the aerobic training effect, though athletes training for competition need to exercise
more to be competitive. It is important to remember not to over do it; your body needs
adequate recovery from a hard workout.
In general, endurance training for fewer than two days per week at less than 60 percent of
maximal heart rate, for fewer than 20 minutes per day, and without a well-rounded resistance
and flexibility program is inadequate for developing and maintaining fitness in healthy adults. It
is just that simple.
Keep in mind that the ACSM recommendations are guidelines for the
average person, not a champion athlete training for the Olympic Games.
An appropriate warm-up and cool-down, which would also include flexibility exercises, is
also recommended. While many of you will need to train with more mileage and at a greater
intensity to race competitively, the important factor to remember for most people is that if they
follow the ACSM guidelines of physical activity they will attain increased physical and health
benefits at the lowest risk. Below is a table outlining the guidelines (Table 1.1).
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The ACSM guidelines, if followed, can result in permanent lifestyle changes for most individuals.