Chapter 8

Cardiorespiratory Fitness Training

Purpose

• To provide the fitness professional with fundamental concepts regarding cardiorespiratory training

• To allow the fitness professional to select and administer the appropriate cardiorespiratory protocol for all clients

Objectives

• After this presentation, the participant will be able to:– Define and describe the components associated with

cardiorespiratory training.– Describe how various physiological systems respond and

adapt to cardiorespiratory training.– Describe the health-related benefits associated with

cardiorespiratory fitness.– Describe current guidelines and recommendations for

prescribing safe and effective cardiorespiratory exercise to apparently healthy individuals.

– Perform and instruct appropriate cardiorespiratory techniques.

Cardiorespiratory Fitness

• Cardiorespiratory Fitness– Reflects the ability of the circulatory and respiratory

systems to supply oxygen-rich blood to skeletal muscles during sustained physical activity

– Cardiorespiratory fitness is vitally important to health and wellness as well as to the ability to engage in normal activities of daily living

Scientific Rationale

• Integrated cardiorespiratory training is a way of planning training programs that systematically progress clients through various stages to achieve optimal levels of physiologic, physical, and performance adaptations by placing stress on the cardiorespiratory system.– Benefits are numerous, health benefits can be gained from

moderate intensity exercise.– Lack of cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with mortality.

Cardiorespiratory Fitness Training

• Each exercise training session should also include the following phases:– Warm-up phase– Conditioning phase– Cool-down phase

Warm-Up

• Prepares the body for physical activity – General

• Movements that do not necessarily have any movement specific to the actual activity to be performed

– Specific • Movements that more closely mimic those of the actual activity

Warm-Up

• Benefits– Increases heart and respiratory rate – Increases tissue temperature – Prepares client psychologically for exercise

Warm-Up: Practical Application

• Cardiorespiratory portion of a warm-up should last 5–10 minutes at a low-to-moderate intensity.

Warm-Up: Stabilization Level

Warm-Up: Strength Level

Warm-Up: Power Level

Conditioning Phase

• Cardiorespiratory fitness is engaged in for a variety of purposes and improves many aspects of health; some benefits include:– Stronger and more efficient heart– Improved ability to pump blood (enhanced cardiac output)– Reduced risk of heart disease– Lower resting heart rate– Lower heart rate at any given level of work

Cool-Down

• Provides the body with a smooth transition from exercise back to a steady state of rest.

• Benefits– Possible improved flexibility– Removal of waste by-products via the blood– Minimize muscle soreness– Allow cardiorespiratory system to respond to lower demand– Avoid dizziness or possible fainting– Provide an emotional balance after exercise stress

Cool-Down: Practical Application

• For an individual performing cardiorespiratory exercise for an extended period of time:– Decrease the intensity of the exercise and work at this

lowered intensity for 5–10 minutes.

• Flexibility is also an important component in the cool-down for relaxation purposes and to restore muscles back to original resting lengths. – Corrective stretching (self-myofascial release and static

stretching)

Workout

• Most people who perform cardiorespiratory exercise are looking for improvements in their health or fitness levels.

• Cardiorespiratory activities or exercise have a profound effect on the overall physical and mental health of a participant.

Workout

• Benefits of Cardiorespiratory Activities or Exercise– Decreases

• Daily fatigue

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Coronary artery disease (CAD)

• Hypertension

• Non–insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

• Cancer

• Osteoporosis

• Obesity

General Guidelines

General Guidelines

• Any form of training must have certain guidelines to allow for the development of a proper program

• FITTE factors – Frequency– Intensity– Time– Type– Enjoyment

General Guidelines

• Frequency– The number of training sessions or activity sessions for a

given time frame

• Intensity– The level of demand the activity places on the body

General Guidelines

• Time– The length of time engaged in the activity

• Type– The mode or activity used– Virtually any activity

• Enjoyment– The amount of pleasure derived from the activity

Methods for Prescribing Intensity

• There are several methods for prescribing intensity which include:– Peak VO2 Method

– VO2 Reserve Method

– Peak Metabolic Equivalent (MET) Method– Peak Maximal Heart Rate (MHR) Method– HR Reserve (HRR) Method– Ratings of Perceived Exertion Method– Talk Test Method

Methods for Prescribing Exercise Intensity

General Guidelines

The Borg Scale

Training Modalities

• Stage Training– Three-stage programming system – Uses different heart rate training zones– Stages mimic the three stages of training seen in the OPT™

model.

Stage Training

• Stage I– Target HR of 65–75% HRmax or 12–13 of RPE– Should be able to hold a conversation during exercise

Stage II

• For the intermediate client who has built a good cardiorespiratory base and will use heart rate zones one and two (65–85%)

• Focus is on increasing the workload (speed, incline, level) in a way that will help the client alter heart rate in and out of each zone.

• Helps increase the cardiorespiratory capacity needed for the workout styles in the strength level of the OPT™ model

• Important to alternate days of the week with stage I training; this means alternating sessions every workout.

Stage II

• Stage II is the introduction to interval training. – Start by warming up in zone one (65–75%) for 5–10 minutes.

– Move into a 1-minute interval in zone two (76–85%). Gradually increase the workload to raise the heart rate up to the zone two within that minute. Once the heart rate reaches 76–85% of maximum heart rate, maintain it for the rest of that minute.

– After the 1-minute interval, return to zone one

– Repeat this if the client has time and can recover back into the zone one range.

– The most important part of the interval is to recover back to zone one in between the intervals.

Stage III

• For the advanced client who has built a very good cardiorespiratory base and will use heart rate zones one, two, and three

• Focus is on further increasing the workload (speed, incline, level) in a way that will help the client alter heart rate in and out of all three zones.

• Increases the capacity of the energy systems needed at the power level of the OPT™ model

Stage III

• Warm up in zone one for 5 to 10 minutes.

• Then, increase the workload every 60 seconds until reaching zone three (86–95%). This will require a slow climb through zone two for at least 2 minutes.

• After pushing for another minute in zone three, decrease the workload to zone two for 1 minute.

• If the heart rate does drop to a normal rate, overload the body again and go to zone three for 1 minute.

• After this minute, go back to zone one for 5–10 minutes before starting over.

• Repeat.

The Importance of Stage Training

• Simply increasing the intensity for the same type of training will not produce consistent increases in fitness levels and weight control, as the body will soon adapt.

• By increasing a client’s intensity through the three heart rate zones seen in stage III training, the client can take greater advantage of EPOC and help ensure greater results.

Circuit Training

• Performing resistance training exercises one after the other, with minimal rest

• Allows for comparable fitness results without spending extended time to achieve them

Circuit Training

• Sample Programs

Circuit Training

• Is just as beneficial as traditional forms of cardiorespiratory exercise for improving or contributing to improve fitness levels

• Produces greater levels of postexercise energy expenditure (or EPOC) and strength

• Produces near-identical caloric expenditure for the same given time span, when compared with walking at a fast pace

Circuit Training

• Can also incorporate traditional cardiorespiratory exercise into the routine

• Sample Programs– Beginner client (stabilization Level)

• 5–10 minutes Flexibility (self-myofascial release and static stretching)

• 5–10 minutes Stage I cardiorespiratory training

• 15–20 minutes Circuit weight training

• 5–10 minutes Stage I cardiorespiratory training

• 5–10 minutes Flexibility (self-myofascial release and static stretching)

Practical Application

• Intermediate Client (Strength Level)– 5–10 minutes Warm-up: flexibility (self-

myofascial release and active- isolated stretching)

– 5–10 minutes Stage II cardiorespiratory training– 15–20 minutes Circuit weight training– 5–10 minutes Stage II cardiorespiratory training– 5–10 minutes Cool-down: flexibility (self-

myofascial release and static stretching)

Practical Application

• Advanced Client (Power Level)– 5–10 minutes Flexibility (self-myofascial

release and dynamic stretching)

– 5–10 minutes Stage III cardiorespiratory training

– 15–20 minutes Circuit weight training– 5–10 minutes Stage II cardiorespiratory training– 5–10 minutes Flexibility (self-myofascial

release and static stretching)

Summary

• Different cardiorespiratory training programs place different demands on the bioenergetic continuum and ultimately affect a client’s adaptations and goals.

• Stage training is a three-stage programming system that uses different heart rate training zones.

• Circuit training programs consist of a series of resistance training exercises performed one after the other with minimal rest, providing comparable fitness results in a shorter time.

• Because movement is involved, it is vital to monitor kinetic chain checkpoints (posture) with clients who are performing cardiorespiratory activity.