Health Clubs and Gyms are packed to the rafters with the equipment to do it and around 70% of Gym Goers; rightly or wrongly rely on it as a core part of their workout.
The training I’m talking about is Cardiovascular or CV training. The general perception that hours on a Treadmill or X- Trainer are going to pay dividends is common place in the minds of many.
The classic energy equation of burning more calories than one consumes to lose weight is true but there are ways to do CV training effectively without spending endless hours on the bike. If you are one of those people that does this but can honestly say there has been no change in body shape then read on.
First and foremost introduce weight training to your routine. The subject of resistance training and the benefits for weight/fat loss has been touched on here before but where does CV training come in to the fix?
CV Training has many health benefits and helps with improvements to factors like Lung Function and Efficiency, Heart Stroke Volume whilst bringing down the odds of developing Heart Related Illnesses and Diabetes.
To achieve specific goals the Heart Rate needs to be at a certain level which ultimately comes down to our own unique ‘Training Zones’. This subject area will be focused on more another time.
The core subject here is to look at what goes into prescribing an effective CV program which can achieve the right goals whist avoiding boredom and even injury. There are 4 Principles to consider or F.I.T.T principles.
Frequency: -
How Often?
If time allows you to do up to 6 Hours of CV training a week then Steady State Training (keeping the Heart Rate at the same level) complimented by resistance training is the option.
Allowing for 3-5 Hours a week of CV training would involve adding in some moderate intervals (raising the Heart Rate for a specific period before bringing back down) along with Steady State and Resistance Training.
Anything less than 3 hours a week would need to involve a combination of Anaerobic
and Aerobic Intervals combining Resistance and CV Training to maximise calorie expenditure.
Intensity:
To prescribe the right intensity level or work rate the factors to consider are Injuries, Fitness levels, Training Experience and time available to train. Here is where an individual’s unique Heart Rate ‘Training Zone’ is considered.
Time:
Anything from 20 Minutes of Anaerobic/Aerobic Intervals up to 1 hour of steady state training complimented with Resistance Training.
Type:
The training needs to be continuous and rhythmic with activities such as walking/running, cycling and rowing.
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