Do Your Cardiovascular Exercise In Your Target Heart Zone

Image via WikipediaPeople often ask me what's the best equipment to use for cardiovascular exercise. My standard reply is any equipment that raises their heart rate and keeps it in their target heart rate zone. The next question I get is, what is my target heart rate zone? To which I reply, if they are going to spend 30 to 45 minutes on a piece of cardiovascular equipment they should know at what intensity level they should be exercising to get the most out of their workout.

In this post I will take the mystery out of explaining your target heart rate, so you can get the best results from your cardiovascular workouts. A brief explanation of how your body responds to exercise will help you understand how to do your cardio in a manner that is most efficient in helping you to burn body fat and firm-up.

Your body has two basic ways of generating energy for your muscles in response to exercise. One is by a method in which your body uses oxygen to burn calories to provide fuel to your exercising muscles. In this method your body is most efficient in burning stored body fat because fat must have oxygen present to be converted into energy to fuel your muscles. Activities which cause your body to use this method to generate energy are called aerobic. Examples are brisk walking and slow running. When you are doing activities such as these you are exercising in the aerobic zone.

The other method which your body provides fuel to your muscles is without the use of oxygen. In this method your body primarily uses carbohydrates that are stored in the muscle to generate energy. Activities that require a quick burst of energy such as heavy weight lifting and sprinting requires your body to use this method. Activities that causes your body to use this energy production system are called anaerobic exercises.

Knowing which energy system you are using when you exercise is important if you want to maximize fat burning. In my fitness program I do strength training in the anaerobic zone to build and maintain muscle and I do cardio in the aerobic zone to burn fat.

When planning your cardio exercise program design it around the following three concepts:

Frequency – I recommend you do at least 3 sessions of cardio each week but no more than 5. This is ample exercise to realize the health benefits, and burn body fat while giving your body maximum recovery time to build and maintain your hard earned muscle mass. I personally do 3 to 4 cardio sessions per week as a part of my fitness program.

Intensity – I suggest you do your cardio exercise in the range of 60 to 80 percent of your estimated maximum heart rate. This is called your aerobic zone and is where your body is most efficient at burning fat as fuel. Anything above 80 percent of your estimated maximum heart rate is going tap into your anaerobic energy production system which means you stop using stored body fat to feed your muscles.

Use the following method to calculate your estimated maximum heart rate and your aerobic exercise zone. Take the number 220 and subtract your age. This is your estimated maximum heart rate. Now take 60 percent of this number to get the lower end of the range of your aerobic zone and 80 percent of this number to get the upper end.

For example, I am 51 years old so my estimated maximum heart rate is 220 – 51 = 169 beats per minute (bpm). Therefore, the lower end of the range of my aerobic zone is 169 bpm x 60% = 101 bpm and the upper end of my aerobic zone is 169 bpm x 80% = 135 bpm. So when I do my cardio exercise I do it at a heart rate in the range of 101 to 135 bpm.

The easiest the way to see if you are staying in your aerobic zone is with a heart rate monitor. If you do not have access to a heart rate monitor you can use the following method to check your heart rate and stay in your aerobic zone. Take the lower and upper range numbers you calculated above and divide them by 4. This is your 15 second heart rate count. Then periodically during your workout stop and check your pulse for 15 seconds to see if your heart rate falls between the 2 numbers you just calculated.

I’ll use my example again. The lower and upper ends of the range of my aerobic zone is 101 and 135 bpm respectively. Therefore, my 15 second heart rate count is 101bpm / 4 = 25 for the lower end of the range and 135 / 4 = 34 for the upper end. Thus, when I’m doing my cardio and I stop to check my pulse for 15 seconds and the number I get is between 25 and 34 I’m in my aerobic exercise zone. This is the intensity range that my body is most efficient in burning fat for fuel to provide my muscles the energy to exercise.

Duration – It is my observation that you get the most benefit from your cardio program when combined with strength training if you do between 30 and 45 minutes 3 to 5 days each week. Do the 30 minute sessions after strength training and the 45 minute sessions on the days you do not weight lift.

Design your cardio exercise program around the three principles above and you’ll see a real difference in the way you look and feel.

Weight Lifting Keeps You Looking Fit and Firm as You Age

Image via WikipediaI had a client once tell me that she started working out with weights to keep from getting "loose on the bone." I had never heard that expression before, so I had to ask her want it meant. She explained that as people got older, she could always tell the one's who lifted weights as a part of their fitness program from those who did not. She said that the people who worked-out with weights always looked more fit and firm compared to those who primarily did cardiovascular exercise as part of their fitness programs. Thus, the term "loose on the bone" is an expression for that soft and jiggly look that people get as they age.

As a personal trainer with over 17 years of experience in the fitness industry, and being in my fifties, I can attest to the truth of getting "loose on the bone" if your fitness program consists mainly of cardiovascular exercise. While cardiovascular exercise should be a part of any fitness program, strength training also known as weight lifting should be the foundation of your exercise program as you approach your 40s and beyond.

You start to naturally lose muscle mass starting around age 40. Strength training can minimize, and even stop this from occurring. This is important because, muscle is the active component of your body that burns most of the calories that you consume. Muscle, also keeps you looking fit and firm. Each pound of muscle burns about 6 calories daily even at rest and more when you are active.

You naturally lose one to one and one-half pounds of muscle each year starting in your 40s, and this muscle loss is replaced by fat if you don't adjust your diet and your activity level accordingly. Cardiovascular exercise is great for burning fat, but it can't stop you form losing muscle, and too much cardiovascular exercise causes you to lose muscle even faster.

Therefore, as you approach your 40s, you should start to incorporate more weight lifting into your fitness routine. If you do it regularly, I promise you will never "get loose on the bone."

In my next post I'll explain the basics of a good weight lifting program.

The Benefits of Cardiovascular Exercise

Image via WikipediaCardiovascular exercise just called cardio by most in the fitness profession is associated with numerous health benefits and is therefore an invaluable part of any fitness program. Cardio exercise is any activity which increases the work of the heart and lungs. Activities such as brisk walking, running, training on the elliptical machine, biking, and working on the Stairmaster are some of the better known forms of cardio.

During cardio exercise you repeatedly move large muscles in the upper and lower parts of your body and your body responds by breathing faster and more deeply to provide increased blood flow to these muscles and back to your lungs. Your small blood vessels widen to deliver more oxygen to your muscles and carry away waste products such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid. Your body also releases endorphins which are natural pain killers that promote an increased sense of well-being.

So, regardless of your age, cardio exercise is good for you. As your body adapts to you cardio routine your heart and lungs will get stronger and more efficient in performing their activities. The following are additional benefits of cardiovascular exercise. (2, MayoClinic.com)

• Helps to lose and maintain a healthy weight. Combined with strength training and a healthy diet cardio helps you to lose weight and to keep it off.

• Increase your stamina. Cardio may make you tired in the short term but, over the long term you’ll enjoy increased stamina and reduced fatigue.

• Ward off viral illnesses. Cardio activates your immune system thus, making you less susceptible to minor viral illnesses such as colds and flu.

• Reduce health risks. Cardio combined with strength training reduces the risk of many conditions, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, osteoporosis, and certain types of cancer.

• Manage chronic conditions. Cardio combined with strength training helps to lower blood pressure and to control blood sugar.

• Strengthen your heart. A stronger heart doesn’t need to beat as fast and it pumps blood more efficiently. Consequently blood flow is improved to all parts of your body.

• Keeps your arteries clear. Cardio boosts your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good” cholesterol and lowers your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol. Thus, resulting in less plaque buildup in your arteries.

• Boost your mood. Cardio can ease the gloominess of depression, reduce the tension associated with anxiety and promote relaxation.

• Stay active and independent as you get older. Cardio combined with strength training keeps your muscles strong which helps you maintain mobility as you get older. Cardio also keeps your mind sharp. At least 30 minutes of cardio three days a week seems to reduce cognitive decline in older adults.

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