Disclaimer

• The absolute best way to continue fitness, health and physical improvement is to stay safe and injury free... use common sense to guide your training: listen to your body!
• The material contained on this website is for informational purposes only.
• Before beginning this, or any type of exercise program, it is recommended that you consult with your physician for authorization and clearance.
• The information contained herein is not intended to substitute for the advice of a qualified medical professional.
  

C a r d i o

"A rolling stone gathers no moss"

Cardio exercise is a very important part of a healthy lifestyle. “Cardio” refers to any activity that exercises the respiratory system (heart and lungs). Cardio exercise can be done using exercise machines such as a treadmill, elliptical, exercise bike, rowing machine, etc. Cardio also includes activities such as walking, jogging/running, swimming, sports, dancing, martial arts, etc. - anything that gets the heart rate elevated for a consistent period of time. Aside from being essential to the function of a healthy respiratory system, cardio exercise burns significant amounts of calories. Different cardio activities burn varying amounts of calories per minute. Speed, intensity level (such as incline or resistance), and duration of time spent exercising will also affect the amount of calories burned per minute. Exercising individuals with joint issues such as a past knee injury/arthritis, etc. may be better suited to low-impact exercise such as an elliptical machine as opposed to a treadmill, for example.

Asthmatics should not perform cardio exercise in a dry environment or one which may include environmental hazards such as dust, pollutants, etc. because increased oxygen needs in certain conditions could bring on an attack. It is better to exercise in a controlled environment such as a gym. Swimming is especially good because of the moist air above the water’s surface. If you are asthmatic, you may want to bring your inhaler along when you visit the gym.

When performing cardio exercise, breathe deeply. Extend your inhalations/exhalations as long as possible. This will ensure your body is utilizing its oxygen as efficiently as possible. Many times when we experience light-headedness or get a cramp during cardio exercise it is simply because we are not getting enough oxygen and our heart may be overworking, desperately trying to get much needed oxygen to exercising muscles. Focusing on your breathing during exercise helps you get through times of prolonged physical exertion. For example: A trick I use both with myself and my clients is “breath-pacing.” When jogging, for example (can be applied to any form of cardio), I count my steps in my head, and see how many possible steps (paces) I can complete during one inhalation, and then as I exhale I complete the same amount of paces until all the air is out of my lungs...inhale 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.... exhale1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, etc. As you continue the jog, the amount of steps you can complete during the cycle will lessen ...5 steps per breath...then 4...3...2... until you may be only able to take one step per breath..at this point you will feel tired and may want to slow to a walking speed. Before you know it, you will have covered way more distance/time than you ordinarily would have if you were not attentive to your breathing patterns. Sometimes you may even reach a point where your body feels at peace ...a “runners high,” if you will, where you actually can enjoy the exercise and not be thinking “Ughh..how many more $%&#@ minutes/miles??” As you perform more and more bouts of cardio workouts you will notice you will be able to get increase the amount of paces per breath you can complete in the beginning of your workout. When I first started this method, I was only able to extend my breath over 3 paces; now I can extend up to 7 breaths per pace. This means my heart has become stronger and my heart rate both resting and during exercise has become lower, which is akin to lowering blood pressure. And this is one of the many benefits you will achieve through cardio exercise.

You should perform cardio exercise for 5 minutes to warm up before weight training, but do the majority of your cardio immediately following your wight training session. This is when your body is most conducive to burning fat stores. (More info on this in the weight training section.)
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Lets face it - cardio (especially on machines) can be dull and boring. There are ways to overcome the drudgery. Breath pacing can help because it puts your mind in a more meditative state, but here are some other tips that may help: Many gyms offer equipment with built in TVs with earphone jacks (don't get too into the program and slack on your exercise though). I Pods can also help. When walking outdoors I recommend the following (as long as you have no contradicting joint issues and if you have asthma, carry an inhaler): Walk outdoors... see a landmark in the distance and say to yourself, “I am going to jog up to that landmark, and when I reach it, I may start walking again.” Once you have reached the landmark, either slow to a walk, or if you have it in you, pick a new landmark and repeat. Do this several times. This will give you a nice interval workout and at the same time it will break up the monotony. With all forms of exercise the more variety you incorporate the quicker you will get results. Use a wide range of exercises and equipment. Don't always do the same machine over and over. Swim/walk /run/bike/kick/dance/box...do as many forms of cardio as your body is able to participate in.

Another important factor in cardio exercise is the heart rate at which we are exercising. This is also referred to as BPM (beats per minute). Oftentimes an exerciser will get very frustrated because they are weight training several times a week and also doing cardio at very high intensity levels several times a week, eating healthy yet still not seeing the results they want. This is a common problem that can be caused by performing cardio exercise at too high of an intensity level. Any time you do cardio it is burning calories...but what kind of calories?? In order to burn fat calories you should be working out at 65%-75% of your maximal heart rate (bpm). If you are working out at a heart rate over 75% of your maximal heart rate, you are actually burning carbohydrate and muscle stores in the body. This means that all that muscle you worked so hard for on the gym floor can essentially be burned right off again when you perform your cardio...you may actually be exercising too hard! Every now and then it is important to exceed 75% of your maximal heart rate because it is excellent exercise for the heart and lungs. But for long durations of time you are better off working at a lower intensity level to ensure you are burning mostly fat calories. This is most crucial for individuals as they are nearing their fitness goals. For the significantly overweight individual it is of less concern due to the fact that more calories are burned per minute at higher heart rates. If you are considerably overweight, dropping pounds will lighten the load on your joints, even if you end up burning some carbs and muscle in the process. Your joints will thank you, and you will modify your exercise intensity as you near your fitness goals, to ensure maintaining your lean muscle mass. Many cardio machines have built in heart rate monitors to help you keep track of your heart rate. They can also be purchased at most sporting goods stores. Do your research, though - some of them can be less than accurate. To figure out your target heart rate use the following formula: 220-your age x 65% and 220-your age x 75% = your target heart rate for burning fat calories.
Example: Karina’s target heart rate
220
- 26 (age)
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194 (this represents my maximal heart rate)
194 x 65%=126.1
194 x 75%=145.5 so my target heart rate is 126-145 bpm

If you are not using a heart rate monitor, or the one you are using is faulty, you can use the perceived rate of exertion or PRE. On a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the most vigorous you are capable of - perform cardio exercise at a 6-7 PRE.