Cardiorespiratory fitness best describes the health and function of the heart, lungs, and circulatory system. Cardiorespiratory fitness also describes the lungs’ ability to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide with the blood, and transport nutrients and waste products to and from active body tissues. Other terms used and applied to the exercise environment are cardiovascular fitness, aerobic endurance, and aerobic capacity. These terms are finished.

Cardiorespiratory exercise has been shown to have many benefits, such as reducing cardiovascular disease by increasing fat utilization and thus reducing obesity, and reducing and controlling hypertension and cholesterol. Other reported benefits include improved heart function and oxygen consumption, the ability to perform daily tasks more easily, decreased resting heart rate, body fat stores, anxiety and stress, and diabetes control.

A cardiorespiratory program must follow general guidelines to ensure maximum safety and efficacy. These features are essential to achieving measurable improvements. We call this the FITT principle.

Frequency 3-5 times per week

Intensity 60-90% of predicted MHR

Time Duration 15-60 minutes of aerobic exercise

Type Activities; walking, cycling, jogging, swimming, rollerblading, cross training, rowing, etc.

Exercise FREQUENCY refers to the number of exercise sessions per week that are performed. The ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) recommends 3-5 sessions per week to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and achieve or maintain optimal body fat levels.

Exercise INTENSITY refers to the amount of effort you put into your training session. There are many methods for monitoring exercise intensity, some have been standardized and are suitable for application to the general population and those with different fitness levels.

Heart rate (MHR)
Rating of perceived exertion (RPE)
The ‘talk test’ method
Maximum heart rate (MHR) is determined by:
Men 220 – age
Woman 226 – age

Therefore, a 34-year-old man would have an MHR of 186 beats per minute (bpm). His exercise intensity is then factored into the equation to give an exercise intensity that is specific to experience, fitness level, abilities, and relative to his fitness goals. Those who are just beginning an exercise regimen or who have a low fitness level may benefit from intensities as low as 50-60% MHR. Higher intensities of up to 90% of the MHR are better suited to people in better physical shape. As a general guideline, 60-80% MHR is sufficient for the average population with no contraindications to exercise.

RPE The ‘Rate of Perceived Exertion’ scale considers all the factors that influence exercise intensity and how we perceive that exercise, including fatigue and environmental conditions. A twenty-point scale has been designed that corresponds to heart rate intensities and allows the participant to determine their perceived exertion. This method teaches us to listen to our body instead of ‘distracting’ ourselves and can be used in conjunction with Heart Rate.

The ‘talk test’: This is an easy method that anyone can use. The speech test is based on the principle that if you cannot carry on a regular conversation while exercising, your exercise intensity is too high. However, the intensity must be sufficient to increase core body temperature and promote perspiration.

The TIME of the exercise is the duration of the exercise and depends on the intensity of the session. The ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) suggests a minimum of 15 minutes of continuous exercise to get some improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness. More deconditioned individuals may require multiple shorter sessions until they develop a base from which improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness can be made.

Your abilities, interests, available time, equipment, facilities, and personal goals determine the TYPE of exercise. The options are endless and can include any movement that uses large muscle groups, is continuous in nature (for a minimum of 15 minutes), and uses the aerobic energy system.

When beginning an exercise program, it’s best to take a conservative approach and start with the suggested minimum, ie 3 times per week for 15-20 minutes at no more than 55-65% MHR.

This intensity should be increased gradually over the next few weeks and months to bring about changes and improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and endurance.

Fitcorp Asia’s health professionals can design a program specific to your needs and goals, and help you reach your potential in health, mind and body.

Contact us at http://www.fitcorpasia.com or http://www.personaltrainingbangkok.com for more information.