Aerobic conditioning

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Aerobic conditioning is a process whereby one trains the heart and lungs to pump blood more efficiently, allowing more oxygen to get to muscles and organs.

Aerobic conditioning is a determining factor in performance in events with a duration greater than 2mins. On the athletics track this would relate to all events extending from the 800m.

Usually this is done through cardiovascular exercise, like running, swimming, aerobics, etc. A stronger heart does not pump blood faster but more thoroughly. Trained endurance athletes can have heartbeat as low as the reported 28 beats per minute in people such as Miguel Indurain or 32 beats per minute of Lance Armstrong,[1] both of whom were professional cyclists at the highest level.

Although exercising at lower intensities will improve aerobic conditioning, the most rapid gains are made when exercising close to an individual's anaerobic threshold.[2] This is the intensity at which the heart and lungs can no longer provide to the demands of the working muscles and an oxygen debt begins to accrue or when the exercise moves from being aerobic to anaerobic. Anaerobic training intensity for most individuals will be <85-92% of maximum heart rate.[3]

In order for one to improve their aerobic conditioning, they must increase their prolonged oxygen intake and metabolism. Aerobic Conditioning requires someone’s ability to take in, use, and deliver oxygen to all places of the body.[4]Aerobic conditioning will then stimulate your body in order to increase the intensity of your workout. Once improvement in your aerobic conditioning is apparent, for example in your metabolism and oxygen uptake, your body will progressively adapt to further training.[5]Aerobic conditioning can be anywhere from walking on the treadmill to mowing the lawn. It is said, that you should get anywhere from 150-200 minutes of moderate-aerobic exercise every week. This amount of physical activity should help with maintaining a healthy weight and keeping your cardiovascular system in good condition.[6] Aerobic conditioning is an exercise at which allows oxygen flow to the cardiovascular system at a slower pace than Anaerobic Conditioning.

Aerobic conditioning has many advantages over anaerobic, as it can increase your endurance and lifespan. When aerobic training, you aim to improve the blood flow to your lungs, heart, and blood vessels. This particular type of training, targets large muscle groups so that when you increase your physical activity intensity, you are improving your overall fitness.[7] There are many benefits to aerobic training, and the outcomes can be very rewarding. Aerobic conditioning can increase the duration that one can endure physical activity. This type of conditioning can help with heart disease, diabetes, or anxiety. Aerobic conditioning also has many non-medical benefits, such as increasing your mood, fatigue and sleeping patterns. This overall type of conditioning has the most longevity to its practice, and can improve the well being of a person’s health immensely. [8] [edit]

References

  1. ^ The Lance Armstrong Performance Program ISBN 1-57954-270-0
  2. ^ Arthur Lydiard's Guide to Athletic Training. A Guide to the Brooks/American Track and Field Lydiard Running Lecture Tour 1999
  3. ^ Craig, Neil. "Scientific Heart Rate Training." Eureka Quality Printers.1996.
  4. ^ http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/locl/genrel/auto_pdf/AerobicConditioning.pdf
  5. ^ Olpin, D. M. (2011, October 14). Benefits of aerobic conditioning.
  6. ^ Davidson, J. (2011, September 2). Aerobic Vs. Anaerobic Conditioning. LIVESTRONG.
  7. ^ Mccord, E. (n.d.). Aerobic details.http://www.adapticom1.net/erinmccord/mm/ScieceFair7th/AerobicConditioning-sources.html
  8. ^ Am J Lifestyle Med. (2010). Aerobic Conditioning and Physical Activity.Sage Publications.
  • Kearns, K. (2011). Aerobic exercise and fasd. University of Victoria, Retrieved from http://web.uvic.ca/~fasd/?q=node/25
  • Cooper, Kenneth C. The New Aerobics. Eldora, Iowa: Prairie Wind.
  • Donatelle, Rebecca J. Health: The Basics. 6th ed. San Francisco: Pearson Education, Inc. 2005.
  • Hinkle, J. Scott. School Children and Fitness: Aerobics for Life. Ann Arbor, MI: ERIC Clearinghouse on Counseling and Personnel Services.
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Last modified on 8 April 2013, at 19:14