Cardiovascular Activity

by

Andrew T. Spence; MED, ATC, CSCS
Bassett Healthcare Sports Medicine

Cardiovascular activity is any activity that involves exercise of the major muscle groups for an extended period of time. As you exercise, your heart beats to provide oxygenated blood to the areas of the body that need it. As a result of this action, the heart becomes stronger as you continue to exercise. The heart is able to pump more blood per stroke and eventually becomes more efficient, leading to a healthier heart.

Cardiovascular activity consists of many different activities such as running, bicycling, walking, and swimming. The goal is to maintain the activity for a prolonged period of time. It is recommended to exercise for about 20-30 minutes initially and as you get more physically fit you may add more time. One way to begin is to start walking. You can improve your fitness levels significantly if you walk 30 minutes a day. As you continue to exercise, it is important to modify your routine. For instance, if you continue to do the same walk program without changing anything, you will get to a point when you program will  become too easy. You will continue to burn extra calories, but the fitness benefits will begin to plateau. If this happens, you can add some hills, walk longer, walk faster, or cross train. Cross training is when you add another type of cardiovascular exercise to the program. Instead of walking one day you could replace that activity with bicycling or swimming.

When you are exercising you should exercise at a certain intensity. If you go too slowly, you may not get all of the benefit you could get out of your effort. There are a couple of ways to monitor this. You can monitor your pulse or heart rate. There are different formulas on how to calculate this. The idea is to work at a certain heart rate. By monitoring it, you can measure the success of your program. If your heart rate is low during exercise, you can adjust it by going faster or adding a hill.Another way to monitor your exercise intensity is by perceived exertion. If you are walking and are able to carry out a full conversation without difficulty, your exertion may not have been that much.

The number of times a week you exercise is important. You should exercise a minimum of five times a week if you are able to. If that amount of time or motivation is not available, you will still be getting benefits if you only exercise three times a week. The key is consistency. If you remain consistent at your program the more likely you will want to keep it going and maybe you will find the extra time or motivation to add on some extra days.

The following is a beginning cardiovascular program. (Make sure you check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.)

• Exercise: walking at an easy pace on a track or road with limited hills
• Frequency: walk for 3-5 times a week consistently
• Intensity: walk at comfortable rate where you can keep a conversation, but with a little difficulty.
• Time: about 20-30 minutes initially

It is always good to record your program on a calendar or journal. This helps you keep track of what you did, how far you went, how hard the exercise was, and adjustments for next time. Also, the log will help you highlight your successes such as weight loss, body composition change, fitting into smaller sizes, etc.
You now have the basics of cardiovascular exercise. Now it is up to you. Remember, consistency is the key. Find the time and the results will come.