Module 4 - Aerobic Principles and Program Design

What is the relationship between heart rate and exercise intensity

linear and directly proportional. increasing intensity = increase in heart rate

What happens to heart rate when we increase intensity of exercise

increases and then eventually plateaus

Why does heart rate plateau when increasing intensity

individual has reached their max heart rate

What is the goal for frequency of exercise

3-5 times a week

What does frequency of exercising depend on

health and fitness level

How many days a week should a sedentary and healthy person exercise

start at 3 days a week and progress

How many days a week should a sedentary and unhealthy person exercise

start with fewer days or use several short sessions then progress to healthy levels of frequency

What is the effect of training less than 3 times a week

It will be difficult to increase your fitness levels or decrease in weight unless the intensity is very high

What is the effect of training more than 5 times week

this can lead to injury and is unnecessary for the typical person when promoting wellness, however, it can be safe to do moderate activities daily like walking

What is the most important factor in achieving training effects, why

intensity. must exercise intensely enough to stress body to improve cardiovascular fitness

How is intensity typically expressed

percentage of VO2max or maximum heart rate (MHR)

Relationship between intensity and duration

inverse

What do you need to determine about your client before prescribing an intensity

• initial cardiovascular condition

• goals (fitness vs health)

• preferences

• injury risks

VO2max

the maximum amount of oxygen you can extract, deliver, and utilize during exercise

How can you test VO2max

collecting gases for analysis of O2 consumption and CO2 production while someone is exercising at increasing intensities until they are unable to continue

How can you estimate VO2max

using a sub maximal test for people who are unable to access or perform a maximal test

What are the intensity guidelines for apparently healthy adults (% of VO2max)

65-90% of VO2max

What % of VO2max is considered moderate intensity

70%

What are the intensity guidelines for apparently healthy adults (% of MHR)

Beginner - 65% MHR

Intermediate - 70-80% MHR

Advanced - 80-90% MHR

What are the intensity guidelines for unhealthy sedentary/very unfit individuals (% of MHR and HRR)

55% MHR and 40% HRR is likely sufficient to provide health benefits

What are ways to test if the intensity is appropriate

• heart rate methods

• rate of perceived exertion

• talk test

What are the three different methods of using heart rate measures for testing intensity

1. HR using max test: using the linear relationship between HR and intensity to correspond to % of estimated VO2max/functional capacity

2. % of MHR: determine MHR with test or 220-age

3. Karvonen method: uses % of HRR and considers RHR and MHR

Heart Rate Reserve (HRR) equation

Max HR - Resting HR

Karvonen Method equation

intensity (%) x HRR + RHR

What are the heart rate zones

Zone I: <65% (Recovery)

Zone II: 65-75% (Endurance)

Zone III: 75-85% (Lactate Threshold)

Zone IV: >85% (Anaerobic)

What are the limitations of HR methods

• 30% of population MHR is over/under the 220-age prediction

• medication, emotional status, environment, etc can all impact HR

What is the main advantage of using ratings of perceived exertion (RPE)

no break in exercise is required to elevate HR

When is RPE especially valuable

when using combination of RPE and HR

How do you use RPE when exercising

• use to correspond with VO2 or HR levels during graded tests

• learn to associate particular RPE with specific target HR

• Borg scale

How do you use the talk test to test intensity level

for moderate activity, you should be able to speak during

How hard should you work if your goal is recreation/health

hard enough to increase breathing but not hard enough to make you breathless/exhausted

How long should an apparently healthy individual train for at an intensity of 65-90% of VO2max

30-60 minutes

How long should an apparently healthy individual train for at a high intensity/interval training

20 minutes is sufficient

How long should an apparently healthy individual train for at a low to moderate intensity

45-60 minutes

How long can bouts of exercise be

10 minutes

How often can you increase time

every 2-3 weeks during initial improvement stages

What is the relationship between time and intensity

inverse

What type of aerobic activities should you focus on

activities that use large muscle groups in a continuous, rhythmical fashion for a prolonged duration

Are stop and start sports effective activities for an aerobic training program

• depends on client’s skill level

• if they can play continuously, then yes

What questions should you ask your client when determining the type of exercise to prescribe

1. what activities do you enjoy

2. do you have a friend with the same interests

3. are you interested in competitive or recreational, group or individual activities

4. what facilities/equipment do you have access to

When does the greatest conditioning effects occur

during the first 6-8 weeks of the program

How do you overload

adjust frequency, intensity, and duration carefully to avoid overtraining/injury

How much does aerobic training increase VO2max in an average person

10-30%

What are some factors that can influence aerobic training response

• sedentary behaviours/bed rest

• age

• initial fitness

• habitual physical activity

What happens to your VO2max after 20 days of bedrest

reduction by 25%

What is the relationship between age and physical activity

inverse

Who shows more trainability

they are the same