Fitness Town

The hardest part of exercise is going to the gym, putting on those running shoes, and pushing through those first few minutes. By the time the workout is finished, you feel like you can take on the world. The next time you want to skip a workout, think about what you feel like when you are done, though the mental benefits are just the tip of the iceberg.

Individual A and Individual B stand next to each other. They are of the same gender, share the same birthday and have identical height and weight measurements. Individual A has a resting heart rate of 75 beats per minute. Individual B has a resting heart rate of 60 beats per minute. Who has the stronger heart? Individual B. Why does Individual B have a lower resting heart rate and stronger heart than Individual A? In this example, individual B performs daily cardiovascular activity and Individual A does not. The daily exercise regiment also provides health benefits for the blood vessels, lungs, body fat percentage and mood.

Cardio-respiratory Benefits

People inhale oxygen into the lungs. The oxygen then diffuses into the bloodstream, where it is absorbed by the blood. The newly oxygenated blood then reports directly to the heart. The oxygen, stored in the hemoglobin of red blood cells, is then pumped by the heart to the body. The oxygen then exits the blood and enters muscles and organs to be used as energy. It is important that the travel of oxygen inside the body is efficient. For great health and fitness, the lungs must be able to take in a large amount of oxygen. The heart must be strong enough to pump a high volume of blood with each beat. The body must be trained to have the ability to get the most energy out of each individual molecule of oxygen. One type of exercise improves the body in each of these areas…cardiovascular training.

Cardiovascular exercise increases lung capacity. The lungs are extremely elastic, much like balloons, shrinking and expanding with each breath. Individuals who perform cardio/aerobics on a daily basis, and who do not smoke, have lungs with increased ability to accept more oxygen and deliver it to the heart and body. Increased lung capacity helps control breathing so individuals do not become ‘out of breath’ easily.

All types of aerobic activity, especially high-intensity training, increases the amount of blood pumped with each beat (stroke volume). Cardiovascular activity is like strength training for the heart. The more blood the heart has to pump with each beat, the harder it has to squeeze, increasing the heart’s strength. The benefits of this type of training are seen at rest as well as during exercise. A strong heart at rest will pump more blood with each stroke, which is the reason why fit individuals have a lower resting heart rate than those who do not exercise.

A fit individual will gain more energy from oxygen than a de-conditioned individual. In terms of the body’s oxygen consumption, think of exercise as an electrical outlet. Most strength training is like having only a television plugged into the outlet (eg. biceps curls). The television (the biceps) is the only device which needs energy. Cardiovascular training is like having a television, DVD player, fan and light all plugged into the same outlet, because when performing aerobic activity, every muscle in the body needs energy. As oxygen-rich blood reaches a muscle, the muscles must be efficient at turning the oxygen into energy. It takes practice. The more an individual exercises, the better the muscles become at turning the oxygen into energy so none of it is wasted.

A low resting heart rate means an individual has a high lung capacity, a strong heart that pumps much blood per beat, and the muscles consume oxygen efficiently. One way to enjoy these benefits is by exercising at least 30 minutes a day, 4 to 7 days per week.

Fat Loss

Fat storage is necessary because it helps to protect internal organs, helps create new cells and is accessed for sudden increased energy demands. Cardiovascular exercise qualifies as a sudden increased energy demand.

Triglycerides (3 fatty acids connected to a glucose-type base) are built inside the liver. The liver sends many of these triglycerides into storage around the muscles. During exercise, adrenaline orders the body to break down these triglycerides. Fatty acids enter the muscles, are used to create energy, and then the fat is no more.

Aerobic activity burns a tremendous amount of fat, greatly decreasing the amount of stored fat inside the body. This process is enhanced with a low-fat diet (less than 30% of total calories coming from fat). Nutrition becomes an even more important fat-loss element after the age of 30. A 20-year old kid can train and eat almost anything they want and still stay lean. Fit individuals over the age of 30 must exercise AND watch what they eat.

Emotional Benefits

All exercise, whether strength training, running, swimming, or any other repetitive physical activity, can become relaxation through movement. Individuals focus on the next step, the next curl, the next stroke or catching and throwing a ball. This focus removes the stress of the day or week, even if only for a time. The method of exercise chosen must be enjoyable. In these hard times, we all need to enjoy the moment when it happens. Exercise can become an escape. It can become a moment of joy in an otherwise ‘Murphy’s Law’ day.

Exercise is enjoyable and contributes to ‘runner’s high’ because of a drastic decrease in pain. Strength training and aerobic activity will stimulate the release of opiates inside the body. Opiates counteract feelings of fear, pain, panic and anxiety.

Exercise

Individuals become confused when considering which cardiovascular activity they should perform. The activity chosen is not important. Do whatever you like, follow whatever program you are healthy enough for, and try to get friends and family involved.

This is becoming an increasingly technical world, and some enjoy aerobic programs if they incorporate a certain level of scientific sophistication. Fitness professionals may argue about what is the best technical program. ‘220 – Age’ heart rate maximum based programs…anaerobic threshold…lactate threshold programs… they all provide physical and emotional benefits, simply because movement is the foundation. Any exercise chosen, if performed consistently, will work. There is no ‘best’ aerobic activity, strength training program or diet. In all honesty, the ‘best’ one is the one which you enjoy and will follow.

Ken Kashubara earned a BSBA from the University of Pittsburgh along with four varsity letters. He has now furthered his wellness knowledge by earning Personal Training certificates from both the American Council on Exercise and the National Academy of Sports Medicine, which he puts to good use through his writing for Greenmaple Wellness Inc, and his Kash Personal Training business, where he now leads others to better health.

Ken is also a regular contributor to the Fitness Town Health & Wellness On-line E-zine.  For more great articles like this one, please visit here and sign-up to receive our free newsletter once per month.

Healthy living to you and your families from all of us at Fitness Town.