Download Cardiovascular Endurance

CardiovascularEndurance
Cardiovascularendurancecanbedefinedasthecomponentwhichhelpstodetermineifthe
heartandlungsareworkingincoordination.Itshowstheabilityofthebodytodeliver
oxygenandnutrientstotissuesandtoremovewastes.
WhatisCardiovascularEndurance?
Tobetterunderstandtheterminology,youshouldknowthatcardio-referstothe“heart”,
vascularmeansrelatedtobloodvessels,andpulmonarymeansrelatedtothelungs.
Cardiovascularenduranceistheefficiencywithwhichthebody(theheartandlungs)
deliversoxygenandnutrientstotherequiredworkingmusclesandtransportswaste
productsfromthecellsoverasustainedperiodoftime.Ortoputitanotherway,it'sthe
abilityofyourheartandlungstoworktogethertoprovidethenecessaryoxygenandfuelto
yourbodywithoutquicklyreachingahighleveloffatigueandtiredness.Youcandefine
cardiorespiratoryenduranceastheabilityofthehearttopumpbloodrichoxygenforthe
functioningofyourmuscles.Ithelpstodeterminewhethertheheartandlungsareworking
incoordination.Theabilitytoremainfitwithoutfeelingtiredorfatigueduringphysical
exercisemeasuresthephysicalfitnessofaperson.
WhyisCardiovascularEnduranceImportant?
Cardiovascularenduranceisveryimportantbecausethemorefityourcardiovascular
systemsbecomes,thehealthieryourlungs,heartandvascularsystemwillbe.Ifyou
demonstratehighlevelsofcardiovascularenduranceduringexercise,youalsohaveamore
efficientheart,lungs,andvascularsystemwhileatrest.Thismeanslessstressisputonyour
heartandlungsaroundtheclock,enablingyoutoavoidillnessandlivealong,healthylife.
Manyarguethatcardiovascularenduranceisthemostimportantofthe5componentsto
physicalfitness.
HowcanyouimproveCardiovascularEndurance?
Toimproveyourcardiorespiratoryendurance,tryactivitiesthatkeepyourheartrateelevated
atasafelevelforasustainedlengthoftimesuchaswalking,swimming,orbicycling.The
activityyouchoosedoesnothavetobestrenuoustoimproveyourcardiorespiratory
endurance.Startslowlywithanactivityyouenjoy,andgraduallyworkuptoamoreintense
pace.
EXERCISE:
Swimming,cycling,walking,running,joggingandaerobicsaretheclassicalexamplesof
cardiovascularexercises.Trythemtoimproveyourcardiovascularfitnesslevel.
ASSESSMENT:
AMaxVO2testinthelaboratorysettingisthebestmeasureofcardiovascularfitness.Field
testsincludethe12minuterun,themilerun,themilewalk,thePACERrunforchildrenand
variousbicycle,step,andtreadmilltests.
MuscularStrength
Muscularstrengthismeasuredbymaximumamountofstrengthamusclehaswhilelifting
orduringanexertion.Inshort,muscularstrengthistheabilityofthemuscletoexert
strengthduringaworkoutoranactivity.Itisthecapabilityofthemuscletolifttheweight.
Thecommondefinitionis"theabilitytoexertaforceagainstaresistance."
WhatisMuscularStrength?
Muscularstrengthisthemaximumamountofforce(weightorheavyresistance)amuscleor
musclegroupcangenerateinasingleefforttothepointthatnomorerepetitionscanbedone
withoutrest.Muscularstrengthisquitetheoppositeofcardiovascularenduranceinregards
tothefactthatcardiovascularenduranceismeasuredoveracertainperiodoftime.While
ontheotherhand,muscularstrengthismeasuredinonerepetition.
WhyisMuscularStrengthImportant?
Inourdailylives,weneedmodestlevelsofstrengthtobeabletoperformeverydayphysical
taskslikelifting,moving,carrying,etc.Theprimaryreasonwhymuscularstrengthis
importantisitseffectonactivitiesofdailyliving(ADLs).EfficiencyandsafetyduringADLs
aretwoofthemostimportantreasonsforbecomingproficientinall5componentsof
physicalfitness.Attheveryleast,tobephysicallyfitinthemuscularstrengthdepartment,
youshoulddemonstratethebasicmuscularstrengthneededtoefficientlydoyouractivities
ofdailyliving(ADLs).WhileADLsvaryfrompersontoperson,youcanalsoconsider
activitiessuchaspush-ups,pull-ups,andcarryingheavyobjectstobeADLs.Eachofthe5
componentsoffitnessdependsontheothers.Poormuscularstrengthcannegativelyaffect
aerobicfitnessandmuscularendurance.
HowcanyouimproveMuscularStrength?
Thekeytomakingyourmusclesstrongerisworkingthemagainstresistance,whetherthatbe
fromweightsorgravity.Ifyouwanttogainmusclestrength,tryexercisessuchaslifting
weightsorrapidlytakingthestairs.
EXERCISE:
Abalancedandregularfitnessregimenhelpstoincreasetheabilityofmusclestoexertforce
andsustaincontraction.Aregularworkoutwillmakeyourmusclesstrongerandincrease
youroverallstrength.Thephysicalfitnessofmusclestrengthcouldbeimprovedthrough
exercisesuchasliftingweights.Weighttrainingexercises-pushups,pullups,bicepscurls,
pectoralfly,legextensions,backextension,etc.
ASSESSMENT:
Fortrueassessmentitwouldbenecessarytotesteachmajormusclegroupofthebody.Lab
andfieldtestsaresimilarandinvolvetheassessmentofonerepetitionmaximum(the
maximumamountofresistanceyoucanovercomeonetime).1RMtestsaretypically
conductedonresistancemachines.Strengthcanalsobeassessedusingdynamometers.
Strengthcanbemeasuredisometrically(staticcontractions)orisotonically(dynamic
contractions).
MuscularEndurance
Muscularenduranceisdefinedastheabilityofthebodytoperformrepeated
exerciseswithoutgettingtired.Ifapersoncanperformmorenumberofrepetitions
ofaparticularstrengthtrainingexercise,thenitcanbesaidthathe/shehasgood
muscularendurance.
WhatisMuscularEndurance?
Muscularenduranceistheabilityofthemuscletocontinuetoperformwithoutfatigue.Or,to
putitsimplistically,it'showlongyourmusclescandosomethingbeforegettingtooexhausted
tofinish.
WhyisMuscularEnduranceImportant? Muscularenduranceisthebridgebetweenmuscularstrengthandcardiovascularendurance.
Inordertohaveafitcardiovascularsystem,youmustdemonstratemuscularendurance.
Muscularenduranceissometimesconfusedwithmuscularstrength.Theabilityofthe
muscletoperformanactionwithoutfeelingfatigueisknownasmuscularendurance.Itisthe
abilityofmuscles,whetherinagrouporseparatedtosustainrepeatedcontractionsagainst
resistanceforanextendedperiodoftime.Thisisrelatedtomuscularstrengthand
cardiovascularendurance.Ifapersoncanperformmorenumberofrepetitionsofaparticular
strengthtrainingexercise,thenitshows-thatpersonhasgoodmuscularendurance.
HowcanyouimproveMuscularEndurance?
Toimproveyourmuscleendurance,trycardiorespiratoryactivitiessuchaswalking,
jogging,bicycling,ordancing.
EXERCISE: Thetypesofenduranceareaerobicendurance,anaerobicendurance,speedenduranceand
strengthendurance.Asoundbasisofaerobicenduranceisfundamentalforallevents.
Toincreasethefitnesslevelofmuscularendurance,tryStrengthtrainingexercisessuchas
running,jogging,cross-trainingonanellipticalmachine,etc.
ASSESSMENT: Eachmajormusclegroupofthebodyistestedtochecktheendurance.Labandfieldtestsof
muscularendurancearesimilar.Theyarebasedonthenumberofrepetitionsthatcanbe
performedbythespecificmusclegroupbeingtested.Example:repetitionsofpush-upsor
abdominalcurls.Muscularendurancecanbemeasuredisometrically(staticcontractions)or
isotonically(dynamiccontractions).
Flexibility
Flexibilitycanbedefinedasthecomponentwhichcheckstheabilityofthejointsin
thebodytomovetotheirfullrangeofmotion.
WhatisFlexibility?
Flexibilityistheabilitytomovethejointsoranygroupofjoints,muscles,ligaments,and
tendonsthroughtheirfull,normalrangeofmotionwithouthindrance,discomfort,orpain.
WhyisFlexibilityImportant?
Tosomedegree,yourflexibilitydeterminestheefficiencyofyourmuscles.Increased
flexibilityhasalsobeenassociatedwithdecreasedriskofacuteandchronic
(overuse)injuries.
Poorflexibilitycandirectlyaffectcardiovascularendurance,musclestrength,and
muscularendurance.Flexibilitycanincludeextramuscularfactors,suchasrangeof
motionatajoint,aswellasintramuscularfactors,suchashypertonicity(knots)
withinthemusclesthemselves. HowcanyouimproveFlexibility?
Ifyouwanttoimproveyourflexibility,tryactivitiesthatlengthenthemusclesora
basicstretchingprogram.
EXERCISE:
Aregularworkoutsessionwillensurethatyoumoveyourjointsandmusclesto
theirfullestextentandhence,itwillincreasetheflexibilityofthesejointsandyour
overallbody.
Theexercisessuchasstretching,yoga,Pilatesandswimmingwouldhelptoimprove
thephysicalflexibility.
ASSESSMENT:
Flexibilityrequiresrangeofmotionwithoutdiscomfortorpainanditisspecificto
eachjointofthebody.Itistypicallymeasuredinthelabusingmeasurementdevices
suchasagoniometer,flexometer.Inthefield,testssuchasthesitandreachandthe
zipperareperformed.
BodyComposition
Toknowyourfitnesslevelyouneedtounderstandyourbodycomposition.Thereasonis
bodycompositiondirectlyrelatestotheoverallfitnesslevel.Bodycompositionisthe
componentwhichconsiderstheindividualbodytype,accordingtotheheight,weight,frame
sizeandtheratioofthefatmasstoleanmusclemass.Theoverallphysicallevelofan
individualdependsontheirbodycomposition.
WhatisBodyComposition?
Bodycompositionisthepercentageoffatinyourbodycomparedtoyourleanbody
mass(muscles,bones,tendons,ligaments,organs,etc.).Theeasiestandmostcommon
waytolookatbodycompositioniswithatwo-compartmentanalysis,which
comparestheamountofbodyfatyouhavewithyourleanbodymass,whichincludes
muscle,bone,water,andorgans.
WhyisBodyCompositionImportant?
Bodycompositionisusefulinhelpingtodeterminehealthrisks.Therefore,knowing
yourbodycompositionandhowitrelatestoyouroverallfitnesslevelisessential.An
optimalratiooffatmasstoleanmassisaclearindicatorofgoodfitness.
Havingapoorbodycompositionhasmanynegativephysicalandpsychologicaleffects,
suchasincreasedchanceofchronicdiseasesanddepression.Asmentionedpreviously,
improperexercisehabitsandpoorlifestylechoicescannotonlyleadtobeing
overweightorobese,butalsodecreasedbonemassassociatedwithosteopeniaand
osteoporosis.
HowcanyouimproveyourBodyComposition?
Youcouldsaybodycompositiondependsontheothercomponentsofphysical
fitness.Focusingontheotherfouraspectsofphysicalfitnesswillnaturallyleadto
improvedbodycompositionovertime.
EXERCISE: Aregularprograminvolvingaerobicexerciseandstrengthtrainingcanhelpyoudecrease
yourbodyfatandincreaseyourmusclemass;andthereby,significantlyimprovingyour
bodycompositionandgeneraloverallhealthandfitness. ASSESSMENT:
Thereareseveralmethodsthatcanbeusedtocalculatebodycomposition.Thebestmethod
isunderwaterweighing.Butduetotheexpense,thisisn'tpracticalfortheeverydayperson.
Incidentally,ifyoucangotoauniversityorsomeotherplacethatissetuptodoit,itwould
bewellworthyourtimetocheckitout.Therefore,themostcommonmethodof
determiningyourbodycompositionisskinfoldreadings-usingskinfoldcalipersandtaking
measurementsfromcertainareasofyourbody.