  |
SelfHelpInfoNow.com |
 |
| |||
| Aerobics & Cardio Information |
|
|
 |
The Fitness Cardio Secret That Propels Lance Armstrong
What is Lance Armstrong doing that you can do to improve your results? Most people exercise to lose weight, focusing solely on that one single goal. But wait, it is not only about looking aesthetically pleasing, getting in those tight jeans, or losing ten pounds. It is really about improving your health, and human performance. Each day when you are huffing and puffing on the treadmill, focusing vigorously on keeping yourself lean, have you ever thought about what physically is occurring in your body besides burning a bunch of calories? For improved results, more people need to stop focusing solely on calorie burn, and start thinking about improving such fitness values as VO2 Max, or maximum oxygen uptake. What exactly is your VO2 Max? VO2 Max is defined as the highest rate at which oxygen can be taken in and used during high intensity dynamic exercise. When you are exercising aerobically on your treadmill, each and every muscle contraction requires oxygen to break down the fats, carbohydrates, and protein; thus, providing energy (ATP) needed to fuel the muscles in order for movement to occur. Humans, at rest, need 3.5 ml of oxygen, every minute, for each kilogram of body weight just to support the cellular activities in the tissues that keep us alive. Now let's get back to our treadmill. As you increase the speed or incline (intensity), more oxygen is required to transfer the oxygen through the blood and into the muscles. Due to increased intensity during your exercise session, more oxygen is required to initiate the energy releasing process. Now let's take the treadmill up to a speed and incline where you can no longer catch your breath comfortably. The intensity has increase significantly, but you have reached an upper limit on the amount of oxygen you can take in. This is your VO2 Max. VO2 Max values differ from individual to individual. Factors such as age, health, activity levels, training programs, and genetics all affect VO2 Max. A sedentary person has a VO2 Max of around 20 ml of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute of exercise. A highly trained endurance athlete can have a VO2 Max of 70 ml/kg/min. Now why does Lance Armstrong win all those bike races? Yes, he has a great training program, a great coach, and great equipment. However, his genetics for an endurance athlete are nothing short of astounding. Do you know his VO2 Max measures around 83-85 ml/kg/min, while an average person's is around 40? For Lance, his success is attributed to a combination of great training, will, desire, and unbelievable genetic makeup. A Super Human Lance: 1. Lungs - 2 times the capacity of the average person 2. Muscle - Accumulates less lactic acid and is more efficient at removing it. 3. Heart - Is about 1/3 larger with a resting heart rate of 32 beats per minute, and peaks around 200 beats per minute. 4. Body Fat - 4-5 percent before the Tour starts, while an average person has 15-20 percent. 5. Food Consumption - Needs 6500 calories per day, and upwards of 10,000 per day when biking in the mountains during his 120 mile race. Truly amazing! How do you improve VO2 Max? Improvement is seen by progressively challenging yourself aerobically with consistent workouts at 60% to 85% of your maximum heart rate (220-age) for an extended period of time. The most important variable is to continue attempting to increase intensity levels of your workouts. Progressively overloading is the key; your body will adapt, and improve your VO2 Max as well as burn more calories for decreased body fat. Now you ask, how can I measure my VO2 Max? For the most accurate measurement, you can go into a hospital, or a University Human Performance Lab and get the test. You will generally use a treadmill or a stationary bike, and be given an oxygen mask to measure your oxygen exchange. You will also be connected with chest electrodes to measure your heart response. The main objective is to walk, bike, or run as the intensity is progressively elevated until it is not possible to go any longer. (You should be cleared or monitored by your physician before attempting a VO2 Max test.) The easier. but not as accurate way, is to do an estimated sub maximal aerobic capacity test. The following is one of the many tests that can be used. Find a 400 meter track, bring a stopwatch, and walk/run as fast as you can go for 12 minutes. Keep track of the number of meters you have gone in 12 minutes, and use the following formula. Distance Covered in Meters - 504.9 / 44.730 = Estimated VO2 Max Here is a rough guide: 4-5 laps covered, your VO2 Max will be around 30. Learn to keep a close eye on your fitness values and try to continually improve them. Improvement will lead to great health benefits, and may result in your goal of decreased body fat (depending upon your nutritional habits.) ______________________________________________ To receive your complimentary subscription to Wellness Word Multimedia Newsletter, visit: http://www.WellnessWord.com right now! ______________________________________________ ** Attention: eZine Editors/Website Owners ** Healthiest Regards, By: Jim O'Connor (The Fitness Promoter)- All Rights Reserved Jim O'Connor, a celebrity Exercise Physiologist from Beverly Hills, California, is the editor of Wellness WORD Multimedia Newsletter, and the author of a popular ebook called Home Gym Shopping Secrets. Jim's Passion is educating the public with proper scientific researched health and fitness information. For further information contact: Jim O'Connor - Exercise Physiologist/The Fitness Promoter Wellness Word, LLC http://www.WellnessWord.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Cardio-Boxing for Super Fitness The major benefits of cardio-boxing include:· Increased Stamina · Increased Strength · Increased Speed · Increased CoordinationCardio-boxing also promotes a person's well being by strengthening their self-discipline and combined with strength training it's well and truly the total package for self-defence and fitness and usually consists of:· Adjusted heart rate work · Actual boxing techniquesThe usual workout consists of the age-adjusted heart rate work starting with 10 minutes for beginners and leading up to 20 minutes for the more advanced. For the second part of the workout, you'll need to perform and practice 20 minutes of actual boxing techniques. Too Much Water Can Kill Long distance runners and other endurance athletes have long been educated to believe that drinking lots of fluids during a long distance or endurance event was critical. And if you didn't drink enough water, you ran the risk of dehydration. Cardios Effect on Overall Health When most people hear the word "Cardio", their mind automatically pictures jogging, or threadmills, or stationnary bikes. Yes, those are some forms of cardio. Benefits of Elliptical Training The basic motion of an elliptical trainer is a smooth, flowing.. 3 Keys To Finding Your Natural Running Stride When I think back to when I was at school, my worst nightmare was running. I hated it, even more than football and rugy which I don't like even today. 5 Tips for Starting Runners So you've decided to take up running? Maybe you are starting back up after putting it off for years. Here is a list of tips that I have found beneficial to the starting runner or even the seasoned pro. Running Tips It's a good idea to consult your doctor before beginning any physical activity. The information in this article is not meant to be technical, it's just a guideline. An Alternate Fitness Tool Any competitive or recreational athlete will use a variety of cross-training methods or tools to complement their particular sport or to meet their fitness needs. One such tool that is becoming increasing popular is the Kickbike. Heart Matters Your heart is between one to two times the size of your clenched fist. Contrary to popular belief, it is not located to one side of the body - it is located almost in the exact center of your chest. Guidant Corporation Recalls Heart Defibrillators A worldwide recall was announced by Guidant Corporation for nearly 50,000 of their heart defibrillators due to potential malfunctions in these devices.Although the U. A Cardio Snobs Workout As I peruse the pages of various holiday issues of my favorite fitness/womens magazines I notice many articles about the benefits of practicing yoga at this stressful time of year. At the risk of sounding like a cardio snob, if I have 30 minutes a day (if I'm lucky) and i have to get into a special outfit in about a month and a half. Lose Weight And Skyrocket Your Metabolism With Regular Cardiovascular Exercise Do you try to eat well, even diet, but aren't seeing the results you were hoping for? Are you just trying to gain more energy? Do you ever feel like you're not breathing enough?If you answered yes to any of the questions above you should consider the proven, time-tested weight loss tool called cardiovascular exercise.I know that it's terribly hard to start walking or jogging when you have so much stress to deal with in your life. The Best Cardio Workouts The benefits of exercise are abundant and well documented, and the best cardio workouts can increase your quality of life. One can hardly read a magazine or watch the news without stumbling across a study or doctor claiming a new benefit from exercise. Burn 340 Calories a Day with Aerobic Exercise Strengthen your heart and lungs and give your body a wonderful shape with Aerobics.Aerobic Exercise - Improve your fitness the right way. Integrated Training for Improved Cycling Performance - Part 2 The previous article looked at postural issues and possible muscles imbalances involved with cycling. Now that we have an understanding of the imbalances that arise from a prolonged cycling position, we can develop an effective program for correcting those postural distortions. Cardiovascular Training - From the Heart! Cardiovascular training, or aerobics, requires a different approach than other body parts. At the "heart" of cardiovascular training is one basic premise: if you elevate your heart rate to 65-80 percent of your maximum and keep it there for a period of at least 12 minutes it will stimulate the production of fat-burning enzymes. Elliptical Workouts Elliptical workouts basically involve aerobic or cardiovascular exercise. Elliptical cross trainers can be intimidating at first glance but once you get familiar with them you will find them easy to use and a fun part of your routine. Chronic Headaches And Pain Often Can Be Eliminated By A Special Dentist Denver, Colorado/Las Vegas, Nevada-Sometimes as Freud once said, "A good cigar is just a smoke." A headache, on the other hand, occasionally can be a sign of something much more serious than just a headache. Run for Your Life Running is an ideal symmetrical activity for keeping fit. However, it is common for people to blame running for injuries rather than accept that it may be how they run that is at fault. Fat Burning Exercises Fat burning exercises are the slow, aerobic, long duration types of exercise that involve most of the major muscle groups. Your body will burn a higher percentage of calories from fat with lower intensity cardio exercises.
|
|
Home | Blog | Improvement | Motivation | Health & Fitness | Relationships | Family | Parenting | Women Issues | Legal Matters Aerobics & Cardio Home | Site Map |
| Copywrite © 2006 www.SelfHelpInfoNow.com All rights reserved. |
