Heart of The Matter
Designed to Move
The heart lies at the centre of the cardiovascular system, which also comprises of the lungs and the circulatory vessels (veins & arteries). One of the major roles of the cardiovascular system is to supply oxygen to the muscles. For only when oxygen is present can the muscles work efficiently. The more oxygen the CV system can supply, the greater the bodies capacity for endurance activities such as running, swimming & cycling. The word aerobic means “with oxygen” which is why this type of activity is called aerobic exercise.
Your aerobic fitness is usually measured in terms of the maximum amount of oxygen you can supply to your muscles which is referred to as your VO2 Max. In order to improve the efficiency of the oxygen delivery system, it is necessary to increase your heart rate to between 65% and 85% of your maximum heart rate for a period of 20-30mins, to find your maximum heart rate just use the formula 220-Your age, so if you are 22yrs old it would be 220-22= 198bpm.
After a while you will become fatigue, the oxygen supply will diminish, and your body will produce a substance called lactic acid. Once this gets into your muscles it causes the soreness which makes you stop. As your fitness level improves it will take longer and longer for this to occur.
Soon the heart will become stronger and the amount of blood it pumps out with each beat will increase and the substance in blood which attracts oxygen called haemoglobin will also multiply. You will be able to workout for longer at higher intensities without fatiguing. In other words you will get fitter.
In addition to an increase in aerobic fitness you will also burn body fat more efficiently, have lower cholesterol levels and yes an increased energy level.
Clearly you can see the value of cardiovascular conditioning is enormous and the benefits can be yours for just 40minutes of your time 2-3 times per week. Remember the heart is like all muscles, it needs to exercise like the rest of the body. The heart and lungs are the engine for the body.
By Mike Buss.
To book a personal training session with Mike, Call: 07791 356 482 or Email: activelifeuk@hotmail.com
Category: Fitness Advice
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