Effects of Cardiovascular Conditioning

Conditioning Assignment: Cardiovascular Conditioning.

Cardiovascular conditioning can be defined as the efficient transport and utilization of necessary oxygen and nutrients to the tissues of the body. The cardiovascular system needs to be well conditioned to enable the body to deliver adequate oxygenated blood and nutrients to the working muscles, in addition to improving the muscles” capacity to use extra oxygen. Cardiovascular training is the most important style of training both for general health and for overall athletic performance.

One of the major systems of the body, which is affected by cardiovascular conditioning, is the circulatory system. With proper exercise, the heart becomes stronger and is able to use energy more efficiently. Blood pressure will lower because the heart muscle does not have to work as hard to pump the blood. The heart will beat fewer times per minute while it is at rest, but it will be able to deliver a greater amount of blood with each stroke as a result of adequate conditioning. Conditioning has other benefits to cardiovascular fitness as well. It will increase the oxygenation of the blood due to the fact that while exercising deep breathing increases the blood flow to the lungs. Under a well-planned conditioning, program conditioning can help to decrease cholesterol and the incidents of deadly heart disease. Individuals who exercise regularly have a lower rate of heart attacks than individuals who do not participate in an exercise program. One of the most important aspects of conditioning for the heart is the warm-up. Warming-up before intense exercise gradually increases the heart rate and prevents abnormal heart rhythms. Sudden extreme exercise can cause the heart to demand more oxygen than the circulatory system can provide, resulting in strain on the heart muscle. Warming-up will help to prevent heart attacks that result from abnormal heart rhythms.

During the first one or two minutes of exercise, before the heart has pumped enough oxygenated blood to the working muscles, the muscles are powered by anaerobic energy in order for these muscles to continue exercise, the body must supply them with a continuous supply of oxygen, the more efficiently this is done, the better the cardiovascular fitness level. During cardiovascular conditioning, a program such as an interval training can help to relieve some of the discomforts of anaerobic exercise, increasing muscular endurance. Interval training is a good method for competitive runners in which usual aerobic training is mixed with several repetitions of faster running. Not only does this program increase muscular endurance, it also helps to increase the temperature of the muscles. The higher the temperature of the muscle cells, the faster they are able to metabolize oxygen and fuel they need. Cardiovascular helps to increase muscle mass, and as muscle mass increases more fat cells are burned. Nerve stimulus to the muscles also becomes more efficient through exercise.

With proper training, the body”s usage of oxygen can be improved by up to twenty-five percent. Cardiovascular endurance is best improved by training with the right balance of intensity, duration, and frequency. The right intensity is determined by monitoring a training pulse. Once the exercise is finished the pulse should be taken immediately. An adequate beginner”s rate is 120-130 beats per minute; intermediate (after 3-6 weeks of training) 130-140 beats per minute; and conditioned athletes should have a training pulse of 160 or higher. If training pulse is too high the athlete should slow the pace to get the best benefits of the training. The duration of training is determined by monitoring the recovery pulse rate. After a heavy cardiovascular workout, the athlete should wait two minutes and take the pulse, if the duration is appropriate it should have dropped approximately twenty-five to thirty percent of the training pulse. If it doesn’t”t recover quickly the duration is too long and the time of exercise should be decreased..