More and More People Today Love Cardio Workout, and there are various reasons why:
– Lack of time
– Stress relief
– Immersion in nature
– Dislike for weight training
Whether you found this article for one of these reasons or simply because you want to know more, you’re in the right place.
We’ll analyze cardio scientifically and understand how to correctly apply it to a specific method: Aerobic Cardiofitness.
Workout Parameters
When training with weights, the main parameters are the weight lifted, along with the number of sets and repetitions.
But when it comes to cardio, what objective (and scientific) metric can we use for effective training? The answer is heart rate.
If used wisely, heart rate will be the key indicator of a successful workout.
By managing it in various ways, we can create workout progressions that allow us to increase our fitness level without having to change our routine every two weeks.
Measuring the Parameters
So far, we’ve mentioned heart rate, which implicitly refers to beats per minute (BPM).
It’s clear that if we base our training routine on the heart rate we want to reach, we’ll need a tool to measure it.
There are three main ways to track heart rate during a workout: a Fitbit, a heart rate monitor, or gym equipment (treadmill, elliptical, or bike).
Everyone is familiar with Fitbit, so no further explanation is needed.
However, from experience, we recommend caution with cheaper models as they tend to be less accurate.
A heart rate monitor, on the other hand, is a watch that connects wirelessly to a chest strap containing a sensor to detect heartbeats.
The strap should be worn just below the chest.
Once connected, the watch displays real-time heart rate data.
Between Fitbit and heart rate monitors, we recommend the latter for its accuracy, but you’re free to choose based on your preference.
The third option is using gym equipment. For example, treadmills have metal plates on the side handles. By placing your hands on these plates, the machine will start detecting your heart rate.
All cardio machines in the gym have this feature; if in doubt, ask the gym staff to show you how it works.
Aerobic Cardiofitness
Now, let’s dive into the details of aerobic cardiofitness. What is it exactly?
It is a type of training that involves maintaining a constant heart rate for a predetermined duration. The heart rate range used is typically between 65% to 85% of Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) (here the related article).
This type of training is especially suited for beginners, as it does not require excessive physical effort and helps burn fat primarily
during the workout itself, with minimal impact on EPOC (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption).
If you’ve read our article on EPOC and know it’s crucial for fat burning, you might be wondering: if it doesn’t impact EPOC, why use it?
The simple answer is that this method is designed for beginners. If you’ve been sitting on the couch until yesterday,
you can’t expect to run the New York Marathon today.
Progress needs to be gradual. Aerobic cardiofitness is a stepping stone, allowing you to eventually advance to more complex methods.Let’s see how to create a training protocol with aerobic cardiofitness.
Suppose you enjoy running and prefer to jog in the park rather than at the gym.
You can easily apply the aerobic cardiofitness method to your outdoor run.
To create a workout protocol for aerobic cardiofitness, follow these steps:
- Find Your MHR. Use the formula: 220 – age.
- Choose Your Exercise. We decided on an outdoor run, but you could also opt for the treadmill, bike, or elliptical at the gym.
- Set the Duration. How long do you want to train, and how long can you realistically run? For this type of training, sessions typically range from 15 minutes to a maximum of one hour.Start with 15-20 minutes, then gradually increase by 5 minutes each week, aiming for an hour-long workout. This could be a good progression plan.
- Determine Your Target Heart Rate. This should be based on the workout duration. A universal rule is that as workout duration increases, the target heart rate should decrease (it’s physiologically impossible to train at 100% of your heart rate for an hour). So, decide the duration of your workout before setting the target heart rate. If you only have 15 minutes today, that’s a short time, so you can set a higher heart rate, like 80% or 85% of your maximum.
- Calculate Your Target Heart Rate Using the Cooper or Karvonen Formula, and you’re ready to go.
Conclusion
So, how do you actually perform this workout? Let’s say we have a 20-year-old who wants to train in the gym on an elliptical machine for 25 minutes at 75% of MHR, calculated using the Cooper formula.
Once all the parameters are determined, he should start with a 5-10 minute warm-up, including stretching and mobility exercises.
Then, he steps on the elliptical and begins the workout. By holding the metal plates on the elliptical, the machine will detect his heart rate.
As soon as he reaches his target heart rate, he starts the timer for the workout duration (25 minutes). Heart rate will naturally rise and
fall during the workout—this is normal—so it’s impossible to maintain the exact target heart rate at all times.
However, the goal is to focus on staying close to the target heart rate so that, on average, the heart rate is approximately at the desired level.
There are many ways to customize your training protocols, increasing workout intensity either by raising the target heart rate or by calculating it with the Karvonen formula instead of Cooper’s.