Cardiorespiratory Fitness can be defined as “the ability to perform large muscle, dynamic, moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise for prolonged periods of time.1 A way to determine if cardiorespiratory exercise is moderate or vigorous is by using exercise heart rates. For athletics, intensities will usually be in the vigorous heart rate ranges.
There are several types of aerobic training in the endurance athlete's arsenal. Depending on the event, athletes should focus on a few particular ones instead of trying to train in all of them. The aerobic training types, according to the Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning 2, are:
· Long Slow Distance - Also known as LSD training, this will probably be what most recreational runners will do. The intensity of this type of training is equivalent to approximately 70% of VO2max (or about 80% of maximum heart rate). The training distance should be greater than race distance, or the duration should be at least as long as 30 minutes to 2 hours. This intensity and duration is typically characterized as “conversation” exercise, with the athlete able to talk without undue respiratory distress. The benefits from this type of training primarily include enhanced cardiovascular and thermoregulatory function, improved mitochondrial energy production and oxidative capacity of skeletal muscle, and increased utilization of fat as fuel.
· Pace/Tempo - This type of training employs an intensity at or slightly higher than race competition intensity. Steady pace/tempo training is continuous training conducted at an intensity equal to the lactate threshold for durations of approximately 20 to 30 minutes. The purpose of pace/tempo training is to stress the athlete at a specific intensity and improve energy production from both aerobic and anaerobic metabolism. The primary objective for this type of training is to develop a sense of race pace and enhance the body systems’ ability to sustain exercise at that pace. The benefits from this type of training include improved running economy and increased lactate threshold.
· Repetition - This type of training is conducted at intensities greater than VO2max, with the work intervals typically lasting between 30 and 90 seconds. Due to the high reliance on anaerobic metabolism, long recovery periods are needed between similar sessions. The recovery periods are approximately four to six times as long as the work intervals. The benefits of repetition training include improved running speed, enhanced running economy, and an increased capacity for and tolerance of anaerobic metabolism. This type of training is also beneficial for the final kick or push of an aerobic endurance event.
· Interval - Involves exercise at intensity close to VO2max. The work intervals should last between 3 and 5 minutes, although they can be as short as 30 seconds. Interval training permits the athlete to train at intensities close to vo2max for a greater amount of time than would be possible in a single exercise session at a continuous high intensity. This type of training should not be performed until a firm base of aerobic endurance training has been attained. Interval training is very stressful on the athlete and should be used sparingly.
· Fartlek - Fartlek training is simply a combination of long slow distance training, pace/tempo training, and interval training. A fartlek training workout challenges all systems of the body and may help reduce the boredom and monotony associated with daily training. This type of training is likely to enhance VO2max, increase the lactate threshold, and improve running economy and fuel utilization.
As stated before, athletes and coaches need to primarily focus on only a few of these training types as not all relate to the particular endurance event. Another key element when designing an aerobic training program is the relationship of volume and intensity. The higher the volume of training, the lower the intensity should be. The same is true in reverse. Many coaches and athletes will try to tack too much onto the already existing program and therefore will set themselves up for failure.
References:
1 Swain, D. P. (2014). ACSM's resource manual for guidelines for exercise testing and prescription (9th ed.). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
2 Baechle, T. R., & Earle, R. W. (2016). Essentials of strength training and conditioning (4th ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
No comments:
Post a Comment