• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Bring It Home

Jeff Angel

  • Home
  • About
  • Our Trainers
  • Packages
  • Testimonials
  • Shop
    • Cart
    • Checkout
    • My account
  • Blog
    • Jeff’s Blog
    • Stacie’s Blog
    • Article Archive
  • Contact
    • Careers

what is cardio

3 Best Tips for Aerobic Exercise

May 28, 2014 by Jeff Angel Leave a Comment

 

Aerobic exercise, also called cardiorespiratory or cardiovascular fitness, is a good measure of the heart’s ability to pump oxygenated blood throughout the muscles. Oxygenated blood carries the nutrients the body needs to function effectively. A healthy heart can pump great volumes of oxygenated blood with each beat and will have a high level of cardiovascular fitness.

Jeff AngelHeart disease is directly associated with the cardiorespiratory and cardiovascular systems. One of the primary signs of heart and lung diseases include becoming winded with mild exertion. Individuals with heart or lung disease often become fatigued when performing day to day tasks that most of us take for granted. Aerobic exercise can help increase the body’s utilization of oxygenated blood pumping throughout the body, thus making our bodies stronger and more efficient performing everyday activities.

I’m often asked what are the most important tips I can give for aerobic conditioning. I find myself continuously telling clients and friends three very important factors that will help to improve one’s cardiovascular health. These factors include: know your target heart rate zone, know your intensity level, and be consistent.

1. Know your target heart rate zone.

Your target heart rate zone is the number of beats per minute (bpm) at which your heart should be beating during aerobic exercise in order to promote optimal fitness levels, improving cardiovascular conditioning, and reducing body fat percentages. For most healthy individuals, this range is 60-85% of the maximal heart rate.

Target Heart Rate Calculator

Measuring your heart rate while exercising can be done through two methods. Wearing a heart rate monitor is the easiest and most accurate method of checking your heart rate. A heart rate monitor can be purchased at any sporting goods supplier and ranges from $40 to $200. The least expensive are very accurate and will only display your heart rate. The moderately and highly priced monitors offer a stop watch, warning sounds if your heart rate is too high or too low, standard clock, and many other features.

The second method for monitoring your heart rate is by checking your pulse on your radial artery. The radial pulse can be found on the under side of your wrist using your index and middle fingers held together. Once located, count the number of beats for 15 seconds and multiply that number by 4. This will give you your beats per minute. To be more accurate, count the number of beats in 60 seconds. Both methods are acceptable for determining your heart rate.

2. Know your intensity level.

Once you have determined your beats per minute (within 5 minutes of aerobic exercise), you must ask yourself a few questions:

  • At this intensity, am I in my target heart rate zone? If not, make adjustments accordingly:
    • Above zone, decrease speed or rpms (or incline)
    • Below zone, increase speed or rpms (or incline)
  • How do I feel?
  • Can I maintain this pace for at least 30 minutes?
  • Can I push myself to the upper limits of my target heart rate zone?
  • If so, how long will I hold that upper limit?

Be aware of how your body feels and how you are breathing. If you cannot hold a conversation with someone without catching your breath, you may be going at too fast of a pace. This is what we call the “talk test”.

Intensity levels can vary from person to person and by goals wanting to be reached. Please click here to view the 5 types of training zones which represent low to high intensity levels for cardio conditioning. These training zones will give you an idea of where you should be training for your individual goals.

3. Be consistent.

Consistency is the key when trying to lose weight and body fat. You must stay on your training program and maintain healthy eating habits until you reach your goal weight. Cardiovascular exercise should be done at least 3 days per week for minimal positive aerobic enhancement and reduction of body fat stores. For maximum results, intermediate and advanced trainees should be doing 5-6 days of cardiovascular conditioning per week, for a minimum of 20 minutes and not more than 60 minutes. Exercise modes include any activity (walking, jogging, inline skating, swimming, biking, etc.) that will get your heart rate up into your target heart rate zone.

Know your zone, know your intensity, and be consistent. I believe these 3 tips are most important in improving your aerobic capacity and will help you to lose unwanted weight. Keeping your heart strong is most important in building and maintaining a healthy body.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: aerobic exercise, best aerobics, best cardio, best cardio exercise, cardiovascular exercise, franklin mi personal trainer, franklin mi personal training, how to improve aerobic exercise, how to improve cardio training, how to increase aerobic exercise, how to increase cardio, how to increase cardio exercise, in-home personal trainer, in-home personal training, Jeff Angel, Jeff Angel personal trainer, Jeff’s Healthy Tips, Michigan personal trainer, michigan personal training, oakland county personal trainer, oakland county personal training, personal trainer, personal trainer blog, personal training, personal training blog, tips for cardio exercise, tips on how to improve cardio conditioning, what is cardio, what is cardio exercise

Change Your Workout with Interval Training

January 16, 2014 by Jeff Angel Leave a Comment

DSC_2003-Edit

Is your training becoming boring doing the same old routine day after day? Not seeing any changes in your body or your fitness level? Then you are ready to make some changes in your work-out routine. Interval training is one of the best ways to add high intensity into the same old training routine. If it’s good enough for elite athletes worldwide, then it should be good enough for the average person just trying to stay healthy.

What is interval training?
Interval training is simply alternating bursts of moderate to high intense activity with intervals of lighter activity.

For example, walking can be changed into interval training. If you’re in good shape, you can incorporate short bursts of jogging into your regular brisk walks. If you’re less fit, you might alternate leisurely walking with periods of faster walking. If you’re walking outdoors, you could walk faster between mailboxes, trees or other landmarks.

What can interval training do for me?
If you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced exerciser, interval training will help you change your regular exercise program and make you more fit. Here are some benefits of interval training:
  • More calories will be burned. The more vigorously you exercise, the more calories you’ll burn — even if you increase intensity for just a few minutes at a time.
  • Your aerobic capacity will improve. As your cardiovascular fitness improves, you’ll be able to exercise longer and with more intensity.
  • You won’t be bored. Turning up your intensity in short intervals can add variety to your exercise routine.
  • No special equipment is needed. You can simply modify your current routine.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: aerobic exercise, aerobic exercises, aerobic exercising, aerobics, cardio exercise, cardio exercising, exercise interval training, fitness training, franklin, health, healthy living, how to do interval exercises, how to do interval training, i want to interval train, interval, interval exercise, interval exercises, interval training, interval work out, interval workout, is interval training good for me, Jeff’s Healthy Tips, mi personal trainer, Michigan personal trainer, michigan personal trainers, nutritiion, oakland county personal trainer, personal trainers, personal training, training, what are aerobic exercises, what is aerobic exercise, what is aerobic exercises, what is aerobics, what is cardio, what is cardio exercise, what is interval training, work out, workouts

Primary Sidebar

Get eBook

How We Bring It

  • Components of Physical Fitness
  • How To Lose Weight Fast
  • Fitness Evaluation and Setting Goals
  • Personalized Fitness Programs
  • Training Rates and Packages
  • Personal Training in Oakland County, MI
  • How Many Calories Do I Need?
  • Body Mass Index
  • Strength and Endurance Training
  • Cardiovascular Endurance Training

Weekly Health Tips

  • Do You Incorporate All Components of Physical Fitness Into Your Training?
  • How Much Exercise Is Enough?
  • I Challenge You To This Quick Work-Out!
  • How Many Calories Do I Need?
  • Group Training with Marian High School

vote4-the-Best-banner
Bring It Home Personal Training, voted “BEST” Personal Trainer in Metro Detroit 2013

Macronutrients

Macronutrients

Micronutrients

Micronutrients

Cooking Tips

Cooking Tips

Recipes

Recipes

Footer

Contact Information

  • Jeff Angel B.S., A.S.F.A. CPT
  • Bring It Home Personal Training
  • Phone: (248) 318-0132
  • jeff@bringithomepersonaltraining.com
  • Subscribe to our Blog
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Get Results

We combine our knowledge and expertise with our clients' commitment to training, so we, as a team, can maximize results.
- Jeff Angel

Free Exercises

Jeff AngelJeff Angel

Copyright © 2023 Jeff Angel · Privacy Policy · Site by OMA Comp