Healthy Spirit Club E-Module #13

WALKING FOR YOUR HEALTH

What is Cardiovascular Exercise?
Any rhythmic activity that sustains an elevated heart rate for a duration greater than twenty minutes. Activities such as running, walking, swimming, aerobics, and bicycling are some examples of cardiovascular exercise.
**Physical activity is not necessarily exercise but exercise is physical activity.

Sports such as tennis, basketball, racquetball, and soccer can be cardiovascular providing they meet the following components.

Exercise Prescription:

Frequency: 3-5 days/week

Intensity: 60-85% of your maximum heart rate

Formula = 220 - age- Resting Heart Rate x (.60) and also (.85) + Resting Heart Rate

e.g.) a 20 year old has a Target Heart Rate of 140-170 beats/minute

Lower intensities are easier to sustain and can burn higher amounts of fat tissue.
Higher intensities will be more difficult to sustain but will improve the cardiovascular system.

Duration: 20-60 minutes in your Target Heart Rate (THR) zone

Longer duration burns more fat calories
Shorter duration burns more carbohydrate calories (combination)

Calories per minute = METS x Body Wt. (Kg) x 3.5 / 200

Kilogram (Kg) conversion: Body weight/ 2.2 (example: 220 pounds / 2.2 = 100 Kg)

Example:
A 220 pound person exercising at 12 METS would have a calorie expenditure of:

12 (METS) x 100 (Kg) x 3.5 / 200 = 21 calories per minute

It is interesting to note that the average resting metabolic requirement is 1300 calories for women and 1600 for men. This is the minimum calories we would need to maintain a healthy weight if we stayed in bed all day!

MET Value Table

Activity	MET Value	Activity	MET Value
Bicycling: leisure	4	Golf: general	4.5
Bicycling: 10-11.9 mph, light	6	Golf: carrying clubs	5.5
Bicycling: 12-13.9 mph, moderate	8	Golf: pulling clubs	5
Bicycling: 14-15.9 mph, vigorous	10	Golf: using power cart	3.5
Bicycling: 16-19 mph, racing	12	Tennis: general	7
Bicycling: > 20 mph, racing	16	Tennis: doubles	6
Stationary bicycling: very light	3	Tennis: singles	8
Stationary bicycling: light	5.5	Walking: <2.0 mph-very slow	2
Stationary bicycling: moderate	7	Walking: 2.0 mph-slow	2.5
Stationary bicycling: vigorous	10.5	Walking: 2.5 mph	3
Stationary bicycling: very vigorous	12.5	Walking: 3.0 mph-moderate	3.5
Circuit resistance training	8	Walking: 3.5 mph-brisk	4
Resistance training: light	3	Walking uphill: 3.5 mph	6
Resistance training: vigorous	6	Walking: 4.0 mph-very brisk	4
Stretching, yoga	4	Walking: 4.5 mph-very, very brisk	4.5
Water aerobics	4	Walking: for pleasure-with the dog	3.5
Aerobics: general	6	Walking: to work or class	4
Aerobics: low impact	5	Swimming: laps-freestyle-vigorous	10
Aerobics: high impact	7	Swimming: laps-freestyle-light/moderate	8
Jogging: general	7	Swimming: backstroke-general	8
Running: 5 mph (12 min. mile)	8	Swimming: breaststoke-general	10
Running: 5.2 mph (11.5 min.mile)	9	Swimming: butterfly-general	11
Running: 6 mph (10 min. mile)	10	Swimming: leisurely-not laps	6
Running: 6.7 mph (9 min. mile)	11	Swimming: sidestroke-general	8
Running: 7 mph (8.5 min. mile)	11.5	Skiing: general	7
Running: 7.5 mph (8 min. mile)	12.5	Skiing: cross-country, light effort	7
Running: 8 mph (7.5 min. mile)	13.5	Skiing: cross-country, moderate effort	8
Running: 8.6 mph (7 min. mile)	14	Skiing: cross-country, vigorous effort	14
Running: 9 mph (6.5 min. mile)	15	Skiing: downhill, light effort	5
Running: 10 mph (6 min. mile)	16	Skiing: downhill, moderate effort	6
Running: 10.9 mph (5.5 min.mile)	18	Skiing: downhill, vigorous effort	8
Running: cross-country	9	Calisthenics-pushups, situps-vigorous	8
Running: up stairs	15	Calisthenics-light/moderate-back exercises	4.5

A great low intensity activity for people of all ages and fitness (and easy to stick with) is walking. Here are some tips to follow when using walking as your mode of exercise.

You should be able to speak a complete sentence w/out it being choppy (if it is you are working to hard)
However, you need to walk fast enough (swing the arms) to raise H.R.
Don't swivel your hips
Look at ground about 10-15 feet ahead of you
This isn't a time to socialize with neighbors or wait for your dog

Every pound of fat has about 250 miles of blood vessel your heart has to spend energy pumping blood through each minute. Therefore, every pound you lose your heart becomes more efficient

Walking tones muscles. Every year after age 25, you lose ½-1.5 pounds of muscle mass, which decreases your resting metabolism (if you continue to eat the same you'll gain weight). Walking can help increase your metabolism by increasing lean body mass (muscle).

You MUST be consistent to obtain results. Sporadic walking will frustrate you with the lack of improvement you will observe. Work walking into your daily schedule so you won't find a reason not to do it. Grab a buddy and get moving! Here are just some of the benefits:

Improves/strengthens the cardiovascular system
Maintains/improves muscle tone, muscular strength and endurance
Improves general flexibility
Helps to maintain recommended body weight
Improves posture and physical appearance
Decreases the risk for chronic diseases and illness (CAD, CA, CVA, HTN)
Decreases mortality rate from chronic diseases
Reduces mortality rate from accidents
Helps prevent back pain
Relieves tension and helps in coping with life stress
Increases energy level and job productivity
Increases longevity and can slow the aging process
Improves self-image and morale and aids in fighting depression
Motivates toward positive lifestyle choices
Decreases recover time following physical exertion
Speeds up recovery following injury and/or disease
Regulates and improves overall body function
Improves stamina and helps to decrease chronic fatigue.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO INCORPORATE STRETCHING/WARMING UP BEFORE ANY EXERCISE.

PLEASE OBRAIN PHYSICIAN/MEDICAL CLEARANCE FOR ANY EXERCISE PROGRAM IF YOU ARE AT A MODERATE/HIGH RISK FOR HEART DISEASE.

Example for calculating target heart rate:

What would be the target heart rate zone for someone who is 25 years old and a resting heart rate of 60 beats per minute?

Step 1:
220- 25 (age) = 195 (this is their maximum heart rate)

Step 2:
195- 60 (resting heart rate) = 135

Step 3:
135 x .60 = 78 + 60 (resting heart rate) = 138 (60% of Max HR)

Step 4:
135 x .85 = 115 + 60 (resting heart rate) = 175 (85% of Max HR)

So, their target heart rate would be between 138 and 175 beats per minute. This is where they should spend the majority of their cardiovascular exercise.

Now, try to figure your own resting heart rate!

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