Cardiovascular Training Exercises

1. Steady-State Cardiovascular Exercise

So far, you’ve learned about cardiovascular training principles and the benefits of staying active, including using the FITT (frequency, intensity, time, and type) principle and understanding the Physical Activity Guidelines. A person can choose from many types of cardiovascular exercise to reach or exceed the recommendations of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, or an equivalent combination.

Steady-state cardiovascular exercises are ones that can be done at a consistent intensity, such as walking, hiking, jogging, running, bicycling, swimming, or using cardiovascular machines like an elliptical. Being able to maintain movement at a moderate intensity for 20–30 minutes at a time is a good general goal for someone who is starting to become physically active (American Council on Exercise, 2020). Working up to this goal can begin with shorter bouts of exercise, like 10 minutes at a time.

Out of the FITT principles, frequency is the most important for those who are just beginning to make exercise part of their regular habits (American Council on Exercise, 2020). Steady-state cardiovascular exercise is useful because an individual can work at their own preferred intensity and choose a sustainable pace.

In addition, many steady-state cardiovascular exercises are low-impact exercises, meaning that they do not place a lot of force or stress on the body’s joints (Smith, 2014). Swimming is a low-impact exercise since being in water minimizes the effects of gravity on the body. Bicycling, whether on a stationary cycle or outdoors, or using a cardiovascular machine, such as an elliptical, is also typically low impact. This is because these types of exercise tend not to involve repetitive pounding, unlike running or jumping, which are high-impact exercises as there are periods when both feet leave the ground. Walking and hiking are also low impact since at least one foot is always in contact with the ground, minimizing the amount of stress on the joints.

Just because a type of cardiovascular exercise is low in impact, it doesn’t mean that it must also be low in intensity. A person can use the FITT principle to increase the intensity of a low-impact workout.

EXAMPLE

A person can increase the incline of a treadmill or choose a steeper hiking path. Incorporating brief bursts of speed as interval training in swimming or cycling workouts also increases intensity. Overall, any cardiovascular exercise that can be performed at a steady state can also be performed at intervals. We’ll talk more about the nature of interval training later in this lesson.

terms to know

Low-Impact Exercise

Exercise that does not place a lot of force or stress on the body’s joints, such as swimming or walking.

High-Impact Exercise

Exercise that involves repetitive impact since both feet leave the ground, such as running or jumping.

2. Rhythm-Based Cardiovascular Exercise

Cardiovascular exercise is inherently rhythmic because it involves the repeated motion of large muscle groups. However, many types of cardiovascular exercise are done in a group fitness setting where an instructor leads the movement patterns, or to music with a specific beat and cadence. Examples include aerobic classes, such as step aerobics, dance-based classes like Zumba® or Jazzercise®, and fitness kickboxing classes. For this lesson’s purposes, we will term these types of exercises “rhythm-based” since the tempo at which they are performed typically depends on a specific rhythm.

You’ve learned that the word “aerobic” refers to energy metabolism in the presence of oxygen, as opposed to anaerobic metabolism which does not use oxygen. While any cardiovascular exercise done for longer durations at lower intensities is aerobic, the word “aerobic” became popular through the work of Dr. Kenneth Cooper, a physician and exercise physiologist. Some of Dr. Cooper’s first research was on astronauts and military personnel, where he confirmed the value of aerobic exercise for living longer and healthier lives (Cooper, 2018).

As the understanding of aerobic exercise’s value grew based on Dr. Cooper’s research, aerobic workouts done in group class settings began to become popular (Bryant, 2021). Classes involving dance movements, rhythmic stepping, and other movements set to music started to become mainstream. Some types of classes began using planned choreography, creating repeated patterns and drills as part of the exercise.

Today, there is a wide variety of rhythm-based cardiovascular exercise types that can be found in traditional gym group fitness studios, online, or through phone apps. These can range from low intensity to very high intensity depending on the format.

For some people, rhythm-based cardiovascular exercise can be more enjoyable than steady-state exercise. Dance steps and repeating patterns create a sense of novelty that keeps exercise from feeling too boring or repetitive. While all types of cardiovascular exercise benefit brain health, research has found that the combination of music and dance stimulates the brain’s reward centers, helps develop new brain connections, and improves the control of movement and coordination (Edwards, 2015).

Not all types of rhythm-based cardiovascular exercise may be suitable for all people. People with arthritis, excess weight, or joint injuries should use caution, as should older adults (American Council on Exercise, 2016). For any of these populations, some classes may be too high-impact, leading to overuse injuries from repetitive high-impact motion. Also, a person’s body and abilities may not be ready for classes that require high levels of skill, like balance and coordination.

did you know

Teaching group fitness classes, like rhythm-based cardiovascular exercise and others, typically requires a group fitness instructor certification from a nationally accredited organization. The instructor should have the knowledge and skill to provide a class that meets participants across multiple fitness levels. If you are trying a new type of rhythm-based exercise for the first time, it’s a good idea to take a class led by an instructor. The instructor can provide cues for intensity, such as working at a given RPE, or give modifications that make the movements lower impact or less complex if needed.

3. High-Intensity Interval Training

You’ve already learned about some of the benefits of incorporating higher intensities into cardiovascular exercise, such as the elevated metabolism that results from excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or EPOC. Interval training allows someone to get the benefits of higher intensity exercise without needing to sustain that intensity for their entire workout. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is defined as bouts of high-intensity effort alternating with lower-intensity recovery times, where the high-intensity effort is typically at 80–95% of estimated maximum heart rate, and the recovery periods are often at 40–50% of estimated maximum heart rate (Kravitz, 2014).

However, there are different variations on HIIT that manipulate aspects like the intensity of the work intervals, or the timing of the work intervals relative to the recovery intervals.

• Sprint interval training (SIT) is done at a nearly all-out intensity (think 9 on the 0–10 RPE scale). These maximal efforts are done for 30 seconds or less with longer recovery times, such as 4 minutes (Gibala, 2006). SIT is sometimes called anaerobic HIIT, since the very short intense periods only use anaerobic metabolism (Ito, 2019). Since this type of training is extremely demanding, it is only suitable for people with a high level of fitness and motivation to push themselves this hard.
• Tabata interval training is a type of HIIT that uses 8 bouts of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest (Tabata, 2019). Originally, Tabata was developed for use with a stationary bike and was intended to have a constant, high intensity through each of the 8 bouts (Tabata, 2019).

IN CONTEXT

The relationship between the work intervals and the recovery intervals in HIIT depends on the principle of specificity, or what the desired adaptations to the cardiovascular system should be. For example, a person who is new to HIIT can acclimate to a 1:4 ratio or a rest period that is 4 times as long as the work period (Schoenfeld & Dawes, 2009). This allows a lot of time for recovery so that the higher intensity exercise is sustainable. For individuals with high levels of fitness or athletes, a 1:1 ratio, or equal work to equal rest, would be more appropriate for building endurance at higher intensities (Schoenfeld & Dawes, 2009).

High-intensity interval training can be adapted to an individual’s abilities and exercise tolerance. A person who has built consistent habits with steady-state, low-intensity exercise like walking might try incorporating brief bouts of walking faster, jogging, or increasing the incline of their walk (if they are using a treadmill). According to the American College of Sports Medicine, a person should not do HIIT if they have not built the foundational level of cardiovascular fitness of doing consistent aerobic exercise 3–5 times a week, for 20–60 minutes, at a somewhat hard intensity (a 4 on a 0–10 RPE scale).

watch

Learn more about the benefits and styles of high-intensity interval training to determine if, and what type, could be the best fit for you.

Interval training can be a more time-efficient way to increase fitness than longer duration, steady-state exercise. However, a caution with high-intensity interval training (besides having a foundational level of cardiovascular fitness) is that the more intense the exercise, the more thorough the warmup should be. You’ll learn more about properly warming up to prevent injuries later in this Challenge.

IN CONTEXT

Since high-intensity interval training can be demanding on the body, it also warrants some special considerations for recovery. Moderate-intensity exercise like walking can be done daily with low risk of injury. However, HIIT training should not be done every day. Allowing 2–3 days for recovery between HIIT sessions is a good general guideline, so performing HIIT no more than two to three times a week (American Council on Exercise, 2020).

big idea

Besides FITT, enjoyment is an essential principle for exercise. Keeping exercise fun and engaging creates motivation to stick with it. Understanding the characteristics of different types of cardiovascular training can help you consider what activities are right for you or be inspired to try out a new type of exercise.

terms to know

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Bouts of high-intensity effort alternating with lower intensity recovery times, where the high-intensity effort is typically at 80–95% of the estimated maximum heart rate, and the recovery periods are often at 40–50% of the estimated maximum heart rate.

Sprint Interval Training (SIT)

Interval training done at a nearly all-out intensity, where maximal efforts are done for 30 seconds or less with longer recovery times, such as 4 minutes.

Tabata

A form of HIIT that uses 8 bouts of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest.

REFERENCES

American Council on Exercise (2016). ACE group fitness instructor handbook: The professional’s guide to creating memorable movement experiences. ISBN: 9781890720599

American Council on Exercise (2020). The exercise professional’s guide to personal training: A client-centered approach to inspire active lifestyles. Jo, S., Bryant, C.X., Dalleck, L.C., Gagliardi, C.S., and Green, D.J. (eds). ISBN: 9781890720766

Bryant, C.X. (2021). The evolution of fitness trends. American Council on Exercise. www.acefitness.org/about-ace/our-efforts/blog/7765/the-evolution-of-fitness-trends/

Cooper, K. H. (2018). The history of aerobics (50 years and still counting). Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 89(2), 129-134. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29723136

Edwards, S. (2015). Dancing and the brain. Harvard Mahoney Neuroscience Institute – Harvard Medical School. hms.harvard.edu/news-events/publications-archive/brain/dancing-brain

Gibala, M. J., Little, J. P., van Essen, M., Wilkin, G. P., Burgomaster, K. A., Safdar, A., Raha, S., & Tarnopolsky, M. A. (2006). Short-term sprint interval versus traditional endurance training: similar initial adaptations in human skeletal muscle and exercise performance. The Journal of Physiology, 575(Pt 3), 901–911. doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2006.112094

Ito S. (2019). High-intensity interval training for health benefits and care of cardiac diseases - The key to an efficient exercise protocol. World Journal of Cardiology, 11(7), 171–188. doi.org/10.4330/wjc.v11.i7.171

Kravitz, L. (2014). ACSM information on high-intensity interval training. American College of Sports Medicine. www.acsm.org/docs/default-source/files-for-resource-library/high-intensity-interval-training.pdf

Schoenfeld, B., & Dawes, J. (2009). High-intensity interval training: Applications for general fitness training. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 31(6), 44-46. doi.org/10.1519/ssc.0b013e3181c2a844

Smith, L. (2014). Low impact exercises. The Playbook: the official blog of HSS – strategies to keep you in the game of life. Hospital for Special Surgery. www.hss.edu/playbook/low-impact-exercises/

Tabata, I. (2019). Tabata training: one of the most energetically effective high-intensity intermittent training methods. The Journal of Physiological Sciences, 69(4), 559-572. doi.org/10.1007/s12576-019-00676-7