Instructors:
Jonathan Loos – jloos1@uic.edu – 312.996.6363
Marissa Gruber
Karen Stengler
Location and Time:
Physical Education Building (PEB) Room B06.
September 29th 2:15 PM – 4:15 PM
Objectives:
Participants will be able to do the following:
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Describe some of the barriers that prevent individuals from participating in
physical activity.
Describe how physical activity is related to health.
Be aware of the risks associated with exercise participation or testing.
Describe the components of fitness and observe a full fitness assessment as it
applies to the 5 domains of fitness.
Differentiate between the amount and type of exercise required for various health
benefits.
Encourage friends and family to participate in physical activity.
Pre-Course Assignments:
1. Complete online pre-activity screening questionnaire:
http://www.myexerciseplan.com/assessment/prequestionnaire.php
2. Read and be ready to discuss the current Physical Activity Guidelines issued from
the American College of Sports Medicine:
http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home_Page&TEMPLATE=/C
M/HTMLDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=7764
3. Read attached article titled “What is Moderate Intensity in Cardiovascular
Exercise?” included at end of this document.
Post-Course Assignments:
1. Observe your schedule to assess the amount of physical activity along with the
self assessed intensity you have participated in at the end of two weeks. You can
use the following template as a guide:
www.health.gov/paguidelines/adultguide/keepingtrack.pdf
2. Recruit 3 adults (family, school, work) to participate in the pre-activity survey
you participated in prior to this course. Calculate their max heart rate and target
heart rate and explain to them, as per the ACSM Healthy Adult Guidelines,
moderate exercise and vigorous exercise as it relates to heart rate.
Itinerary:
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Discuss Risk Stratification and results from online questionnaire required before
class.
Discuss Physical Activity guidelines from the American College of Sports
Medicine.
Discuss the differences between Moderate Intensity Exercise vs. Vigorous
Intensity Exercise.
Demonstrate and practice finding radial pulse and assessing resting heart rate.
Discuss and calculate maximum heart rate prediction and target heart rates.
Explore the definition of fitness and the domains contained within.
Observe full fitness assessment covering all of the domains of fitness.
Discuss assignment activity
End
What Is Moderate Intensity in Cardio Exercise?
Overview
Moderate cardiovascular exercise comes in many forms. It's often difficult for the novice
exerciser to determine how hard to train during exercise. Gauging intensity is an
extremely useful skill that can be learned using various techniques. Once an exerciser
becomes accustomed to exercising moderately, it is easier to progress to more intense
exercise and yield even greater physical results.
Significance
Engaging in moderate intensity cardio exercise regularly helps maintain and improve
health. The Physical Activity Guidelines published jointly by the American College of
Sports Medicine (ASCM) and the American Heart Association (AHA) recommend
"moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week," but they also note that this
recommendation is intended for already healthy individuals to maintain good health and
reduce the risk for chronic disease. Up to 60 to 90 minutes each day may be required for
those trying to lose weight.1
Features
Moderate cardio is exercise that is vigorous enough to produce sweating, increase
breathing and elevate the heart rate but a conversation can still be maintained while
moving. Use the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) scale to classify the level of difficulty
experienced while exercising. On a scale of one to 10, moderate cardio should feel like a
level five to six in difficulty. Heart rate also can be used to gauge intensity. Aim to stay
within a target heart rate zone that is 55 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate to
exercise moderately. Calculate your max heart rate by subtracting your age from 220.
Types
Choose from a variety of moderate intensity cardio exercises to reach the recommended
amount each week: brisk walking, easy jogging, dancing, bicycling on a level surface,
swimming, racquetball, tennis, basketball, touch football, housework or yard work. Any
type of sport or activity counts. As long as an increased heart rate is maintained
throughout the duration of time spent doing the activity, it is considered to be moderate
intensity cardiovascular exercise.
Considerations
Evidence shows that moderate cardio does benefit individuals who otherwise would be
sedentary, but higher intensity exercise has an even more profound effect on reducing
cardiovascular and other health risks. In a comparison study of moderate and higher
intensity cardio, the "Journal of American Cardiology" found that, "All of the
epidemiology studies that controlled for energy expenditure found greater
cardioprotective benefits from the higher aerobic exercise intensities as compared to the
moderate aerobic exercise intensities."2
Benefits
Moderate intensity cardio is extremely beneficial in reducing the risk of depression and
chronic disease. For sedentary individuals, it serves to condition the heart, joints and
muscles slowly as the body becomes better able to handle more intense activities. It
functions well as a starting point for those looking to lose weight and people who have a
goal of increasing time spent exercising moderately and/or increasing the intensity of the
exercise itself. Moderate cardio coupled with a healthy diet is the safest way to achieve
weight loss and ultimately reduce other health complications related to being overweight
or obese.
References
1. American College of Sports Medicine: Physical Activity Guidelines
2. American Journal of Cardiology: Comparison study