How the Heart Works /
F.I.T.T / and
CARDIOVASCULAR
FITNESS
Lesson #2
How the Heart Works
Factors Affecting Heart Rate
• GENDER: adult females average 5 – 10 beats per
minute more than men due to supporting more body
fat
• SIZE: Extra body fat causes the heart to work harder
• TEMPERATURE: A rise in body temperature will raise
the heart rate eg. Hot tub, desert
• DIGESTION: It takes extra energy to digest a meal
• POSTURE: The more prone, the lower the heart rate.
Heart Terminology
• Cardio - the heart – about the size of a fist
• The Heart – a hollow organ containing 4 chambers
• Septum – wall which divides the heart cavity into a “right
heart” & a “left heart”
• Right Atrium/Left Atrium – holding tanks for the blood
• Right Ventricle/Left Ventricle – acts as a pump
• Vascular – systems of blood vessels
• Veins – bring blood back to the heart
• Arteries – take blood from the heart to the needy muscles &
organs
WHAT IS FITNESS?
• PHYSICAL FITNESS DEFINITON:
• Ability of the whole body (muscles, skeleton, heart & other
body parts) to do work together efficiently
• Ability to do the most work with the least amount of effort
2 CATEGORIES
• HEALTH RELATED FITNESS
• SKILL RELATED FITNESS
CARDIOVASCULAR TRAINING
F.I.T.T. FORMULA
• FREQUENCY
• INTENSITY
• TIME/DURATION
• TYPE
FREQUENCY
How often to exercise
• Minimum – 3 X’s weekly
• Maximum – 4-5 X’s weekly
INTENSITY
How hard to exercise
• Minimum – heart rate above the lower limit of
your training range
• Maximum – heart rate below the upper limit
of training range
TYPE
The kind of exercise you choose to participate in
• Minimum – low impact exercise – walking
• Maximum – high impact exercise - running
TIME OR DURATION
How long to exercise
• Minimum – 15 minutes
• Maximum – 30 minutes
TARGET HEART RATE
• Your target heart rate is the threshold of
training you must work out at for the heart to
receive any benefits
• Exercise within your target heart rate for 1530 minutes to get maximum benefits of
exercise
Calculating your Maximum Heart Rate
• Target heart rate range = 70-85% of maximum
heart rate
• Maximum heart rate = 220 – age
– Fastest your heart can beat without collapse
HOW TO FIND THE LOWER END OF YOUR
TARGET HEART RATE RANGE
• 220 – AGE
• MULTIPY BY .70
• IF YOU SMOKE, ARE OVERWEIGHT OR RECOVERING FROM A
SERIOUS ILLNESS – MULTIPLY BY .65
• 220-14 = 206 x .70 = 144 (fit individual)
• 220-14 = 206 x .65 = 131 (unfit or unhealthy
individual)
THIS IS THE LOWEST YOUR HEART RATE SHOULD BE TO
EXPERIENCE THE BENEFITS OF YOUR EXERCISE
HOW TO FIND THE UPPER LIMIT OF YOUR
TARGET HEART RATE RANGE
• 220 – AGE
• MULTIPY BY .85
• 220-14 = 206 x .85 = 175
THIS IS THE UPPER LIMIT YOUR HEART RATE SHOULD
BE TO GET THE MOST BENEFITS FROM YOUR EXERCISE
Other Important Terms
• Recovery Heart Rate – time for heart to return
to normal
• Resting Heart Rate – heart rate when the body
is resting
Factors Affecting Heart Rate
• GENDER: adult females average 5 – 10 beats per
minute more than men due to supporting more body
fat
• SIZE: Extra body fat causes the heart to work harder
• TEMPERATURE: A rise in body temperature will raise
the heart rate eg. Hot tub, desert
• DIGESTION: It takes extra energy to digest a meal
• POSTURE: The more prone, the lower the heart rate.