Cardiovascular Fitness
Definitions:
Aerobic- meaning “with or in the presence of oxygen.” Aerobic exercise (cardiovascular
exercise) is performed at a low enough intensity to keep the individual from running out
of oxygen.
Heart rate- a term used to describe the frequency of the cardiac cycle; it is considered
one of the four vital signs; it is usually calculated as the number of contractions (heart
beats) of the heart in one minute and expressed as “beats per minute” (bpm); usually 60100 bpm in adults
Maximum heart rate- the highest number of time the heart can beat in one minute
Resting heart rate- the number of heartbeats in 60 seconds when you first awake; this is
taken before lifting your head or sitting up
Target heart rate (THR): a desired range of heart rate reached during aerobic exercise
which enables one’s heart and lungs to receive the most benefit from a workout
Heart Rate Calculations:
Maximum heart rate: MHR= 208- (0.70 x your age)
Target heart rate (Simple Method):
THR = MHR x % Intensity
Example for someone with a MHR of 180:
50% intensity: 180 x 0.50 = 90 bpm
85% intensity : 180 x 0.85 = 153 bpm
Target heart rate (Karvonen Method):
The Karvonen Method is more accurate, factoring in Resting Heart Rate (RHR):
THR = ((MHR – RHR) x % Intensity) + RHR
Example for someone with a MHR of 180 and a RHR of 70:
50% intensity: ((180-70) x 0.50) + 70 = 125 bpm
85% intensity: ((180-70) x 0.85) + 70 = 163 bpm
Components of Fitness
Health-Related
Body Composition: the amount of body fat compared to lean tissue
(Ex. A person whose muscles are defined and tone)
Cardiovascular endurance: how well the heart and lungs get oxygen to the body during
exercise and how quickly they return to normal (Ex. Running the mile)
Flexibility:
ability to move body joints in certain ways
(Ex. Bending over and touching your toes)
Muscular endurance: ability of the muscle to work for extended periods of time without
tiring (Ex. Rowing or cycling)
Muscular strength: the most work muscles can do at any given time (Ex. Pull-up)
Skill-related
Agility: the ability to rapidly change the position of the body when moving from point to
point (Ex. Zig-zag running or cutting plays)
Balance: the ability to keep one’s body in a desired position without falling
(Ex. Handstand)
Coordination: the ability to make different parts of your body move together in a
controlled way (Ex. Juggling)
Power: the ability to perform one maximum explosive effort in as short a time as
possible (Ex. Jumping)
Reaction time: how long the body takes to respond to a stimulus
(Ex. Any game played with a ball or object)
Speed: the ability to cover a distance in the shortest time possible (Ex. 100-yard dash)