LESSON 6.2 S.JETT, NBCT MONTEVALLO MIDDLE FITNESS FOR LIFE – CORBIN & LINDSEY ACTIVITY FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS

PA Pyramid You know that PA is important to your cardiovascular fitness. But do you choose the right kind of activities? For total fitness and optimal health benefits, you will need to focus on lifestyle PA, aerobic activity, and active sport because these activities build cardiovascular fitness.

Lifestyle PA Not so many years ago lifestyle PA was the primary PA for most Americans. Farmers did all kinds of PA. Now, fewer and fewer people do manual labor with their jobs or even in their home lives. The technology age has made things a lot easier and less work from running household appliances to entertainment. Although most of us do less of it, lifestyle PA is a good way to improve your cardiovascular fitness. Can you name some lifestyle physical activities?

Answers Mowing Vacuuming Gardening Cleaning Cooking Taking care of animals Walking longer distances – drive thrus Taking the stairs

Aerobic Activity The term aerobic means “with oxygen.” Aerobic activity that is steady enough to allow the heart to supply all the oxygen to the muscles that you need. Aerobic activity is usually described as large muscle activities that are sustained for relatively long periods of time. Ex – walking, biking, jogging, cross country skiing, and dance. Aerobic activity is especially important to building cardiovascular fitness and promoting good health and wellness. It is strongly recommended to get at least some aerobic activity each day.

Active Sport Active sports such as basketball, tennis and even golf can contribute to cardiovascular fitness. When activities such as these are done intensely enough to expend relatively large numbers of calories or to increase heart rate for a period of time, they are especially effective. Research has shown that people who play active sports throughout life are likely to have good health and a reduced risk of early death. The way you do an activity, has much to do with the benefits you receive from it. Give examples.

How much is enough? In 1995 the CDC issued national guidelines for physical activity: “Every American should accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderately intense PA on most or all days of the week.” This amount of activity is the minimum each person should do to get health benefits to achieve at least adequate cardiovascular fitness. For teens there are two basic guidelines concerning how much activity is enough. These guidelines are presented in the following sections.

1. Counting PA Calories The first guideline indicates that teens should “be PA daily as part of play, games, sports, work, transportation, recreation, PE, or planned exercise. This guideline allows you to choose from almost any type of activity as long as you participate intensely enough. Experts have shown even modest amounts of PA are better than none at all. One way to determine if you do enough would be to count the calories. A minimum that you should expend is at least 200 calories. This would equal to each week.

Calories For optimal benefits to health (target zone), 2000 – 3500 calories should be expended from PA. Over time, people who expend the appropriate number in PA will be able to maintain a good fitness zone.

2. Counting Heart Rate The second guideline suggests that teens should engage in 3 or more sessions per week of activities that last 20 or more minutes at a time that require moderate to vigorous levels of exertion. To meet this guideline, you can use the FIT formula for heart rate. Your heart rate must be elevated above the threshold of training heart rate into the target heart rate zone for cardiovascular fitness. At a minimum, you should be active five or six days a week for up to 60 minutes per day. Experts have learned that you need one to two days of rest from this higher intensity type activities.

Heart Rate Heart rate counting produces health benefits, although most experts would encourage you to do lifestyle activity in addition to the more intense activities. Heart rate county is especially effective in producing cardiovascular fitness improvements such as those needed to participate in sports.

Anaerobic Activity 1. Anaerobic activity is activities that are done in short bursts. These activities include sprinting, swimming very fast, and bursts of activity in sports such as football and volleyball. When you do anaerobic activity, your body cannot supply blood and oxygen to the muscles as fast as you need it. Without oxygen, you can’t exercise very long. You need frequent rests during anaerobic activity to “catch your breath.” Anaerobic fitness is important to being good in sports and also can help anyone achieve significant health benefits.

Anaerobic If you are interested in anaerobic activity, you should participate 3-6 days per week. The intensity of your activity should be at the upper level of your target zone. Keep your heart rate high for seconds followed by walking or jogging slowly to rest for seconds. The slow pace part should last three times the length of the anaerobic exercise. Ex. If you sprint down the gym in 30 seconds doing bulldogs, how long should you rest between doing bulldogs? You should also work out for a total time of 15 minutes to develop good anaerobic fitness.

Advantages of calorie counting 1. Normal daily activities count 2. Good for beginners and older people 3. Does not require very vigorous activity 4. Allows a wide variety of activity 5. Promotes health and wellness benefits

Advantages of Heart Rate Counting 1. Builds fitness faster 2. Builds higher level of fitness 3. Takes less time 4. Good for highly fit and motivated persons 5. Promotes health and wellness benefits

PA Thresholds Counting Calories* Heart Rate 1. Frequency – 5 days a week * 3 days a week 2. Intensity – 200 / day * at least 50% max hr 3. Time – during the day * 20 continuous min.

Target Zones Counting Calories *Heart Rate 1. Frequency – 5-7 days/week*3-6 days 2. Intensity – / day* 65-90% 3. Time – during the day – 5 min.* 20-60

Review 1. What is the difference between aerobic and anaerobic activity? 2. Which one is better for you?