# More Cardio!



## Dr. Pain (May 2, 2002)

_Question...If you cut back on your aerobic activity, how do you maintain cardiovascular fitness? _...bits & pieces of another thread:

I'll have to find where I've seen it, but you do develop cardio vascular health from lifting. There was a study comparing it to low internsity cardio! Lifting can also be aerobic or anaerobic depending on the intensity, rest and rep range you use.
There are some aspects of cardio, some that BB's don't even explore that would be hard to replicate with lifting. These involve pushing back the anaerobic and lactate thresholds, improving VO2 max, oxygen uptake, and tidal volume!

***

I can tell you unequivically as an athelete with a diverse cardiovascular exercise backround, that lifting is cardiovascular in nature. Especially so with the inclusion of drop sets, and supersets, with short rest intervals!
I did find this of interest while I was looking (And I have previously posted a study suggesting that cardio was not that effrctive for fat loss, which I will repost upon request)

...
Sixteen hours AFTER they finished training, these people were still burning 62% more fat!

A recent study has shown that 100 minutes of weight training increases fat oxidation (the fancy term for fat burning) for at least 16 hours -- but it has to be the right type of weight training.

Researchers at Colorado State University found that resistance training had a powerful effect on metabolism several hours after the workout had finished. 

Not only was resting fat oxidation up by 62%, resting metabolic rate had also risen by 4%. In other words, subjects in the study were burning more calories AND more fat.

The paper, published by Kristin Osterberg and Christopher Melby, supports previous research showing that intense exercise causes an energy 'ripple' that continues for many hours after the exercise has finished. 

Low intensity exercise just won't have the same effect -- despite it's wide popularity as the 'best' way to lose weight. In fact, recent evidence shows that even moderate intensity aerobic exercise has only a small effect on fat loss.

The programme followed by the subjects (seven females aged between 23 and 32) is shown below. The routine used supersets -- which involve performing one exercise immediately after the other (usually for opposing muscle groups).

* Bench Press/Bent Over Row
* Leg Extension/Leg Curl
* Military Press/Sit-Up
* Bicep Curl/Tricep Extension
* Lunge/Lateral Raise

The exercises were grouped in 4 minutes periods. Each subject began with the bench press, then (without resting) proceeded to the bent over row. In other words, subjects spent 1-2 minutes performing each group of exercises, while the remainder of the time was spent resting. The total training time was 100 minutes

Typical exercise programmes designed for fat loss usually emphasise high repetitions (15-25) with a moderate weight. However, this programme used 10-15 repetitions. Subjects also trained fairly hard -- the last two sets of each exercise were taken to the point of muscular failure.

Interestingly, previous studies from the same laboratory show that shorter rest times produce even more dramatic results. When men cut the rest time between sets from four to three minutes, their metabolic rate 16 hours after exercise almost doubled.

This study adds to the growing body of evidence showing that resistance training is a powerful tool to accelerate fat loss. Granted, the programme used in this study is quite extreme -- weight training sessions lasting 100 minutes will push you into an overtrained state quickly. 

However, it does offer several clues as to the most effective way to train with weights if you want to lose fat:

* Keep your rest time between sets short (60 seconds or less)
* Use compound exercises that work several muscles at once (such as the bench press or bent over row)
* Use a moderate (10-15) rather than high (15-25) repetition range

Reference
Osterberg, K.L., & Melby, C.L. (2000). Effect of acute resistance exercise on postexercise oxygen consumption and resting metabolic rate in young women. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 10, 71-81

......

Not this is not the best way in my opinion, I just thought is was interesting!

***

The definition of cardio is an elevated HR for a prolonged period of time. The Harvard Medical Study suggested 12 minutes (plus warm up and cool down), 3 times a week for cardiovascular benefits. 

DP


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## Dr. Pain (May 2, 2002)

Study 1
Weight Training Improves Strength, Has Cardiovascular Benefits In Older Men

ATHENS, OH -- September 28, 2000 -- Men over 60 may be able to increase their strength by as much as 80 percent by performing intense weight training exercises, according to physiologists involved in studies of the health benefits of weight lifting. 

The researchers also have found that older men gain strength at the same rate as men in their 20s. 


In a study of 18 men ages 60 to 75, Ohio University physiologists found that subjects who participated in a 16-week, high-intensity resistance training program on average were 50 percent to 80 percent stronger by the end of the study. None of the participants had engaged in weight lifting prior to the study. Researchers also observed improvements in the seniors' muscle tone, aerobic capacity and cholesterol profile. 


These are some of the latest findings from a decades-long examination of the impact of exercise on the health of men and women of all ages. When researchers compared the strength gains of the elderly participants in this study to findings from other studies they've done of college-age men, they found that changes in strength and muscle size were similar in both age groups. The findings were published in a recent issue of the Journal of Gerontology. 


"There have been a number of research projects that have come out over the years that suggest there is no age limitation to getting stronger from resistance training," said Robert Staron, co-author of this study and an associate professor of anatomy in the university's College of Osteopathic Medicine. "It's become obvious that it's important to maintain a certain amount of muscle mass as we age." 


This new study also suggests that elderly men can handle heavy workloads over a long period of time. Participants - who all were in good health and closely monitored during testing and training - performed leg presses, half squats and leg extensions twice a week to exercise the lower body. When the men began the study, they were able to leg press about 375 pounds on average. After the 16-week period, they could take on about 600 pounds. Studies elsewhere have involved low-intensity exercises over a shorter term. 


In addition to the increase in strength, researchers found that weight lifting had a beneficial impact on the participants' cardiovascular system. Tests on an exercise treadmill showed that their bodies used oxygen more efficiently after weight training. 


"The individuals run until they are completely exhausted, and it took longer for them to reach that point after resistance training," Prof. Staron said. 


Blood samples taken before and after weight training also showed favorable changes in participants' overall cholesterol profiles, he said, including increases in HDL cholesterol levels and decreases in LDL cholesterol levels. 


Losing muscle tone and strength is not uncommon for many senior citizens, Prof. Staron said, but this research suggests that a lack of physical exercise can contribute to the problem. 


"Certainly, inactivity does play a role in contributing to the decrease in muscle mass," Staron said. "If we can maintain a certain level of strength through exercise, our quality of life should be better as we age." 


Before beginning a weight lifting regimen, it's a good idea to consult a physician, Prof. Staron advised, adding that it's also important to learn proper weight lifting techniques. Prof. Staron and his colleagues now have turned their attention to how certain weight training routines impact young people.


Study 2,3,4

HEADLINE: 
A lifting regimen for a healthier heart. 

NEWSPAPER ARTICLE SYNOPSIS: 
A review of research concluded that lifting weights twice or three times weekly has definite 
health benefits. This type of resistance training can lower blood pressure, improve cardiovascular 
functioning, and reduce the liklihood of developing diabetes. 

NEWSPAPER ARTICLE SOURCE: 
Berger A. A lifting regimen for a healthier heart. New York Times 2000 March 21 : F8 (col. 1). 

JOURNAL ARTICLE CITATIONS: 
Pollock ML, et. al. Resistance exercise in individuals with and without cardiovascular disease. 
Benefits, rationale, safety, and prescription: An advisory from the Committee on Exercise, 
Rehabilitation, and Prevention, Council on Clinical Cardiology, American Heart Association. 
Circulation 2000 February 22;101(7):828-833. 

Kelley GA, Kelley KS. Progressive resistance exercise and resting blood pressure. A meta-analysis 
of randomized controlled trials. Hypertension 2000 March;35(3):838-843. 

More...


WEIGHT TRAINING AND CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Exercise as a whole reduces the chances of having a heart attack by helping to control several risk factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and tri-glyceride levels, diabetes, and obesity. The long-term benefits of weight training on cardiovascular health are complicated and depends on the type of lifting, intensity, loads, steroid usage, and body weight. Research has shown that moderate intensity weight training with a high aerobic component has proven to be an effective means of controlling hypertension and promoting cardiovascular health. 

In February 2000, the American Heart Association (AHA) in a major scientific advisor panel report, which reviewed 30 years of research, declared that weight training does in fact improve cardiovascular health and is strongly recommended for disease-prevention programs. The report recommended weight training for people who have had heart disease or heart attack - as long as they haven???t suffered major heart damage. 

The AHA panel concluded that the biggest benefit may be the creation of greater lean body mass, which burns calories more efficiently and keeps weight in check. Strength training also improves the efficiency with which the body uses sugar, decreasing the odds of developing diabetes, a major risk in heart disease. The report confirms that moderate intensity weightlifting can reduce blood pressure in normal and borderline hypertensive individuals, which lowers the risk of stroke and coronary heart disease. 

For the individual with a family history of heart problems and who's hypertensive or even borderline hypertensive (systolic blood pressure over 140), weight training should be approached with caution. Don???t start lifting a lifting program without a physician???s consent and the supervision of an instructor certified by the American College of Sports Medicine. 

Acute Cardiovascular Response to Weight Weight Training 

As weight training commences, there a predominantly pressure response (increased blood pressure) due to a rise in cardiac output with an increase in peripheral vascular resistance. There is usually no change in stroke volume, and the immediate rise in heart rate and catecholamines are proportional to the intensity and duration of the muscle contraction and the amount of muscle mass involved in the exercise. The use of heavy resistance and/or training the muscles to failure can raise intra-arterial blood pressure to 400/300 mm Hg. However, there is no medical evidence that a brief blood pressure surge is harmful to cardiovascularly fit individuals. 

Chronic lifting and cardiac function

A review of the research related to weight training and cardiovascular function seems to indicate that chronic lifting has limited positive effect on some measures of systolic and diastolic function. Stroke volume of highly trained lifters is not significantly different from normal untrained individuals. Clinical studies have shown that weight training with a high aerobic component does not cause hypertension and may actually lower it. However, when weight training induced hypertension does occur in lifters, it is most likely related to chronic over training, use of steroids, large increase in muscle mass, or a significant increase in total body weight. Heavyweight power lifters are especially prone to developing hypertension. In general, power lifters have lower HDL and higher LDL than bodybuilders and Olympic-style lifters, when body fat, age, and steroid use are considered. The ratio of HDL to LDL plays an important role in the development of arteriosclerosis And master lifters with borderline hypertension and high LDL must approach heavy power lifting and steroid usage with great caution. 

High blood pressure increases the risk of heart failure, renal failure, kidney disease, stroke, and myocardial infarction. 

In evaluating the effects of chronic weight training on cardiovascular function it is necessary to be specific as to the type of lifting in question. Weight training consists of three major divisions: bodybuilding, Olympic-style lifting, and power lifting. All three differ in goals, training methods, neuromuscular response, and cardiovascular response. Basically, how one lifts determines the acute and chronic effects of weight training on cardiovascular function. 

Olympic-style lifting places the least strain on the cardiovascular system, compared with other types of lifting. Due to the technical nature of the snatch and clean and jerk, full-body movements that are executed quickly with no prolonged breath holding, there is no sharp rise in blood pressure, in contrast to power lifting. Elite Olympic-style lifters (excluding heavyweights) are noted for having a high level of cardiovascular fitness (VO2 max in the low to mid 60???s). The regular performance of high repetition (8 to12) power snatch and power clean using light loads for general bodybuilding purposes has a positive effect on both functional strength and cardiovascular fitness. 

Bodybuilding, especially in the form of interval weight training and circuit training, has proven effective in developing combined strength and cardiovascular fitness. Cardiovascular improvement is related to selection of exercises, training intensity, duration of the rest periods between exercises, total number and frequency of training sessions, and initial fitness level. Clinical research indicates that circuit training can produce a significant increase in lean body mass, strength, cardiovascular endurance, and a lower diastolic blood pressure in both healthy and borderline hypertensive individuals. The cardiovascular response to circuit training suggest that this is a safe and acceptable form of exercise for cardiac patients. Using moderate resistance, circuit weight training may be a useful anti-hypertensive therapy. 

Short version:
In February 2000, the American Heart Association (AHA) in a major scientific advisor panel report, which reviewed 30 years of research, declared that weight training does in fact improve cardiovascular health and is strongly recommended for disease-prevention programs. The report recommended weight training for people who have had heart disease or heart attack - as long as they haven???t suffered major heart damage.


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## Dr. Pain (May 2, 2002)

Interesting 

I love this quote...

"There is more and more evidence that strength training is essential to staying youthful and living a healthy life. Until recently, most fitness experts focused on cardiovascular conditioning. Studies are showing, however, that people who engage only in aerobic exercise actually lose muscle mass and strength over time. This loss can be so debilitating that a 50-year-old might have trouble doing such ordinary tasks as lifting a bag of groceries. Other recent research shows that strength exercises build not only muscle and connective tissue, but also bone."

Call them Cardioboy or Cardiogirl, we watch people in the gym do cardio (strict sense of the word) for years WITH NO RESULTS!

DP


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## Dr. Pain (Nov 18, 2002)

Shit Disturber! 


DP


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## Bear (Nov 19, 2002)

Not that you don't have enough info here already,

but here's a little more I found: web page

My favorite part is the line at the end:


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## Tank316 (Nov 19, 2002)

thnaks DP, and Bear.


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## Duncan (Nov 19, 2002)

> _*Originally posted by Dr. Pain *_
> 
> Call them Cardioboy or Cardiogirl, we watch people in the gym do cardio (strict sense of the word) for years WITH NO RESULTS!
> 
> DP




As the devils advocate, I must say that I also see weight trainers who have gotten no results over a couple years.  It all comes down to intensity which I have an analogy for:

Your results are inversely proportional to your work ethic, if you go in half-assed, you will end up with twice the ass.


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## Preacher (Nov 19, 2002)

That should have gone straight into the "motto"-thread!


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## Dr. Pain (Nov 19, 2002)

> _*Originally posted by Bear *_
> Not that you don't have enough info here already,
> 
> but here's a little more I found: web page
> ...




That was a "Good Read"...thanks Bear! 

DP


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## Dr. Pain (Apr 29, 2003)

Bump


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