ACE Personal Trainer

Manual, 4th edition

Chapter 11:
Cardiorespiratory Training:
Programming and Progressions
1
Learning Objectives
 This session, which is based on Chapter 11 of the ACE Personal
Trainer Manual, 4th edition, features a discussion of the
physiological adaptations to acute and chronic cardiorespiratory
exercise. It also includes coverage of the cardiorespiratory-training
phases of the ACE IFT™ Model.
 After completing this session, you will have a better understanding
of:
– How cardiorespiratory exercise affects the following systems: muscular,
cardiovascular, and respiratory
– The components of a well-designed cardiorespiratory-training session
– General guidelines for cardiorespiratory exercise
– Various modes of cardiorespiratory exercise
– The ACE IFT Model cardiorespiratory training phases and their appropriate
application with clients
– Special considerations for youth and older adults
Introduction
 Physical movement is essential for human survival.
 The obligatory need for physical activity is very low in
modern society.
 The need for people to structure their lives to include
higher levels of physical activity has risen dramatically.
Physiological Adaptations to Cardiorespiratory Exercise

 Muscular system
– Type I muscle fibers (low- to moderate-intensity exercise)
– Mitochondria
– Capillaries
– Type II muscle fibers (high-intensity exercise)
Physiological Adaptations to Cardiorespiratory Exercise (cont.)

 Cardiovascular system
– With endurance training, the heart muscle will hypertrophy,
enlarging its chambers and becoming a bigger and stronger
muscle.
– Increased cardiac output
• Primarily due to a larger stroke volume
• A redistribution of the cardiac output to the active muscles (via
vasodilation) may also improve after training.
Physiological Adaptations to Cardiorespiratory Exercise (cont.)
 Respiratory system
– Alveoli
• The structure in the respiratory system that interfaces with the
cardiovascular system.
– More efficient muscles of respiration
• Diaphragm
• Intercostals
• Muscles that pull the ribcage upward during active inspiration
• Muscles that pull the ribcage downward during active expiration
– Increased tidal volume
Time Required for Increases in Aerobic Capacity
 Cardiovascular adaptations are usually measureable
after a couple of weeks of training.
 VO2max
– Increases with training, but reaches a peak and plateaus within
about six months

 Ventilatory threshold (VT)

– A significant marker of metabolism that permits prediction of
lactate threshold (LT) during progressive exercise
– May continue to increase for years with continued training, as
illustrated on the following slide
Schematic of Changes in VO2max and Metabolic Markers
Steady-state and Interval-based Exercise
 Steady state
– Consistent intensity of exercise where the energy and
physiological demands are met by the delivery from the
physiological systems
– Limited by the willingness to continue or the availability of
oxygen, muscle glycogen, and/or blood glucose

 Interval training
– Higher-intensity exercise followed by recovery periods
– Provides anaerobic adaptations that improve tolerance for the
buildup of lactic acid (lactate threshold)
– Provokes an increase in stroke volume that is not achievable
with lower-intensity steady-state training
Components of a Cardiorespiratory Workout Session
 Warm-up
– A period of lighter exercise preceding the conditioning phase of
the exercise bout
– Should last for five to 10 minutes for most healthy adults
– Should not be so demanding that it creates fatigue that would
reduce performance.
– Stretching
• The practice of stretching before performing any warm-up is not
justified and may potentially be harmful.
– May be subdivided into a general cardiovascular warm-up
followed by a more exercise- or event-specific dynamic warm-up.
Components of a Cardiorespiratory Workout Session (cont.)
 Conditioning phase
– The higher-intensity elements of a session should take place
fairly early in the conditioning phase of the workout.
– Cardiovascular drift during steady-state training
• A gradual increase in heart-rate response during a steady-state
bout of exercise
– Aerobic-interval training exercise-to-recovery ratios between 1:2
and 1:1
– “Lactate sinks”
• Aerobically trained type II muscle fibers that are proficient at using
lactate for energy during hard steady-state exercise
Components of a Cardiorespiratory Workout Session (cont.)
 Cool-down
– Should be of approximately the same duration and intensity as
the warm-up
– Five to 10 minutes of low- to moderate-intensity activity
– “Muscle pump”
– An active cool-down can help remove metabolic waste from the
muscles so that it can be metabolized by other tissues.
– A stretching routine following the cool-down period is
appropriate.
Cardiorespiratory Exercise for Health, Fitness, and Weight Loss
 Most health benefits occur with at least 150 minutes a week of
moderate-intensity physical activity.
 ACSM and AHA F.I.T.T. guidelines
are widely accepted.
 Additionally, clients should always
enjoy the exercise experience.
 Changes in fitness are more sensitive
to modifications in intensity than to
modifications in the frequency or
duration of training.
Monitoring Intensity Using Heart Rate
 Numerous variables impact MHR:
– Genetics
– Exercise modality
– Medications
– Body size
• MHR is generally higher in smaller individuals who have smaller
hearts, and hence lower stroke volumes.
– Altitude
• Altitude can lower the MHR reached.
– Age
• MHR does not show a consistent 1-bpm drop with each year in all
individuals.
Estimated Heart Rate Formulas
 Estimated MHR formulas (three formulas):
– MHR = 220 – age
• Standardized predicted MHR formula used in fitness for decades
• Standard deviation (s.d.): +/- 12 bpm (+/- 36 bpm at 3 s.d.)
– MHR = 208 – (0.7 x Age)
• s.d. close to +/- 7 bpm
(+/- 21 bpm at 3 s.d.)
– MHR = 206.9 – (0.67 x Age)
• s.d. close to +/- 7 bpm
(+/- 21 bpm at 3 s.d.)
 Accurate programming with
MHR requires actual MHR
– Impractical for the vast majority
of clients and trainers
Monitoring Intensity Using Heart Rate Reserve (HRR)
 Heart-rate reserve (HRR) equals
the difference between MHR and
RHR
– HRR = MHR – RHR
– Target HR (THR) = the desired
HR during exercise
– The Karvonen formula can be
used to calculate THR as a
percentage of HRR:
THR = (HRR x % Intensity) + RHR
 Accurate programming with HRR
requires actual MHR and RHR
– Actual MHR is impractical for the
majority of clients and trainers
ACSM Guidelines for Using %MHR
Monitoring Intensity Using Ratings of Perceived Exertion

 Two versions of the RPE scale:

– Classical (6 to 20) scale
– More contemporary category ratio
(0 to 10) scale

 Both scales are capable of defining

ranges of objective exercise intensity
associated with effective exercise
training programs.
Monitoring Intensity Using VO2
 Intensity can be monitored as a %VO2max or %VO2R
– Training based on metabolic or ventilatory responses is much more
meaningful than using arbitrary ranges of %VO2max or %VO2R,
especially when these values are predicted.
– Training intensities that are too far below the first ventilatory threshold
(VT1) yield minimal cardiorespiratory fitness benefits.

 Submaximal assessments that predict VO2max generally use

predicted MHR
– Errors in predicted MHR will affect predicted VO2max
Monitoring Intensity Using METS

 METs
– Multiples of an assumed average metabolic rate at rest of 3.5
mL/kg/min
• Resting metabolic rate is not exactly 3.5 mL/kg/min in every individual.
– The utility of using METs is so substantial that it more than makes up
for any imprecision
• Exercising at 5 METs equates to working 5x greater than when at rest
– 5 MET x 3.5 mL/kg/min = 17.5 mL/kg/min
Monitoring Intensity Using Caloric Expenditure
 When the body burns fuel, O2 is consumed, which yields
calories to perform work.
– 5 kcal per liter of O2

 Absolute VO2 (L/min)

 Relative VO2 (mL/kg/min)
 Commercial cardiovascular exercise equipment
– Provide estimates of caloric expenditure using absolute VO2
based on the amount of work being performed
– Kcal per exercise session = L/min x 5 kcal/L x minutes

 Online caloric-expenditure calculators are available for a

variety of physical activities on the ACE website.
– www.acefitness.org/calculators
Monitoring Intensity Using the Talk Test
 Ventilation increases as exercise intensity increases
– Linear increase, with the exception of two distinct deflection points: VT1 & VT2

 Initially, increased ventilation is accomplished through increased

inspiration (tidal volume)

 At about the intensity of VT1, the increase in ventilation is

accomplished by an increase in breathing frequency (respiration rate)

 Above VT1, but below the second ventilatory threshold (VT2),

speaking is possible, but not comfortable.

 VT2 represents the point at which high-intensity exercise can no

longer be sustained.
– Onset of blood lactate accumulation (OBLA)
– Above VT2, speech is not possible, other than single words.

 The talk test is an index of exercise intensity at VT1.

Monitoring Intensity Using Blood Lactate and VT2
 The metabolic response to exercise is generally non-linear.
– It is more reasonable to program exercise in terms of metabolic
response.
– Easily marked by either blood lactate or VT1 and VT2
 Blood lactate threshold and VT1
– Bicarbonate buffering
system
 OBLA, HR turnpoint
(HRTP), and VT2
– HRTP is a flattening of
the heart-rate response
to increasing intensity.
 Three-zone Training Model

 Zone 1  Zone 3
– Relatively easy exercise – Reflects heart rates
– Reflects heart rates below VT1 at or above VT2
– Client can talk comfortably – Client definitely cannot
talk comfortably
 Zone 2
– Reflects heart rates from
VT1 to just below VT2
– Client is not sure if he or
she can talk comfortably
Cardiorespiratory Exercise Duration
 Benefits gained from exercise and physical activity are dose-related.
– Greater benefits are derived from greater quantities of activity.
– Physical activity expending ≤1,000 kcal/week generally only produces
improvements to health.
– Expending ≥2,000 kcal/week promotes effective weight loss and significant
improvements to overall fitness.

 Beginner exercisers
– Typically cannot tolerate 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity
– Generally cannot start with the recommended frequency
Cardiorespiratory Exercise Progression
 Progression follows basic training principles, including:
– Overload
– Specificity

 Exercise duration is the most appropriate variable to

manipulate initially.
 Thereafter, implement progressions by increasing
exercise frequency and then exercise intensity.
 Fartlek training
 Types of Cardiorespiratory Exercise
 Physical activities that promote improvement or maintenance of
cardiorespiratory fitness:
• Equipment-based • Seasonal exercise
cardiovascular exercise • Water-based exercise
• Group exercise
• Mind-body exercise
• Circuit training
• Lifestyle exercise
• Outdoor exercise
Physical Activities That Promote Improvement or Maintenance of Cardiorespiratory Fitness
Exercise Description Recommended Groups Activity Examples
Endurance activities requiring minimal skill All adults Walking, slow-dancing, recreational cycling
or fitness or swimming

Vigorous-intensity endurance activities Adults participating in regular exercise or Jogging, rowing, elliptical training, stepping,
requiring minimal skill having better than average fitness indoor cycling, fast-dancing

Endurance activities requiring higher skill Adults with acquired skill and higher fitness Swimming, cross-country skiing
levels levels

Recreational sports Adults participating in regular training with Soccer, basketball, racquet sports
acquired fitness and skill levels
Equipment-based Cardiovascular Exercise
 The aerobic value of any equipment-based program is
based on how the machine is used.
– Sustained moderate-intensity exercise is the foundation of
cardiorespiratory exercise training.

 Many pieces can estimate the MET or caloric cost of

exercise.
– Common sense is required when using the MET or caloric
values generated by exercise equipment.
– In less-fit individuals, and if handrail support is used, the values
may overestimate the actual value attained.
 Group Exercise
 During the past few decades, an enormous variety of
group exercise formats has emerged.
 Common to most formats is the use of music.
 The choreography and intensity can vary greatly.
– Group indoor cycling programs can elicit VO2 or HR values greater
than those achieved during exercise tests.
– Group exercise designed for older individuals
can be very low intensity.
Circuit Training
 Cardiorespiratory training effects can be observed during
circuit training by:
– Alternating muscular strength and endurance activities with
classical aerobic training
– Performing the activities in a rapid sequence

 Depending on equipment availability, circuit training can

be performed by:
– A single individual rotating through select exercises
– Groups of participants rotating in an organized manner through
several exercise stations
Outdoor and Seasonal Exercise
 Outdoor exercise activities
– Have emerged out of recreational activities, many with the
promise of providing cardiorespiratory fitness
– Some activities are much more variable in their cardiorespiratory
training effects.

 Seasonal exercise activities

– Likely to have a large cardiorespiratory training effect if the
activities require sustained physical activity
• Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the
winter months and walking and running in the
warmer months
Water-based Exercise
 Water aerobics classes and games can be effective
methods of exercise.
 Water-based exercise is particularly valuable for older or
obese individuals or those with orthopedic issues.
 Energy cost of ambulatory activity in the water
 Immersion in water causes the blood to be redistributed
to the central circulation.
Mind-body and Lifestyle Exercise
 Mind-body exercise
– Generally not associated with high-intensity aerobic activity
– May provide an intensity comparable to that of walking
– Examples include Pilates, hatha yoga, Nia, and tai chi

 Lifestyle exercise
– Consistently performed domestic activities can provide enough
stimulus to make previously sedentary people fit and contribute
to excellent health.
– Activities like yard work should be viewed in the context of the
total exercise load.
ACE IFT Model Cardiorespiratory Training Phases
 The ACE IFT Model has four cardiorespiratory training
phases:
Phase 3 Phase 4
Phase 1 Phase 2
ANAEROBIC- ANAEROBIC-
AEROBIC-BASE AEROBIC-EFFICIENCY
ENDURANCE POWER

 Clients are categorized into a given phase based on their

current health, fitness level, and goals.
– Clients may be in different phases for cardiorespiratory training
and functional movement and resistance training.
 Phase 1: Aerobic-base training
 The focus is on creating positive exercise experiences that help
sedentary clients become regular exercisers.
 No fitness assessments are required prior to exercise.
 Focus on steady-state exercise in zone 1 (below VT1).
 Gauge intensity by the client’s ability to talk comfortably and/or RPE
of 3 to 4.
 Increase exercise duration (<10% increase per week)
 Progress to phase 2 once client can sustain steady-state
cardiorespiratory exercise for 20 to 30 minutes in zone 1 (below talk
test threshold; RPE of 3 to 4) and is comfortable with assessments.

AEROBIC-BASE
DURANCE
TRAINING
Phase 2: Aerobic-efficiency Training
 The focus is on increasing the duration of exercise and introducing
intervals to improve aerobic efficiency, fitness, and health.
 Administer the submaximal talk test to determine HR at VT1.
 Exercise programming in Zone 1 (< VT1) and Zone 2 (VT1 to < VT2)
 Progressions for Aerobic-efficiency Training:
– Increase duration of exercise in zone 1
– Then introduce low zone 2 intervals just above VT1 (RPE of 5)
– Progress low zone 2 intervals by increasing the time of the work interval and later
decreasing the recovery interval time.
– As the client progresses, introduce intervals in the upper end of zone 2 (RPE of 6).

 Most clients will train in this phase for many years.

 If a client has event-specific goals or is a fitness enthusiast looking for
increased challenges and fitness gains, progress to phase 3.
AEROBIC-EFFICIENCY
TRAINING
 Phase 3: Anaerobic-endurance Training
 The focus is on designing programs to help clients who have
endurance performance goals and/or are performing seven or more
hours of cardiorespiratory exercise per week.
 Administer the VT2 threshold test to determine HR at VT2.
 The majority of cardiorespiratory training time is spent in zone 1, with
intervals and higher-intensity sessions focused in zones 2 and 3.
 Cardiorespiratory training time is distributed as follows:
– Zone 1 (< VT1): 70–80% of training time
– Zone 2 (VT1 to < VT2): <10% of training time
– Zone 3 (> VT2): 10–20% of training time
 Many clients will never train in phase 3.
 Only clients who have very specific goals for increasing speed for
short bursts at near-maximal efforts will move on to phase 4.
AEROBIC AEROBIC ANAEROBIC- ANAEROBIC
BASE EFFICIENCY ENDURANCE TRAINING POWER
 Phase 4: Anaerobic-power Training
 The focus is on improving anaerobic power to improve phosphagen
energy pathways and buffer blood lactate.

 Programs will have a similar distribution to phase 3 training times in

terms of distribution among zones 1, 2, and 3.

 Zone 3 training will include very intense anaerobic-power intervals

that are at or near maximal levels.
– Zone 3 intervals in phase 4 will be of shorter duration than in phase 3,
due to greater intensity (RPE = 9 or 10)
– Increase length of recovery interval during zone 3 interval sessions

 Clients will generally only work in phase 4 during specific training

cycles prior to competition.
AEROBIC AEROBIC ANAEROBIC ANAEROBIC-POWER
BASE EFFICIENCY ENDURANCE TRAINING
Recovery and Regeneration
 As a general principle, training should be periodized.
 The biggest programming mistakes include:
– Taking too few recovery days
– Trying to do something other than recover on recovery days
– Trying to progress the training load on recovery days (when it
should only be progressed on hard days).

 The bottom line is that recovery days are for recovery.

 Two or three hard training days per week are probably
adequate to allow progress toward most goals.
Cardiorespiratory Training for Youth
 In youth, there are two primary considerations:
– Prevent early overspecialization
– Protect against orthopedic trauma from training too much

 Youth typically perform intermittent activity

rather than the more sustained activity that is
typical of fitness exercise.
 For obese youth, structured exercise may be
appropriate.
– Intensity should be low enough that exercise is fairly comfortable
(zone 1).
– Since energy expenditure is of primary importance, the duration
of exercise should probably progress to an hour or more.
Cardiorespiratory Training for Older Adults
 In older individuals, there are four overriding considerations that
dictate modification of the exercise program:
– Avoiding cardiovascular risk
– Avoiding orthopedic risk
– The need to preserve muscle tissue
– The rate at which older individuals respond
to training
 Older adults are less tolerant of:
– Heavy training loads
– Rapid increases in training load
– Single-mode exercise
– Stop-and-go game-type activities
 Sarcopenia and low bone mineral density are also concerns for
those over 50.
Summary
 Physical activity or structured exercise performed with
regularity causes adaptation in the heart, lungs, blood,
and muscle tissue and promotes the ability to perform
even more exercise.
 This session covered:
– Physiological adaptations to cardiorespiratory exercise
– Components of a cardiorespiratory workout session
– Cardiorespiratory exercise for health, fitness, and weight loss
– Types of cardiorespiratory exercise
– ACE IFT Model cardiorespiratory-training phases
– Recovery and regeneration
– Considerations for youth and older adults