How do you measure cardiovascular improvement?

ArnoldIsMyIdol · 12-16-2007, 10:34 PM

With my upcoming cut I want to improve my cardiovacular health, mainly because getting out of breath all the time is gay. Alot of times I get out of breath lifting weights when my muscles can keep going my the shortness of breath is holding me back. But also little things. I usually take the stairs but notice sometimes I start to get winded going up one flight. Which is stupid, I'm only 27 and not a fat slob. Its probably because I never do cardio (because I hate it).

So I need to know the best way to remedy this problem and would also like to know if there is some way to chart and measure my progress. Just saying I get out of breath less would be pretty subjective, is there a way through looking at heart rate/distance etc?

bassgirl · 12-16-2007, 10:41 PM

What I was always taught is the lower your resting heart rate, the better shape you're in.

Dang so much for stims, that throws that to the wind doesnt it?

CROWLER · 12-16-2007, 10:46 PM

You could take your pulse first thing in the AM then the stims wouldn't effect it.

CROWLER

Rodja · 12-16-2007, 10:47 PM

There is the one-mile test where you see how quickly you can run a mile. The elliptical offers another option for steady-state cardio that doesn't impact the knees. Keep the strides at the same level and use the HR gauge at certain times throughout. How you feel is subjective and has way too man factors to really isolate the root of your improvement or decline.

bassgirl · 12-16-2007, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodja

There is the one-mile test where you see how quickly you can run a mile. The elliptical offers another option for steady-state cardio that doesn't impact the knees. Keep the strides at the same level and use the HR gauge at certain times throughout.

I love my eliptical machine! Its my cardio of choice.
I currently do 25% cardio/75% weights in my W/O.

**B5150** · 12-16-2007, 11:25 PM

There are a couple methods that I use to evaluate my cardiovascular condition, conditioning and progress.

1. Establish current *RHR.
2. Establish a baseline effort to achieve specific *THR. (ex: Treadmill @ 8°x3.0mph=*THR.)
3. Evaluate *THR after a number of weeks at same treadmill setting.
4. Evaluate new *RHR.

*obviously in some people stimulants will skew these numbers.

smokey the bear · 12-17-2007, 12:11 AM

Blood pressure and vo2 max are also very important indicators of cardiac health and efficiency...

bLacKjAck. · 12-17-2007, 10:08 AM

These guys are leading you in the wrong direction man

Rodja nailed it imo. Run a mile in the beginning and as you try to improve your cardiovascular health periodically run a mile again and see how much easier it is for you. You can check RHR and all that which is necessary, but just keep trying to improve and just go by how you feel after cardio output. It will slowly just become easier and easier.

Practice makes perfect...

t-bone2 · 12-17-2007, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArnoldIsMyIdol

Its probably because I never do cardio (because I hate it).

Well, you're going to need to learn how to love it, because that's what it's going to take - you need to find ways to increase your VO2 Max. A proven ways to do this is through interval training and increasing the interval duration over time. You'll need a good pair of running shoes...

http://members.cox.net/ddquiring/pdf/vo2max.pdf
http://runningtimes.com/rt/articles/print.asp?id=9001

**B5150** · 12-17-2007, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bLacKjAck.

These guys are leading you in the wrong direction man

Rodja nailed it imo. Run a mile in the beginning and as you try to improve your cardiovascular health periodically run a mile again and see how much easier it is for you. You can check RHR and all that which is necessary, but just keep trying to improve and just go by how you feel after cardio output. It will slowly just become easier and easier.

Practice makes perfect...

Well some of us are just a little more analytical in our approach. To improve something you need data to quantify a baseline and and data to quantify progress.

"Feel better" or "it was easier" is not much quantification. To each his own I guess.

EasyEJL · 12-17-2007, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B5150

2. Establish a baseline effort to achieve specific *THR. (ex: Treadmill @ 8°x3.0mph=*THR.)
3. Evaluate *THR after a number of weeks at same treadmill setting.

I think this is probably the most accurate method. If I can do x number of paces / min at y resistance/slope settings at z heart rate after 20 minutes, if that heart rate goes lower over time then you are improving

**B5150** · 12-17-2007, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EasyEJL

I think this is probably the most accurate method. If I can do x number of paces / min at y resistance/slope settings at z heart rate after 20 minutes, if that heart rate goes lower over time then you are improving

Bingo!

Increase incrementally, again, to further enhance conditioning, then reassess accordingly.

bLacKjAck. · 12-17-2007, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B5150

Well some of us are just a little more analytical in our approach. To improve something you need data to quantify a baseline and and data to quantify progress.

"Feel better" or "it was easier" is not much quantification. To each his own I guess.

Yes, you are right. I am the least analytical person you will ever meet.

Its all about the balance of both sides...

**B5150** · 12-17-2007, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bLacKjAck.

Yes, you are right. I am the least analytical person you will ever meet.

Its all about the balance of both sides...

There are areas of my life that need this analytical side of me to keep me in balance.

Think about it. I'm standing there on that treadmill and there is data to be captured. It helps me utilize my brain while I endure the monotony of cardio.

Merry Christmas!