Cardiovascular Training

An endurance training, also known as cardiovascular training, refers to exercises that aim to improve your endurance and your cardiovascular system. It includes activities such as running, cycling, swimming and other forms where your heart rate increases.

Do you have any questions about your personalised endurance training? Or even received a doctor's recommendation to do one? There are various reasons why a doctor may prescribe it: for cardiovascular complaints or after heart surgery, for lung (respiratory) diseases, for weight control (both overweight and underweight), for mental impairments (e.g. depression, burn-out) and many more. At Physio Restart, we are happy to support you during your rehabilitation or prevention phase.

Here are some important features about endurance training

1 Cardiovascular function: Endurance training increases your heart rate over a longer period of time and strengthens your cardiovascular system. This improves of course your health and function of your heart.

2 Endurance: Regular endurance training improves your body's ability to work for longer periods of time without feeling fatigue. This can be noticeable in various areas of life, from sporting activities to everyday tasks.

3 Fat burning: Endurance training is an effective way to burn calories and lose or maintain weight. It promotes fat burning and can help you to reduce body fat by stimulating the metabolism.

4 Stress reduction: Regular endurance training can reduce stress and improve your overall well-being by promoting the release of endorphins, which are responsible for your sense of relaxation and well-being.

5 Mental health: There is strong evidence that regular endurance training can improve your mood and even help to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety. Hormones such as dopamine, endorphin and serotonin are released, which lead to feelings of happiness.

6 Prevention of physical complaints: Problems and pain associated, for example, with the posture, can be reduced. Appropriate endurance training helps you to regulate back pain, especially if the working day is predominantly sedentary. Even small interruptions of just a few minutes a day can help to ensure sufficient blood flow to your muscles.

7 Social interaction: Endurance training can also be ideally carried out in company or in a group. Cycling tours, nordic walking but also hikes with inclines promote a social get-together and can also increase your self-esteem, especially when it is difficult for you to perform sporting activities.

Types of endurance training and different metabolic activation

Depending on your intensity, you make use of a different metabolism, which depends on your individual heart rate. Metabolism involves a series of complex biochemical processes that take place in your cells and are responsible for converting nutrients into energy and maintaining vital functions.

1 Aerobic metabolisum (fat metabolism): Nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins are converted into energy (ATP) using oxygen. Talking during activity is possible for you as normal, breathing is almost normal, only slightly more difficult. Fats serve as the main source of energy in aerobic metabolism, especially at lower intensities and longer durations of activity.

2 Anaerobic metabolism (carbohydrate metabolism): During shorter, more intensive exercise, the supply of oxygen alone is not sufficient to provide energy for you. Glucose is therefore obtained from carbohydrates, which produces lactate (lactic acid). Talking is no longer possible fluently, only a few words, more intensive, shorter and shallow breathing occurs.

Built up Training

To maximise your benefits of endurance training, it is important to develop a balanced exercise routine that combines regular endurance exercises with strength training and mobility exercises. It is also advisable to work with a therapist to develop a personalised training plan that meets your needs and goals. Endurance training can be divided into different intensity levels, from light to high intensity. Choosing the right training plan depends on your individual goals, fitness level and health. As with all training, recovery is also crucial for endurance training. Sufficient rest between training sessions is important to avoid overloading and injuries.

Important: Endurance training alone is not enough for good health. Strength exercises should also be done to stabilise joints, maintain bone health and prepare the muscles for the stresses and strains of everyday life.

Author:

Oliver Penny