TRAINING GUIDELINES
OXYGEN UPTAKE
The effort that you can exert over a prolonged period of time is limited by your ability to
deliver oxygen to the working muscles. Regular vigorous exercise produces a training effect
that can increase your aerobic capacity by as much as 20 to 30%. An increased VO2 Max
indicates an increased ability of the heart to pump blood, of the lungs to ventilate oxygen,
and of the muscles to take up oxygen.
THE TRAINING THRESHOLD
This is the minimum level of exercise which is required to produce significant improvements
in any physical fitness parameter.
OVERLOAD
This is where you exercise above your comfort level. The intensity, duration and frequency of
exercise should be above the training threshold and should be gradually increased as the
body adapts to the increasing demands. As your fitness level improves, the training threshold
should rise. Working through your program and gradually increasing the overload factor is
important.
PROGRESSION
As you become more fit, a higher intensity of exercise is required to create an overload and
therefore provide continued improvement.
SPECIFICS
Different forms of exercise produce different results. The type of exercise that is carried out
is specific to the muscle groups being used and to the energy source involved. There is little
transfer of the effects of exercise, i.e. from strength training to cardiovascular fitness. That is
why it is important to have an exercise program tailored to your specific needs.
REVERSIBILITY
If you stop exercising or do not do your program often enough, you will lose the benefits you
have gained. Regular workouts are the key to success.
WARM-UP
Every exercise program should start with a warm-up where the body is prepared for the
effort to come. It should be gentle and preferably use the muscles group to be involved
later. Stretching should be included in both your warm-up and cool down, and should be
performed after 3-5 minutes of low intensity aerobic activity or calisthenic type exercise.
WARM DOWN OR COOL DOWN
This involves a gradual decrease in the intensity of the exercise session. Following exercise,
a large supply of blood remains in the working muscles. If it is not returned promptly to the
central circulation, pooling of blood may occur in the muscles.
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