Re: A more effective cardio fitness program

[Guest guest]

Good stuff. I have a fitness system from late 80s early 90s that recommends 12 minutes of aerobic. Years ago, it was 20 minutes, we also saw 1 hour. My understanding is that 12 minutes is all we need.Gerardo Esguerra wrote: Attached is a copy of Dr. Al Sears' newsletter wherein he describes his recommended cardio program.I think it's the best there is, and he also explains why we should debunk the aerobic myth.It's not really new. It's a variation of

interval training, which I've known about foryears.As I mentioned in another post, I've tried it myself and noticed a significant improvement in less than two weeks (though I've been commuting by bicycle for years). Those who may not be as fit should start off moderately, as detailed in the newsletter.To our complete health,Gerry__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Well, as always, what we " need " is based on what we hav defined as

our objectives from a CV training program.

A 55 yr old guy, post cardiac patient or a risk for Heart Disease

might well be killed by a interval training program, ie the Tabata

protocol. For that guy, a 40 minute walk around the block is likely

in order.

For the 20 yr old track athlete who is running sprints for an event,

the interval training protocol is the ONLY way he will get faster.

A Marathon runner, well you get the point.

I have used the Tabata protocol and it IS effective. It is also

risky and very very hard.

BTW-Not everything Dr Al Sears says is necessarily correct nor wise.

Same is true for most " experts, "

> Attached is a copy of Dr. Al Sears' newsletter

> wherein he describes his recommended cardio

> program.

>

> I think it's the best there is, and he also

> explains why we should debunk the aerobic myth.

> It's not really new. It's a variation of

> interval training, which I've known about for

> years.

>

> As I mentioned in another post, I've tried it

> myself and noticed a significant improvement

> in less than two weeks (though I've been

> commuting by bicycle for years). Those who

> may not be as fit should start off moderately,

> as detailed in the newsletter.

>

> To our complete health,

> Gerry

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

>

> My understanding is that 12 minutes is all we need.

Yeah, but apparently, only if such cardio training

would make us approach our maximum.

" Being able to converse " while doing something aerobic,

like jogging, was a gauge to see if one was in the

aerobic zone. Apparently, this will not increase our

cardiovascular capacity/fitness.

Even , the " father " of aerobics, had to

write a book on antioxidants BECAUSE of cases he himself

saw of people dying of heart attacks in spite of their

religious following of aerobics, some even dying while

doing their aerobics.

When I read that book of his on antioxidants, I simply

thought: Why didn't he just drop the idea of aerobics

then, and just promote antioxidants?

Gerry

[Guest guest]

>

> Well, as always, what we " need " is based on

> what we hav defined as our objectives from a

> CV training program.

>

> A 55 yr old guy, post cardiac patient or a

> risk for Heart Disease might well be killed

> by a interval training program, ie the Tabata

> protocol. For that guy, a 40 minute walk

> around the block is likely in order.

I didn't know of the Tabata protocol until today,

and I read up on it from web searches. And indeed,

it can sound brutal. But I think even a cardiac

patient can modify it to suit his situation.

The first week of the Sears program is just one

6-minute exertion period, which is even a lot

less than a 40-minute walk. It allows for just

walking, if that's all one can do to reach near

max. Subsequent weeks have decreasing exertion

periods: 3 minutes, then 2 minutes, and finally

1 minute by the fourth week. The intensity of

the exertion, however, increases, and one does

several more " sets " on subsequent weeks, until

one is doing 3 sets by the fourth week. It does

not even approach the Tabata protocol of 20-sec

exertion and 10-sec recovery intervals.

I think the point of the Sears program, and

other interval training protocols, is to reach

near maximum capacity. If rising up from a chair

accomplishes this, then such patient can just

start with that.

> For the 20 yr old track athlete who is running

> sprints for an event, the interval training

> protocol is the ONLY way he will get faster.

>

> A Marathon runner, well you get the point.

True. However, I think the point of the Sears

program is not whether one runs marathons or

sprints, but whether one's cardiovascular

fitness improves. I think we've all heard of

stories of people dying of heart attacks even

if they followed aerobics religiously. Of

course other people die of heart attacks who

don't do aerobics, but the point is that

aerobics is appearing to be useless as far as

prevention of heart attacks goes. Whether

interval training will be better, I still have

to find out. (And now that I think about it,

did anyone ever die of a heart attack in

sprints? I know several did in marathons, and

these were people who trained for marathons.)

And even marathon runners don't run marathons

for their training. I think I read somewhere that

to train for a certain distance, one only needs

to train one-fifth or one-fourth of that distance.

Maybe they would do better with an interval type

protocol?

> BTW-Not everything Dr Al Sears says is

> necessarily correct nor wise.

>

> Same is true for most " experts, "

Definitely.

But as far as cardio fitness goes, my own

experience proves the effectivity of interval

training, far surpassing aerobics.

I commute by bicycle, and lately, I was thinking

just to coast along when I could. Anyway, there

was always that uphill climb to provide me the

exercise. The result was I found myself getting

weaker and weaker -- that uphill climb got more

and more difficult. I remember that I could even

climb that with my 6-year old kid sitting on the

horizontal bar of the frame a couple of decades

ago. But now I found myself huffing with difficulty

with barely a kg load. And this in spite of the

aerobic nature of my coasting along in my commutes.

I did a variation of the Sears program. I ignored

the warm up sessions (well, I was on my bike), and

in a section of my commute which had a very slight

upward slope I would max out with a sprint for

about a minute or so. This gave me a recovery period

before the uphill climb came along. So in effect,

I jumped to his 3rd week level, but with only 2 sets.

In a couple of weeks, that uphill was a lot easier

for me -- a first in several years! I'm still not

up to my level before when I could carry a kid up

that slope (besides, they're all grown up now), but

I now see that I have an easy way of getting there.

Again, the point is, until I went for maximum

capacity, my cardio fitness was going downhill. Only

when I went for max did it start to improve. And

this is definitely anaerobic. The aerobics of my

daily commute did me no good.

Just my experience.

Gerry

[Guest guest]

How right you are. knuj_gse wrote: >> Well, as always, what we "need" is based on> what we hav defined as our objectives from a> CV training program.> > A 55 yr old guy, post cardiac patient or a> risk for Heart Disease might well be killed> by a interval training program, ie the

Tabata > protocol. For that guy, a 40 minute walk> around the block is likely in order.I didn't know of the Tabata protocol until today,and I read up on it from web searches. And indeed,it can sound brutal. But I think even a cardiacpatient can modify it to suit his situation.The first week of the Sears program is just one 6-minute exertion period, which is even a lot less than a 40-minute walk. It allows for justwalking, if that's all one can do to reach nearmax. Subsequent weeks have decreasing exertionperiods: 3 minutes, then 2 minutes, and finally1 minute by the fourth week. The intensity ofthe exertion, however, increases, and one doesseveral more "sets" on subsequent weeks, untilone is doing 3 sets by the fourth week. It doesnot even approach the Tabata protocol of 20-secexertion and 10-sec recovery intervals.I think the point of the Sears program, and other interval

training protocols, is to reachnear maximum capacity. If rising up from a chairaccomplishes this, then such patient can just start with that.> For the 20 yr old track athlete who is running > sprints for an event, the interval training> protocol is the ONLY way he will get faster.> > A Marathon runner, well you get the point.True. However, I think the point of the Sears program is not whether one runs marathons or sprints, but whether one's cardiovascular fitness improves. I think we've all heard ofstories of people dying of heart attacks evenif they followed aerobics religiously. Of course other people die of heart attacks who don't do aerobics, but the point is that aerobics is appearing to be useless as far asprevention of heart attacks goes. Whether interval training will be better, I still haveto find out. (And now that I think about it, did anyone ever die of a

heart attack in sprints? I know several did in marathons, andthese were people who trained for marathons.)And even marathon runners don't run marathonsfor their training. I think I read somewhere thatto train for a certain distance, one only needsto train one-fifth or one-fourth of that distance.Maybe they would do better with an interval typeprotocol? > BTW-Not everything Dr Al Sears says is> necessarily correct nor wise.> > Same is true for most "experts,"Definitely.But as far as cardio fitness goes, my own experience proves the effectivity of interval training, far surpassing aerobics.I commute by bicycle, and lately, I was thinkingjust to coast along when I could. Anyway, therewas always that uphill climb to provide me the exercise. The result was I found myself gettingweaker and weaker -- that uphill climb got moreand more difficult. I remember

that I could evenclimb that with my 6-year old kid sitting on thehorizontal bar of the frame a couple of decadesago. But now I found myself huffing with difficulty with barely a kg load. And this in spite of the aerobic nature of my coasting along in my commutes.I did a variation of the Sears program. I ignoredthe warm up sessions (well, I was on my bike), andin a section of my commute which had a very slightupward slope I would max out with a sprint forabout a minute or so. This gave me a recovery periodbefore the uphill climb came along. So in effect, I jumped to his 3rd week level, but with only 2 sets.In a couple of weeks, that uphill was a lot easierfor me -- a first in several years! I'm still not up to my level before when I could carry a kid upthat slope (besides, they're all grown up now), butI now see that I have an easy way of getting there.Again, the point is, until I went for

maximum capacity, my cardio fitness was going downhill. Onlywhen I went for max did it start to improve. And this is definitely anaerobic. The aerobics of mydaily commute did me no good. Just my experience. :)Gerry __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

> I didn't know of the Tabata protocol until today,

> and I read up on it from web searches. And indeed,

> it can sound brutal. But I think even a cardiac

> patient can modify it to suit his situation.

>

Hi Gerry,

In my post last November (message no. 3057), I described my use of the

Tabata method applied to an x5 bullworker. This works well for me and,

as you say it can be brutal, but it can be adjusted to suit your

ability. Since then, I have had to change 2 exercises, as my ancient

x5, though fine for 1 isometric hold, didn't take too kindly to

continuous reps as the straps pulled unevenly. I now use dumbells for 2

of the 6 exercises I do. Tabata & bullworker continue to work fine for

me. All the best Jerry