Exercise Prescription - Cardiovascular Fitness

While reading an article on the recommendations for the amount of physical activity and exercise needed for weight loss and the prevention of weight regain, I was reminded that many of us are not aware of the components needed to carry out a basic exercise prescription. Yeah I said prescription, similar to the one doctor gives when you visit him with minor pains and injuries. Prescriptions are mostly written when a medical expert witness signs of deficiency in any given area. So, let’s be reminded of what makes up an exercise prescription and possibly point out areas of deficiency in our own lives.

I’m going to simply lay out the guidelines and all I ask is that you find where you fit in, along with your gender (M or F) and age. There will be ranges provided and you should list where you fall in each category. If you fall outside of the ranges (on either side) feel free to list these as well. One of my main goals for writing this blog has been to challenge and encourage you to take notice of the state (current position) of your health and well being. So, if we are to address where we are and/or how we want to move forward, I need to get some type of understanding of where we stand in light of the “standard” guidelines.

 The first set of guidelines are from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). ACSM is one of the major governing bodies for sport and exercise; they are responsible along with other groups for establishing the recommended guidelines for exercise and physical activity. Before we move any further I would like to take the liberty to define physical activity and exercise just to place us all on a level playing field.

Physical Activity = is any movement of the body produced by the skeletal muscles that result in energy expenditure or loss of calories. Examples (vacuuming, dusting, carrying groceries, walking to the refrigerator).

Exercise = is a subclass of physical activity, that consist of planned, structured, and repetitive body movements used to improve or maintain physical fitness. Examples (walking, running, weight lifting, stretching, etc).

 There are 5 components of fitness and we will walk through them one at a time. The components include:

1.  cardiovascular fitness
2.  muscular strength
3.  muscular endurance
4.  flexibility
5.  body composition

We will use the acronym F.I.T.T. to assist us as we walk through each component of fitness.

CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS PRESCRIPTION

•  Frequency: 3-5 days/week
•  Intensity: 12-15 on the Borg RPE Scale 
• The Borg RPE scale is an assessment based on an individual’s perception of tiredness.
•  Time: 20-60
• Type: Walking, running, biking, stair climbing, aerobics, swimming, hiking, skiing, etc.

Reflect on these areas for a moment then make a short list that includes:
1. Where are you now?
F:
I:
T:
T:
2. How long have you been there?

3. Are you where you would like to be?

Keep this in mind no matter where you are in comparison to the guidelines, whether you exercise or not, eat well or not, rest or not, we wake up every morning with this Grace – FOR IN HIM (the all powerful God) WE LIVE, MOVE, AND HAVE OUR BEING (Acts 17:28 NJK).