aerobically fit...??

chats

i was just wondering what was the best and quickest way to get my lungs in shape?

Im only 20 but find myself struggling with my aerobic fitness (not that i do too much at the moment to help it:o)

EileenG

Combination of HIIT and steady state cardio.

HIIT is high intensity intervals. You do flat out sprints, followed by slower recovery periods. Typically, sprint the straights on a running track, jog the bends. Or the equivelent on any other type of cardio. The important thing is to go flat out on the high intensity bits.

Other days, try a long, lower intensity workout, maybe a long cycle on a bike, to build endurance and CV fitness.

TommyKnocker

Hi Chats

I would agree with everything EileenG says. The only thing I would add is that if you are not fit at present and are not exercising, then start off with the low to moderate intensity running first. When you get to the point that you can run continuously for 30 to 40 minutes, then start adding in the HIIT work.

If you google couch to 5k you will find a number of starting porgrams geared towards getting you running 5k continuously, which will take around 30 minutes for an average runner.


Best Regards,

M

rubadub

EileenG wrote: »

Other days, try a long, lower intensity workout, maybe a long cycle on a bike, to build endurance and CV fitness.

The bike can be used for HIIT too, many note a downside of road cycling ( moreso commuting) is that you have to stop & start a lot, so it is not a constant exercise like on an exercise bike. I cycle to work and often go all out between traffic lights, sometimes I come to one praying it will turn red! It is only 20mins cycle but I can arrive with legs like jelly, sweating like a madman even on cold days like these.

TheCandystripes

HIIT this, hiit that if i hear about hiit again i'll scream. its easy to be aerobally fit, just play some sports. hope i helped. give me a thanks if you want:)

corkcomp

TheCandystripes wrote: »

HIIT this, hiit that if i hear about hiit again i'll scream. its easy to be aerobally fit, just play some sports. hope i helped. give me a thanks if you want:)

WTF?

prepare for a lot of screaming me thinks:D

Canis Lupus

corkcomp wrote: »

WTF?

prepare for a lot of screaming me thinks:D

He is semi right tho. If you're just looking to up your aerobic fitness then just simply getting out the door and doing a bit of sport will help, no real need for the torture that is HIIT.

rubadub

Canis Lupus wrote: »

doing a bit of sport will help, no real need for the torture that is HIIT.

My cycling and stopping at lights is probably a milder form of HIIT than some would do so. If I was to play soccer or similar sports it would be the same sort of idea, run like a madman after the ball for a bit, and then have "intervals" of walking about for a while.

Canis Lupus

rubadub wrote: »

My cycling and stopping at lights is probably a milder form of HIIT than some would do so. If I was to play soccer or similar sports it would be the same sort of idea, run like a madman after the ball for a bit, and then have "intervals" of walking about for a while.

True but HIIT in a gym sucks balls

Colm_OReilly

What do you mean by aerobically fit? Your lungs don't really work in isolation, and endurance in running won't necessary transfer over to 'fitness' for another sport/activity.

Are you training for a particular sport?

EileenG

The point about HIIT is that you go hard. I'm so sick of all those people who have read about the mythical fat burning zone and are convinced that a little gentle strolling will get them fitter than the guys training for the Olympics.

flywheel

EileenG wrote: »

The point about HIIT is that you go hard. I'm so sick of all those people who have read about the mythical fat burning zone and are convinced that a little gentle strolling will get them fitter than the guys training for the Olympics.

what are the benefits of using HIIT as the first tool to assist someone who is struggling with their aerobic fitness?

can you expand on this "mythical fat burning zone" you mention above?

Jarren

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=mythical+fat+burning+zone

EileenG

Intensity is relative to fitness. For someone who is not fit, just climbing a flight of stairs might be an all-out effort. But that's not a reason for getting the lift and climbing those stairs will increase fitness quickly.

As for the fat burning zone thing. Yes, at low intensity, you burn a higher proportion of calories as fat. But you burn very few calories overall, so you'll have to keep at it for hours and hours to see any significant result. If you exercise intensely, you'll burn a lower proportion of calories as fat, but you'll burn more overall, including more fat calories.

Example: if you walk for an hour, you could burn 300 calories, of which 60% is fat, so 180 fat calories burned. But if you run for an hour, you could burn 900 calories, of which 40% is fat. So 360 fat calories burned, plus 540 glycogen calories.

And of course, by keeping to the "fat burning zone" there is no progressive overload, and nothing to increase fitness in any way.

corkcomp

+1 to what eileenG said! Fat burning zone is often an excuse for people not to push beyond their comfort zone. To the op, keep up the walking and add a few minutes each week, building a basic level of fitness in my book means being able to walk almost indefinately without being breathless

metamorphosis

You want your lungs and heart more effecient at supplying oxygen to the muscles i.e aerobically fit.

You can do this loads of ways. Continious moderate aerobic exercise will get you somewhat fit. HIIT will get you there quicker. It's all relative to your goals etc.

chats

thanks every1 thus far, sorry i havent replied sooner.

to answer some of your queries...i have pretty low body fat % and its not weight loss or anything im after. i regularly go to the gym for muscular workouts and am currently playing sport.

I have always struggled with my fitness aerobically, i would consider myself relatively fit physically. It is mainly my time for recovery after sprinting, i would be more concerned with short quick bursts as apposed to long distance running.

Transform

chats wrote: »

thanks every1 thus far, sorry i havent replied sooner.

to answer some of your queries...i have pretty low body fat % and its not weight loss or anything im after. i regularly go to the gym for muscular workouts and am currently playing sport.

I have always struggled with my fitness aerobically, i would consider myself relatively fit physically. It is mainly my time for recovery after sprinting, i would be more concerned with short quick bursts as apposed to long distance running.

then train doing more short quick bursts with short recovery.