Cardiovascular Conditioning

1642 Words4 Pages

Conditioning Assignment: Cardiovascular Conditioning Cardiovascular conditioning can be defined as the efficient transport and utilization of necessary oxygen and nutrients to the tissues of the body. The cardiovascular system needs to be well conditioned to enable the body to deliver adequate oxygenated blood and nutrients to the working muscles, in addition to improving the muscles’ capacity to use extra oxygen. Cardiovascular training is the most important style of training both for general health and for overall athletic performance. One of the major systems of the body, which is effected by cardiovascular conditioning, is the circulatory system. With proper exercise the heart becomes stronger and is able to use energy more efficiently. Blood pressure will lower because the heart muscle does not have to work as hard to pump the blood. The heart will beat fewer times per minute while it is at rest, but it will be able to deliver a greater amount of blood with each stroke as a result of adequate conditioning. Conditioning has other benefits to cardiovascular fitness as well. It will increase oxygenation of the blood due to the fact that while exercising deep breathing increases the blood flow to the lungs. Under a well-planned conditioning program conditioning can help to decrease cholesterol and the incidents of deadly heart disease. Individuals who exercise regularly have a lower rate of heart attacks than individuals who do not participate in an exercise program. One of the most important aspects of conditioning for the heart is the warm-up. Warming-up before intense exercise gradually increases the heart rate and prevents abnormal heart rhythms. Sudden extreme exercise can cause the heart to demand more oxygen than the circulatory system can provide, resulting in strain on the heart muscle. Warming-up will help to prevent heart attacks that result from abnormal heart rhythms. During the first one or two minutes of exercise, before the heart has pumped enough oxygenated blood to the working muscles, the muscles are powered by anaerobic energy. In order for these muscles to continue exercise, the body must supply them with continuous supply of oxygen, the more efficiently this is done, the better the cardiovascular fitness level. During cardiovascular conditioning, a program such as interva... ... middle of paper ... ...o limit to their training and conditioning. This of course, is not the case. Overtraining is not only harmful, it is self-defeating as well. There is a good chance of experiencing internal fatigue, this in turn can lead to sports injuries, especially stress-related injuries. Overtraining may leave the athlete constantly tired, negatively affecting their performance. Being constantly tired and not being able to match the past performance achieved, or not being able to experience performance improvement can lead to depression. Obviously cardiovascular fitness is very important. The cardiovascular system of our body is extremely vital and helps to fuel other systems such as the muscular system as well. By conditioning, for an average person, they are decreasing their risk of heart disease and stroke, and are also building up their strength and endurance as well. For an athlete, cardiovascular conditioning helps them to build their endurance and speed, and helps them to utilize the oxygen they need more efficiently. It is important to have that base of cardiovascular fitness, so that other forms of training, such as strength training, are more effective.

Open Document