What is the best exercise for cardiovascular fitness?

[DGS49]

Many years ago, dr. Kenneth Cooper proposed that "aerobic" exercise was the key to cardiovascular fitness. Just bring your heartrate into the training range for 20 minutes or more, three times a week, for top cardio conditioning. Many people are still convinced that this is the best strategy, and that life's greatest achievement is to run a marathon.

Well, maybe not.

More recently, it has been proposed by others that interval training is best. High exertion for a short period (45-60 seconds) followed by rest periods, such that an entire cardio workout can be done in 12-15 minutes.

I have also read (Dr. Barry Sears) that "progressive intervals" are the best. First interval at, say 60% of max, then higher, then higher, until you have reached maximum exertion. Again, the whole cardio workout can be completed in 10-12 minutes, after which - if you are doing it honestly - you are pretty much exhausted.

I am 67 years old and have gone through all of these. I now rely on progressive intervals three times a week, and I THINK my heart and lungs are doing great. (resting heart rate of 45, BP 120/70). My doctors concur. I occasionally do a distance run of 2-1/2-3 miles, but that's more for enjoyment than conditioning. And I do long bike rides (over hill and dale) when possible. And I play tennis, golf, and bowl. And lift weights.

What say y'all? What is best for heart & lungs?

 

[DarkFury]

Swimming

 

[ABikerSailor]

My personal opinion? Bicycling. Not only do you get a really great workout if you want, but you also don't have as much wear and tear on your body as you do with running. And, it's something that you can start pretty easy and work up to bigger workouts if you want.

Me? I started bicycling back in 1987, and decided that I liked it so much that I got rid of my car and didn't get another one until 2000. Kept me in really good shape, so much so, that a few years after I started, my CO made me a PRT coordinator for the command, and he and I were always fighting it out for top PRT score in the command (PRT - Physical Readiness Training).

Besides...............if you get a computer for your bike, you can also start playing games with yourself for distance and how fast you can cover it.

Second choice for exercise is swimming.

Last choice is running. I only run if I'm chasing something or being chased.

 

[Snouter]

I did my first mini-triathlon in 1986. Cycling is okay, but the seat fucks up important sex organs and half the time you do not even pedal which means no benefit. For an older person...WALKING.

Do not have aspirations for a marathon. You will lose too much muscle.

 

[ABikerSailor]

I did my first mini-triathlon in 1986. Cycling is okay, but the seat fucks up important sex organs and half the time you do not even pedal which means no benefit. For an older person...WALKING.

Do not have aspirations for a marathon. You will lose too much muscle.

Actually, if you get a high end split seat, you won't have problems with your junk. They have a cutout from the back, about halfway up the seat, which keeps the base of your penis from getting squashed. They aren't really that much either, a good saddle will run you 80 to 120 bucks, depending on brand and quality.

If you're having problems with riding because of that, a split saddle is the way to go.

 

[DGS49]

Bicycling is right near the top of my list, but it is weather dependent. Also, for me it is terrain-dependent. If do hills I get a great workout. I don't have the discipline to work hard on level terrain.

 

[Moonglow]

Sex or running from the law...

 

[ABikerSailor]

Bicycling is right near the top of my list, but it is weather dependent. Also, for me it is terrain-dependent. If do hills I get a great workout. I don't have the discipline to work hard on level terrain.

You don't really need a whole lot of discipline if you ride on level terrain. Simply mark out a known distance for a route, and then get a computer and start seeing if you can bring your times down a couple of seconds (or minutes, depending on the length), each week until you get to an average cruising speed that you're happy with.

And................even riding at a moderate pace on level ground for 10 miles or more will still yield a substantial benefit.

 

[MarathonMike]

I did my first mini-triathlon in 1986. Cycling is okay, but the seat fucks up important sex organs and half the time you do not even pedal which means no benefit. For an older person...WALKING.

Do not have aspirations for a marathon. You will lose too much muscle.

It is possible to lose muscle, but that depends on how you train, number of miles per week and your diet. I've run many marathons and I do not lose body weight or muscle during training.