Body;Fit pH Fitness exercise for cardiovascular capacity muscle V02max, heart blood oxygen to lower heart attack risk, muscle VO2max, aerobic training metabolism

Cardiovascular Exercise... refers to exercise that benefits the heart and blood vessels. Typically exercise physiology has come to regard cardiovascular exercise primarily as cardiovascular conditioning of skeletal muscles, the term limited in definition by the limitation of most exercise.

True cardiovascular conditioning requires development of the circulatory capacity of deep organs, heart, bones, and all the other tissues - as well as skeletal muscle. This is the domain of Body'Fit pH Fitness™, a systematic routine of cardiovascular exercise designed to address the cardiovascular potential of our entire organism, sustainably in terms of time effort economy. In order to Get More Out of Exercise™, Body'Fit pH Fitness builds the capillary networks that deliver oxygen to every cell by optimizing cardiac output (heart rate X stroke volume) for oxygen consumption, i.e. VO2max (muscles) and Peak Metabolic Potential or PMP (in all other tissues).

While regular exercise (30 minutes a day, 4 times a week) of walking, running, cycling, etc., will stimulate changes in the heart, lungs and muscle cells to improve work capacity, it can also limit performance. Health is more dependent upon the health of the heart and internal organs that are responsible for maintaining all the bodily functions (circulatory, immune, digestive, endocrine, neural, skeletal, etc.) at peak capacity. The goal of cardiovascular exercise must therefore be both adaptation and anti-aging rejeuvenation of all tissues, otherwise heart and degenerative disease are seen early in life.

CARDIAC ERFORMANCE

HEART ATTACK RISK

METABOLIC RATE

CARDIAC ERFORMANCE
Maximal cardiac output is one of the main reason for an increase in performance capacity with most aerobic training programs (a misnomer since exercise is usually both aerobic and anaerobic). At levels of exertion greater than VO2max, the energy needs of the cells outstrip the ability of the cardiovascular system to deliver oxygen required for aerobic metabolism and anaerobic energy production begins. Anaerobic metabolism, where ATP formation per gram of glycogen metabolised, is 16 times less efficient than aerobic metabolism. The rapid depletion of muscle glycogen stores and also the build up of lactic acid and other metabolites impair muscle cell function. This is because, typically, increasing workload is the only method used to increase cardiac output. Almost any exercise will get heart rate up to training levels, and with sufficient training will enlarge the heart in order to increase stroke volume. The ability of an exercise program to increase blood flow to heart tissue, and to increase stroke volume without a build up of lactic acid that disrupts body pH balance is the significant difference seen with Body'Fit pH Fitness™ exercise (short form™... pHx™). 100% aerobic metabolism will supply adequate oxygen to prevent and eliminate the build up of lactic acid and other metabolites required for pH balance. Increasing heart's contractile state, increasing metabolic rate in all tissues to increase the arterio-venous difference (A-V O2 difference), and sustaining pH balance in all tissues including the heart during exercise, are the unique methods taken into consideration with Body'Fit pH Fitness exercise design. The build up of lactic acid (and amount of oxygen needed to eliminate it) and the lack of an increase in blood volume in deep tissues during anaerobic metabolism is responsible for oxygen debt and the extended recovery phase that follows anaerobic exercise. No recovery time is required with Body'Fit pH Fitness exercise as it does not produce an oxygen debt, and opens up blood vessels in the heart tissue and deep organsThe cardiovascular system and the pulmonary system work together to radically improve oxygen consumption during performance of pHx.

HEART ATTACK RISK
The heart's contractile state can be mediated by controlling the neural and endocrinal systems of the body. One of the main reasons Body'Fit pH Fitness exercise is designed to control the stimulation of the neural plexus that stimulate the release of hormones by the endocrine system, is to maintain a normal alkaline pH within the body during exercise. In this way Body'Fit pH Fitness exercise also augments the electrical activity within the heart cells that functions to increase strength of contraction and stroke volume and prevent fibrillation, heart attack, and stroke.

METABOLIC RATE
Increasing metabolism of interval and resistance training depends on the ability of a warm-up cool down routine to deliver more oxygen to all the cells, not just the muscle cells. VO2 or the amount of oxygen used by the muscles during a specified interval - is a term that is usually used to refer to muscle cell metabolism and energy production. And maximum oxygen consumption is referred to as VO2max, the maximum volume of oxygen that can be used by a muscle as a result of physical training. Of course, all the cells of the body will show an increase rather than a decrease in metabolic rate and energy production with a sufficient increase in availability of oxygen for consumption. (Usually the rest of the body will show an overall decrease in metabolic rate as blood flow shifts primarily to skeletal muscle tissue during most exercise). Body'Fit pH Fitness exercise optimizes VO2max in both muscles and PMP in deep organs by increasing lung capacity, cardiac output, and the ability of all the cells in the body to extract oxygen from the blood (the A-V O2 difference). Although muscle can extract almost double the oxygen with maximal exertion, this still achieves a much lower A-V O2 difference then if the metabolic rate rises in all the cells of the body. While most exercise utilizes both aerobic and anerobic energy production, Body'Fit pH Fitness exercise is almost completely aerobic if performed with skillful precision. In addition, the routine is designed to oxygenate the tissues of the body in order of greatest blood volume. The organs (including the heart muscle) therefore don't compete with the skeletal muscles for oxygen (and vice versa), and the smaller muscles do not compete with the larger muscles. It is important to note the small muscles of the wrist and ankles usually cannot achieve VO2max even under maximum exertion. Body'Fit pH Fitness exercise provides a solution by increasing metabolism in the tissues of the body sequentially allowing both small and large muscles to reach VO2max... providing a fast way to Get More Out of Exercise when used pHx is used as a warm-up cool down with the usual sports training method as described below.

OXYGEN CONSUMPTION (VO2)

VO2 is the amount (expressed as a volume or V) of oxygen used by the muscles during a specified interval (usually 1 minute) for cell metabolism and energy production. Maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) is the maximum volume of oxygen that can be used per minute, representing any individual’s upper limit of aerobic (or oxygen dependent) metabolism. It can be expressed as an absolute amout (again as a volume per minute) or as a % of each individual's personal maximum (%VO2max). NOTE: Body'Fit pH Fitness exercise also increases oxygen consumption or PMP equally in all other tissues.

VO2max. dpends on:

lung capacity (getting oxygen from the air we breath into the blood which is passing through the lungs
cardiac output (the amount of blood pumped through the lungs, and of course the muscles as well, per minute)
and the ability of the muscle cells to extract oxygen from the blood passing through them (the arterio-venous or A-V O2 difference)
Each of these factors improves with aerobic training and results in an increase in VO2max. NOTE: During performance of Body'Fit pH Fitness exercise matching the oxygen increase in the rest of the body also depends on these these factors. The arterio-venous (A-V) O2 difference results from oxygen being delivered and extracted form the blood being delivered to an organ (usually muscle), the arterial concentration, and the blood leaving, the venous concentration. Oxygen extraction and thus the A-V O2 difference, increases with exertion (almost doubling at maximal exercise versus at rest) as well as with training (increasing for any set level of exertion).
At levels of exertion greater than the VO2 max., the energy needs of the cells outstrip the ability of the cardiovascular system to deliver the oxygen required for aerobic metabolism, and oxygen independent or anaerobic energy production begins. Anaerobic metabolism is not only less efficient (less ATP is formed per gram of muscle glycogen metabolized) resulting in more rapid depletion of muscle glycogen stores, but also results in a build up of lactic acid and other metabolites which impair muscle cell performance (even when adequate glycogen stores remain). The build up of excess lactic acid will be ultimately be eliminated when exercise levels decrease to an aerobic level and adequate oxygen is again available to the muscle cell. The build up of lactic acid (and amount of oxygen which will ultimately be needed to eliminate it) during anaerobic metabolism is responsible for oxygen debt (the period of time required to remove the excess lactic acid) and recovery phase that follows anaerobic exercise.

The major reason for an increase in exercise capacity with an aerobic training program is the rise in the maximal cardiac output (amount of blood pumped by the heart per minute). It plays a bigger role in increasing maximal exercise performance than does the increase in oxygen uptake and utilization by the skeletal muscle cells. Since our maximal heart rate does not change, and may even be lower, following exercise training, this increase in cardiac output is the result of a higher stroke volume (amount of blood pumped per heart beat). Cardiac output = stroke volume x heart rate.

The increase in stroke volume is a result of both a hypertrophy (enlargement) of the left ventricle muscle (athlete’s heart) as well as an enhancement of the heart’s contractile state, probably mediated by the autonomic nervous system.

Since our maximal heart rate does not change, and may even be lower, following exercise training, this increase in cardiac output is the result of a higher stroke volume (amount of blood pumped per heart beat). Cardiac output = stroke volume x heart rate.
cardiac output (transporting oxygen to the cells)
VO2 (oxygen consumption with exercise)
measures of cardiovascular fitness
skeletal muscles
changes in CV physiology with age
Regular exercise (walking, running, cycling, etc.) stimulates changes in the cardiovascular system, lungs, and muscle cells which improve work capacity - for both endurance and sprint activities. NOTE: Body'Fit pH Fitness exercise stimulates changes all the systems of the body including the circulatory, immune, digestive, endocrine, neural and respiratory sytems. Added health benefits include a decrease in resting heart rate and a lowering of maximal blood pressure with submaximal exercise. These changes can be measured with an exercise program that elicits 60% of your maximum heart rate for 30 minutes, 4 times a week. Understanding the physiology behind this training effect will help you in developing your own training program.
The cardiovascular (heart and blood vessels) and pulmonary (lungs) systems work together to deliver the oxygen necessary for efficient (aerobic) energy metabolism to the exercising muscle. Oxygen is extracted from air in the lungs and then transported in the blood to the cells where it is extracted and utilized. The byproduct of energy production, carbon dioxide, is then transported back to the lungs by the circulating blood and leaves the body in expired air.
CARDIAC OUTPUT

The major reason for an increase in exercise capacity with an aerobic training program is the rise in the maximal cardiac output (amount of blood pumped by the heart per minute). It plays a bigger role in increasing maximal exercise performance than does the increase in oxygen uptake and utilization by the skeletal muscle cells. Since our maximal heart rate does not change, and may even be lower, following exercise training, this increase in cardiac output is the result of a higher stroke volume (amount of blood pumped per heart beat). Cardiac output = stroke volume x heart rate.

The increase in stroke volume is a result of both a hypertrophy (enlargement) of the left ventricle muscle (athlete’s heart) as well as an enhancement of the heart’s contractile state, probably mediated by the autonomic nervous system.

THE LUNGS

The lungs job is to exchange (extract) oxygen from air drawn into the microscopic air sacs (alveoli) for carbon dioxide, a waste product of metabolism. Normally a half liter of air is drawn into the lungs with each breath (which for the average cyclist is about 3.4 to 4 liters per minute - respiratory rate x air exchanged per breath). A competitive cyclist can exchange an additional 2 liters (6 liters per minute) while the legend Miguel Indurain was reported to have a respiratory capacity of 8 liters per minute. Although our respiratory capacity is relatively fixed (as a result of inherited factors such as body habitus and the size of our thoracic cavity), you can, with practice, increase your lung capacity to some degree. NOTE: Body'Fit pH Fitness exercise brings the ventilation perfusion V/Q ratio closer to a value of 1.

At levels of exertion greater than the VO2 max., the energy needs of the cells outstrip the ability of the cardiovascular system to deliver the oxygen required for aerobic metabolism, and oxygen independent or anaerobic energy production begins. Anaerobic metabolism is not only less efficient (less ATP is formed per gram of muscle glycogen metabolized) resulting in more rapid depletion of muscle glycogen stores, but also results in a build up of lactic acid and other metabolites which impair muscle cell performance (even when adequate glycogen stores remain). The build up of excess lactic acid will be ultimately be eliminated when exercise levels decrease to an aerobic level and adequate oxygen is again available to the muscle cell. The build up of lactic acid (and amount of oxygen which will ultimately be needed to eliminate it) during anaerobic metabolism is responsible for oxygen debt (the period of time required to remove the excess lactic acid) and recovery phase that follows anaerobic exercise.

MEASURES OF CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS

VO2 max. or maximum oxygen uptake, is considered the gold standard of cardiovascular, pulmonary, and muscule cell fitness. It is usually standardized per body weight and expressed in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute, and is the maximum amount of oxygen your body (basically your muscles) can utilize. The VO2 max for an elite cyclist can range from 70 to more than 80 ml/kg/minute. It is generally measured on a treadmill or bicycle ergometer at a sports medicine clinic with the appropriate equipment. Exertion at or beyond 100% VO2max can be sustained for a few minutes at most. With training, you will increase your VO2max. as well as the ability to ride for longer periods at any % of your VO2max.

The following all indicate that an individual's VO2max has been reached:

VO2 plateau - no further increase in oxygen use per minute even with an increase in work performed
heart rate within 10 beats of the age predicted maximum heart rate -this is the basis for using your maximum heart rate as a surrogate for your VO2 max when designing your personal training program)
plasma (blood) lactate levels > 7 mmol/liter
For those of you interested in the mathematical expression of VO2max, it is the product of the arterio-venous oxygen difference (the oxygen content of blood leaving the heart minus that returning to the heart and thus the amount being extracted by the working skeletal muscles) and the maximal cardiac output (the maximal heart rate times the volume of blood pumped per beat). This is called the Fick equation.

Ranges of VO2max by age/sex
Calculating %VO2max based on your % of your MHR (Maximum Heart Rate).
Anaerobic Threshold (AT; also known as lactate threshold)is the level of physical performance at which the muscles produce more lactic acid than can be removed (by the liver and muscle enzyme systems). It is expressed as a percentage of VO2 max - or as indicated above as a % of its surrogate or maximum heart rate. At levels of exertion appraoching VO2max, there is a rapid increase in blood lactate levels. Cr. Concimi, a physiologist, suggested that it can be identified as the pulse rate deflection point with increasing exrcise (see the Concini test below).

Your AT limits your rate of maximal exertion (remember it can be exceeded for only a few minutes as you build up oxygen debt) and thus can be assumed to be reflected as the maximum physical effort you can maintain continuously for 30 to 60 minutes. The more you exceed your LT or AT, the more quickly lactic acid will accumulate and thus limit further increases in your performance. As most cyclists don’t have access to lab facilities, you can estimate your AT with a 30 minute (about 10 mile) time trial. The average heart rate you can maintain is a good approximation of your AT.

An individual's AT will improve with training, and cyclists with a higher AT can work at a higher level of energy expenditure for longer periods, defeating opponents of equal (or even greater) physical strength but with lower ATs. This concept explains why interval training, which is generally anaerobic, will improve performance.

Concini Test Another method of measuring your AT (and LT) is the Concini test. As a cyclist’s efforts increase, their heart rate generally increases in a direct relationship to the energy expended (a linear relationship). But at some point the heart rate begins to level off even as the speed (and energy expenditure) continues to increase. This is the anaerobic threshold, that point at which oxygen cannot reach the muscles fast enough, lactate accumulates, and performance suffers. After an appropriate warm up, using a single gear and a relatively high speed, the rider gradually increases his or her speed by 1 km per hour every 300 meters or so. Heart rate is graphed versus speed, and the break point on the graph is the AT.

Lactate Threshhold Recent work has focused on the blood lactate threshold (LT) as a reflection of an individual's level of training. NOTE: Body'Fit pH Fitness exercise improves the Lactate Threshold by returning body pH to normal within 5 to 15 minutes before and after exercise. The lactate threshold is that % of VO2 max. at which the cardiovascular system can no longer provide adequate oxygen for all the exercising muscle cells and lactic acid starts to accumulate in those muscle cells (and subsequently in the blood as well). At high levels of activity (but below 100% VO@max), there are always a few muscle cells (not entire muscles, but a small number of cells within those muscles) that are relatively deficient in oxygen and thus producing lactic acid. But this lactic acid is quickly metabolized by other cells that are still operating on an aerobic level. At some point, however, the balance between production of lactic acid and its removal shifts towards accumulation. This point is the LT. It is usually slightly below 100% VO2 max., and will improve with training (move closer to 100% VO2max). Those with an increased LT not only experience less physical deterioration in muscle cell performance for any level of %VO2max, but also use less glycogen for ATP production at any level of performance. Thus an improvement in LT allows the individual to perform at maximal levels for a longer period of time before running out of adequate energy (glycogen) stores.

Resting heart rate, your heart rate on awakening in the morning, is a simple but effective indicator of your level of training. It will fall as you train, but then begin to rise again with overtraining.

Cardiac Stress Testing for asymptomatic coronary artery disease.

THE SKELETAL MUSCLES

There are two types of fibers: type I, or slow twitch, and type II or fast twitch. The slow twitch fibers are more energy efficient and use both fats and carbohydrates as an energy source. They are the major muscle fiber in use at 70-80% VO2 max. Fast twitch fibers on the other hand are less efficient, use mainly glycogen as fuel, and are called into action for sprints as the athlete approaches 100% of maximum performance. Although the ratio of slow to fast twitch fibers is generally controlled by genetic (inherited) factors, this ratio does change (often over years) with an ongoing training program.

Along with these visible changes in the muscle cells, there are microscopic and metabolic changes at the muscle cell level with training. These include an increase in the size and number of the muscle cell mitochondria, an increase in the activity of various metabolic enzymes in the muscle cells, and an increase in the number of capillaries in the muscle that supply blood to the individual muscle cells. The net result is an increase in the amount of oxygen extracted from the blood in a single pass through the muscle (the arterial - venous oxygen difference).

SUBMAXIMAL EXERCISE

Endurance training (usually defined as training at less than 60 - 70% VO2max) improves the overall efficiency of the cardiovascular system as reflected in a smaller increase in heart rate for any given exercise intensity, and is also thought to promote a shift towards the use of fat as an energy source (more efficient with 9 Cal per gram versus 4 Cal per gram with carbohydrates). This is suppoted by the observation of a smaller increase in the plasma free fatty acid levels (indicating enhanced fat oxidation) at these activity levels.

CHANGES IN EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY WITH AGE

Aging results in a progressive decline in the functional capacity of various body systems, and is reflected in a 9 to 10% decrease in maximal aerobic exercise capacity in sedentary individuals. It is well documented, however, that endurance training can attenuate this age related decline to about 5% per decade, and can also improve exercise performance in older men and women.And if you are more than 40, it may be time to consider cardiac stress testing for asymptomatic coronary artery disease. NOTE: Body'Fit pH Fitness exercise is designed to prevent heart attack regardless of age.