CARDIO PROGRAMMING

>140 bpm

140 - 170 bpm

<170 bpm

In sustained activities over three minutes the aerobic system begins to work. In longer duration, low to moderate intensity work it becomes the primary energy system at play. Notice that this is the foundation of the pyramid. The more developed the aerobic zone is, the more efficiently the cardiovascular system works as a whole. Without developing the aerobic zone, all other systems will be limited in their maximum potential and will gas out much quicker!

primary fuel source: fat

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 heart rate zone 1: below 65% of max heart rate

heart rate zones are very unique to each person, but on average this system is dominant below 140 beats per minute (bpm)

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endurance sports such as marathons, triathlons, soccer, and rowing require great development of the aerobic system

Longer sustained intervals lasting between 30 seconds and three minutes require the anaerobic lactic system to work hard. These types of intervals take a toll on the body and exhaust the nervous system, therefore, adequate rest is required between workouts to avoid overtraining. It is important that the aerobic and alactic system have been conditioned prior to maximizing the lactic system, hence why we will wait until month four to push its limits!

primary fuel source: carbohydrates

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 heart rate zone 2: between 65% and 85% of max heart rate

heart rate zones are very unique to each person, but on average this system is dominant between 140 and 175 bpm

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high intensity sports such as MMA boxing and hockey require great

development of this energy system

The fuel required for this system is found within the muscles because it needs to be accessed quickly, but this means there is a very limited supply. The alactic system burns out after just 15 seconds on average when the body is working at true maximum effort. After that point the intensity will drop and the body will tap into other energy systems. As a result, training this system looks like short pushes to absolute max intensity, followed by longer recovery periods!

primary fuel source: carbohydrates

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 heart rate zone 3: above 85% of max heart rate

heart rate zones are very unique to each person, but on average this system is dominant above 175 bpm

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sports where athletes push at absolute maximum for a very short period of time, such as sprinting, powerlifting and football require great development of this system

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Every month of your RMS BODY program, you are given the option the option to commit to additional cardio training. These supplemental programs are developed to maximize your results. Enhancing the cardiovascular system will increase your body's ability to burn fat, recover, and perform at its best. Day one programming will be consistent from month to month, whereas, Day two is uniquely designed to compliment your strength program and adapts with you each month. It is your choice to engage in Day One, Day Two, or to just focus your attention on strength training! 

MONTH 1 / DAY 2 

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30 - 60 minutes of long, slow duration steady-state

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Goal: build aerobic base and enhance the body’s ability to utilize fat as primary fuel source

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Primary energy system: aerobic 

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Heart rate zone: 1

​​Aim to maintain this zone throughout the workout 

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Steady state work is endurance based repetitive movement that is continuous for the given duration. The primary focus is that the heart rate stays fairly consistent and relatively low throughout the workout. Ideally, this would be tracked with a heart rate monitor, but a good gauge is that you should be able to speak without being totally winded, yet not able to sing a song. If you are new to endurance based work, this might look like a brisk walk. If you are an endurance athlete, your pace may be someone else’s sprint. For aerobic work, faster is not necessarily better. Low to moderate intensity for this type of work is going to be the most effective. 

What we are looking for over the course of the month is for your pace to increase, but your heart rate to remain the same. There are many options for heart rate tracking, but if you are looking to purchase a monitor we recommend a chest strap as it tends to be the most accurate reading. We are not officially endorsing any products, but this is one we recommend [click here]

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METHOD

walk / jog / run

biking

stair mill

elliptical

arc trainer

rowing erg - slow pace

nonstop dancing

Note: If possible, aim for longer durations of steady state work one to two days per week, versus shorter durations three to four days per week. This will be more beneficial in developing the aerobic base and teaching the body to burn fat.

MONTH 3 / DAY 2 

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28 - 36 minutes of maximum sprint interval method

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Goal: build aerobic ability of fast twitch muscle fibers while increasing speed

and power

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Primary energy system: anaerobic alactic

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Heart rate zone: 3

Push all the way to max and then allow for recovery to zone 1 during rest

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Set duration: 10 - 15 second sprints

Absolute max intensity and speed maintained throughout interval - timer begins when that intensity or speed are reached

Number of sets: 15

Rest between sets: 60 - 90 seconds 

Monitor that breath has returned to normal or heart rate has dropped to zone 1 before resuming

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METHOD

[ choose 1 or 2 ]

running

rowing erg

ski erg

assault bike

uphill sprint

kettlebell swings

tuck jumps

sled drag / push

battle ropes

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PROTOCOL

warmup: 5 minutes

set 1: 10 - 15 second sprint

rest: 60 - 90 seconds

repeat x15 sets total

recovery: 5 minutes

Note: If these sets are not performed at your max intensity, they will have little affect. This short sprint is not enough to condition the system without being performed at max. If your body is not ready to push to that intensity just yet, continue the previous months ‘steady state aerobic work’ at a higher level or work ‘high intensity continuous training’ from month two.