Re: Need help with measuring progress for 2008 goal

[Guest guest]

,

In the gym, I use either a 3 Minute Step Test or a 12 Minute Walk/Run. For the

3 Minute Step Test you need a 12 inch high step. If you have steps in your

home, usually 2 of them is close to 12 inches. You then step up and down for 3

minutes and take your pulse at the end. It is a recovery pulse, so a HRM isn't

recommended. Basically, just take your pulse for 1 full minute starting within

10 seconds of stopping the exercise. I use a general chart for determining

results where 79 to 87 beats is excellent, 88 to 120 beats is good, 121 to 134

beats is fair, and over 134 beats is poor. But there is a much better chart in

my ACE book at home if you want it. I reassess people every 6 to 8 weeks and

usually see a 2-5 beat reduction every few months. The 12 Minute Walk/Run is

done for people who can't do the step (Knee issues for example) and is done on

the treadmill. Basically, it is set at 0 incline (flat) and you go as hard and

fast as you can for 12 minutes. Since most people don't set the speed to really

push themselves to their max here, it isn't as accurate a test as the step test

in my opinion so I only do it as a last resort. The grading for it is based on

how far you go in the 12 minutes. 1.25 to 1.5 miles is considered excellent,

1.15 to 1.24 miles is good, 1.0 to 1.14 miles is fair, and anything under a mile

is considered poor. Now to do a mile in 12 minutes, you have to maintain a 5

mph speed. Since most people don't, you will rarely get someone who gets on the

chart on this one (1 mile), but you can compare your distance now with your

distance every few weeks and see improvements. Generally, though, its not much

on the improvements because again, even reassessing, people don't push to their

max here.

Hope that helps!

Re: Need help with measuring progress for 2008 goal

It's taken me until January 16 to

solidify a 2008 goal but that's better than waiting until December 16th I

guess! Last year I was working very hard to tone flapping in the

wind muscles that had been revealed after I lost 25 pounds. I did cardio

too but wasn't really working hard at it and now, while I still see a huge

improvement in what I can do cardio-wise than I could a year or two ago, I want

to work on that more this year (while continuing to work on strength and

flexibility too) I want to see my cardio endurance improve for general

health benefits and to help with weight maintenance but need to attach metrics

to this so that I can really know I've improved and by how much. I have a heart

rate monitor and I'm sure that will be useful but I'm not entirely sure how, in

terms of my goal.

So... I'm reaching out to all the veteran

exercisers and personal trainers. How can I assess my current cardiovascular

fitness (and am I even using the correct term) at home? How can I know it has

improved? What is a reasonable expectation in terms of improvement (and can that

even be answered without knowing my current level) and of course, how do I

measure the improvement and how often should I reassess it? I was thinking I

could do a workout that is challenging but not impossible for me now, measure my

heart rate during it and then do it again every few months to see what changes I

might there might be but I'm not sure if that is really going to help. I'd

prefer it if there was a more consistent, reliable way to measure than that

seems.

Thanks for any help!

[Guest guest]

Hi !

Of course, I'm not a trainer, but a couple of benchmarks I use are my

resting heart rate, and the number of seconds that it takes my heart

rate to drop after flirting with my anaerobic threshold.

For the resting HR, I actually wore my HR monitor to bed, and in the

morning before I sat up or moved more than necessary, I checked it.

(You can also do it after sitting and relaxing totally for several

minutes)

When I first started working out, a year ago or so, it was 70 bpm, now

it's between 53 and 55 bpm.

If you can get to the P90X Fitness test on the BeachBody site, it has

a section where you do jumping jacks for so many seconds, then take

your HR at intervals, to see how quickly your heart can recover. (The

quicker the better.) While it doesn't have a scale to measure your

results against, it'll give you a personal benchmark for future

checks. If you can't find it, let me know and I'll copy the test out

of my book-- just don't have it with me a the moment.

Not sure if you have the Cardio Coach workouts, but I credit them with

my cardiovascular improvements. I still can't run far, but I can

sprint without feeling like I'm going to drop over and gasp like a

landed trout! ;-)

HTH, and I know you'll reach and surpass your goals this year, too!

Tess

[Guest guest]

This helps too Tess, thank you very much! I've seen the P90X fitness test and been tempted to take it (just to see how I'd do) but haven't yet. Might sometime. Anyway, this is interesting information. I have considered wearing my HRM to bed to check my resting HR!! Haven't done it yet, don't know if I will, but the thought is there! I do not have cardio coach workouts because I don't do machine workouts and most of the time when I'm walking outside I like to just enjoy nature and do not wear headphones. They do sound like excellent workouts though and I did try to incorporate intervals into some of my walks this past summer. Will do so again whenever the snow melts for more than a week at a time and I can get out to walk without freezing! Thanks again!

Re: Need help with measuring progress for 2008 goal

Hi !Of course, I'm not a trainer, but a couple of benchmarks I use are myresting heart rate, and the number of seconds that it takes my heartrate to drop after flirting with my anaerobic threshold.For the resting HR, I actually wore my HR monitor to bed, and in themorning before I sat up or moved more than necessary, I checked it.(You can also do it after sitting and relaxing totally for severalminutes)When I first started working out, a year ago or so, it was 70 bpm, nowit's between 53 and 55 bpm.If you can get to the P90X Fitness test on the BeachBody site, it hasa section where you do jumping jacks for so many seconds, then takeyour HR at intervals, to see how quickly your heart can recover. (Thequicker the better.) While it doesn't have a scale to measure yourresults against, it'll give you a personal benchmark for futurechecks. If you can't find it, let me know and I'll copy the test outof my book-- just don't have it with me a the moment.Not sure if you have the Cardio Coach workouts, but I credit them withmy cardiovascular improvements. I still can't run far, but I cansprint without feeling like I'm going to drop over and gasp like alanded trout! ;-)HTH, and I know you'll reach and surpass your goals this year, too!Tess

[Guest guest]

GREAT question, ! I'll be interested in hearing what you/we find out! I personally don't know how to objectively measure cardiovascular progress. I only know that when I can run a mile without stopping when before I could only run three quarters of a mile that I have progressed. I bet Tonya will be able to answer this for us! Great goal!!

[Guest guest]

Did you see Tonya's answer? I thought it was really helpful. I'm going to possibly even try it tomorrow. will be most interesting.

I've been using the kind of benchmarks you use. I can run up the basement steps with a basket full of laundry and not breathe heavily anymore, I noticed that recently. I like noticing those things but I also like non-subjective measurements (considering how far off I was on my perceived exertion, I need non-subjective measurements so I can really know if I'm progressing).

Thanks !

Re: Need help with measuring progress for 2008 goal

GREAT question, ! I'll be interested in hearing what you/we find out!

I personally don't know how to objectively measure cardiovascular progress. I only know that when I can run a mile without stopping when before I could only run three quarters of a mile that I have progressed.

I bet Tonya will be able to answer this for us! Great goal!!