PURPOSE: Cardiovascular conditioning. Quite simply, aerobic and anaerobic training makes you healthier. It improves circulation and strengthens your heart, lungs and blood vessels. The heart is a muscle that needs regular conditioning. A well-conditioned heart can pump a large amount of blood with fewer beats than a weak heart. Exercise trains your heart to become more efficient as well as more resistant to stress, heart attack and other health problems. Furthermore, being physically fit lowers the risk of heart disease even in people who have other health problems such as high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol.

GOAL: Heart-smart exercise reduces your risk factors. Lessen your chance for heart disease by making your heart and lungs as strong as possible. Men, women, children and older adults receive the same benefits when working toward the goal of an efficient cardiovascular system.

TOOLS: Heart-rate monitor; running or cross-training shoes. If you don't have a heart-rate monitor, there are other ways to monitor your exercise intensity. One of those is the talk test. If you can speak comfortably but are somewhat winded, you're probably somewhere around the low to middle range of your target heart rate. If you are gasping for air, you are working too hard. Well-fitting, supportive shoes are a must to lessen the impact.

FORM AND SAFETY: To make the most of your cardio workouts, don't compromise your posture. Stand up straight. Pull shoulders back and down. Leaning on rails and handles is terrible technique and counterproductive. Stair steppers are filled with people who cheat their way through their workout with short, abbreviated steps - range of motion is important. Every cardio session should include three phases. Warm up for 5 or 10 minutes at an easy pace and gradually increase the speed and intensity. Your workout portion can last from 10 to 50 minutes, depending on your specific goals and current fitness level. You should be into your target heart rate zone. Allow 5 to 10 minutes to cool down in which you slowly decrease the workload of the cardiovascular system. Don't forget to stretch once you exit the machine.

LEVELS:

Light: Beginners. Mild cardio such as gardening or walking.

Moderate: Regular exercisers. Walking about 2 miles in 30 minutes.

Intense: Endurance athletes. Interval training with bursts of speed.

DURATION:

Doing less will minimize health benefits.

Beginner: 10 to 30 minutes most days of the week

Intermediate: 30 to 45 minutes most days of the week

Advanced: 45 to 60 minutes most days of the week

Children: 60 minutes each day

FREQUENCY:

A minimum of three to six days a week. Depending on the intensity of your strength-training regimen, it may be fulfilling some of this requirement. Here's why: If your program is intense enough to reach your target heart rate and you have short recovery or rest periods, your heart is being trained simultaneously. Cardiovascular fitness can be achieved during strength training by obtaining your target heart rate and maintaining that level for 20 minutes or more, at least three times a week.

Target muscle: Heart

MODES: Cardiovascular training machines are a safe and effective way to train the heart and lungs while offering muscular endurance benefits as well: treadmills; ellipticals; stationary bikes; tread climbers; rowers; recumbent bikes; stair steppers; step mills; versa climbers; arc trainers.

How will it help me?

Heart-smart exercise will improve circulation; increase stroke volume and cardiac output; decrease blood pressure; decrease resting heart rate; increased lung function; improve blood lipid profile; give you energy, stamina and endurance; increase muscular endurance; increase insulin sensitivity; give you a sense of well-being.

If I don't train my heart, how will it hurt me?

Lack of exercise can lead to changes in the body that threaten the heart. All physical movement, including everyday tasks, will become more difficult. Your energy will decrease and you will find it harder to manage your weight. Your lungs will weaken and climbing stairs will leave you out of breath. If you combine lack of exercise with overeating, you gain excess weight and your cholesterol may rise. Inactivity allows the heart to get out of shape and can cause heart disease and circulation problems.

Precautions

People middle-aged or older who are inactive and at high risk for heart disease (or who already have a medical condition) should seek medical advice before they start or significantly increase their physical activity. Most healthy people regardless of age can safely engage in moderate levels of physical activity such as walking or gardening without first consulting a doctor. Note: Once you begin a cardio program, vary the types of cardio machines you use. Confining your cardio to one type of machine day in and day out is not a good thing. This repetitive movement will stress the same muscles in the same motion, and you'll increase your risk of overuse injuries and boredom. Keep your mind and muscles guessing with a variety of cardio work.

Defining fitness

Find meanings of these fitness terms at www.cindysays.com and www.ymcawv.org: arc trainer, cardiac output, cardiovascular training, elliptical, recumbent bike, stationary bike, stroke volume, treadmill, tread climbers, versa climbers.

NEXT WEEK: Heart-smart Zumba

Cindy Boggs, fitness presenter, author and Activate America director, has been an ACE-certified coordinator/instructor since 1989.

Send your questions about fitness, training or health to YMCA of Kanawha Valley, 100 YMCA Drive, Charleston, WV 25311, or e-mail cindys...@aol.com.

Look for Cindy's fitness advice book, "CindySays ... You Can Find Health in Your Hectic World" on her Web site www.cindysays.com or contact the YMCA at 340-3527.