A long list of cardiorespiratory fitness benefits from high intensity interval training

From the American Heart Association Scientific Statement, Importance of Assessing Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Clinical Practice: A Case for Fitness as a Clinical Vital Sign: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association | Circulation, an excerpt:

“Cardiorespiratory fitness is a potentially stronger predictor of mortality than established risk factors such as smoking, hypertension, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes mellitus.”

It is important to note that muscles stimulate the cardiovascular system to make positive changes, not the other way around. When the muscles are too weak to push the cardiovascular system, cardiorespiratory fitness declines. High intensity interval training (HIIT) increases strength and promotes cardiorespiratory fitness. The benefits:

o Unlike many other strength training regimens this workout is cardiovascularly demanding

o  Added muscle, the engine for cardiovascular health

o Increase forced expiratory volume

o Increases capillarization

o Protects joints for doing other cardio-activities like running

o Has lower rates of cardiovascular problems than aerobic exercise for those with heart conditions.

o Better for coronary artery disease patients

o Increases blood flow and lowers blood pressure

o Improves glycemic control

As a result of doing HIIT your aches and pains will fade away, and you will be able to do the activities you enjoy – walk, run, ride your bike, gardening - better, longer and for many more years to come with less chance of injury. 

At Austin Personal Training and at New Orleans Fitness Trainers we offer HIIT. It is a 30 minute full-body workout done once or twice a week. This is a workout that you slowly build up to; anybody can do it. You’ll enhance your cardiorespiratory fitness and quality of life for decades to come.

High intensity strength training lowers blood pressure

To lower your blood pressure do high intensity training HIT or start strength training. Better yet, do them both at the same time. High intensity training HIT consists of a series of short bouts of demanding exercise with rest or active recovery (less demanding exercise) in between each bout of exercise. HIT for strength can be done performing a series of strength training exercise with little rest in between. Evidence from two studies point to the positive effects both HIT and strength training have on lowering blood pressure. This study, High-intensity interval training and hypertension: maximizing the benefits of exercise? compared continuous moderate-intensity exercise training (CMT) and high-intensity interval training (HIT), to determine which was better for lowering blood pressure.  They presented evidence that: “HIT for several factors involved in the pathophysiology of hypertension raises the hypothesis that HIT may be more effective for preventing and controlling hypertension”. Another study, Weight Training Has Unique Heart Benefits, Study Suggests, examined the effect of strength training on blood pressure and found: When compared to aerobic training resistance training resulted in increased blood flow to the limbs and a longer-lasting drop in blood pressure after exercise. At Austin Personal Training and at New Orleans Fitness Trainers we do HIT training on aerobic equipment and HIT training for strength in our weight room.

Going from five diabetes shots a day down to one

From this article, Even Short Bursts Of Exercise Can Reverse Heart Problems In People With Type 2 Diabetes, come these quotes:

“In a new study published in Diabetologia, researchers examined the effect of brief, high-intensity workouts on type 2 diabetes patients who had already experienced heart abnormalities due to the disease. They found that these short bursts of exercise had a positive impact on the patients, improving their heart structure and offering some of the best protection for diabetes control.”

"The researchers measured cardiac structure and function with MRIs, and they found that these high-intensity, intermittent workouts greatly improved heart structure and function."

At Austin Personal Training and New Orleans Personal Training for our strength training sessions we use a high intensity intermittent training (HIIT) protocol, and we do sprint training on our aerobic equipment. The best part of these workouts is that they do not take very long, but they are highly effective.  One of our clients, Leif, a former heart surgery patient, went from five shots a day down to one.  See his testimonial in the second part of this short video.

Blood Pressure Reduced with High Intensity Interval Training

High intensity of aerobic exercise lowers blood pressure more that low intensity aerobic exercise. That has definitely been my experience. From this study,

Aerobic interval training reduces blood pressure and improves myocardial function in hypertensive patients, comes this conclusion:

“This study indicates that the blood pressure reducing effect of exercise in essential hypertension is intensity dependent. Aerobic interval training is an effective method to lower blood pressure and improve other cardiovascular risk factors.”

One group trained at > 90% of their maximum heart rate. This type of training does not take a lot of time, but it is difficult. You have to build up to it. Once you build up to it, it is not as onerous. It will never be easy, but it is definitely worth it. At New Orleans Personal Trainers and at Austin TX Personal Training we can guide you through an effective aerobic interval training program and an interval training strength training program that will achieve life-changing results

High intensity training better for coronary artery disease patients

Two groups of stable patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) regularly walked on treadmills three times a week for ten weeks. One group walked at high intensity (80-90% of VO2peak); the other groups walked at moderate intensity (50-60% of VO2peak)

The results from this study, High intensity aerobic interval exercise is superior to moderate intensity exercise for increasing aerobic capacity in patients with coronary artery disease were:

After training VO2peak increased by 17.9% (P=0.012) in the high intensity group and 7.9% (P=0.038) in the moderate intensity group. The training-induced adaptation was significantly higher in the high intensity group (P=0.011).

Their conclusion:

High intensity aerobic interval exercise is superior to moderate exercise for increasing VO2peak in stable CAD-patients.

At Austin Personal Training and at New Orleans Fitness Trainers we can help you gradually build up to a high intensity strength training or an aerobic high intensity training program that is safe, effective, and efficient for your age and condition. You need not spend hours in the gym to feel better, look better, and perform better.

Another blog entry on the subject:

Study: High Intensity training beneficial and safe for those with heart disease

Increased blood flow and lower BP with strength training

From this article Weight Training Has Unique Heart Benefits, Study Suggests:

“An acute bout of resistance exercise shows many favorable cardiovascular benefits and should therefore be considered as part of a daily exercise training program".

When compared to aerobic training resistance training resulted in increased blood flow to the limbs and a longer-lasting drop in blood pressure after exercise.

Another quote:

"Resistance exercise may offer greater benefits from the increases in blood flow to active muscles and could be implemented as companion to an aerobic training regimen, according to the new study".

Especially because of its ability to increase blood flow to active muscles, weight training could be a valuable companion to an aerobic training regimen. "This may be of greatest importance to women, as they can derive important weight-bearing benefits of resistance training to help prevent and/or treat osteoporosis,"

After strength training I find my blood pressure remains significantly lower for several hours. Presently my blood pressure is 128/72 four hours after exercise. The trouble is I can't do strength training every day and adequately recover from the stress to the muscles.

In place of the strength training I do high intensity sprints on a recumbent bike. With high intensity sprints you will activate your fast-twitch muscle associated with strength training, but you will not have the accompanying micro-trauma to the muscles that takes days to recover from. With the sprints you will tax your cardiovascular system and get your heart rate nears it maximum.

I have been doing the sprints for about four months three or four times a week along with the strength training. My doctor has taken me off one blood pressure medication and has cut back on the other. I have been taking BP meds for 33 years this is the lowest dosage I have been on in decades. I keep expecting to have my BP trend upwards but it hasn't. I will continue the training.

At Austin Personal Training and at New Orleans Fitness Trainers we can help you gradually build up to a high intensity strength training or sprint training program that is safe, effective, and efficient for your age and condition. You need not spend hours in the gym to feel better, look better, and perform better.

Study: High Intensity training beneficial and safe for those with heart disease

New research examines the question of whether high-intensity exercise is beneficial for heart disease patients. The result:

“The four studies, which were composed of patients who either had acute coronary syndrome or angina pectoris, confirmed previous findings that high-intensity exercise is safe, even for patients with CHD” – quote is from this article High-Intensity Exercise for People With Heart Disease.

Another quote from the article:

"When we compared VO2max before and after the training period, we found that the number of training sessions, the subject's age or baseline fitness levels had no impact, but the intensity of the intervals had a significant effect, and seems to be the most important characteristic of an effective interval session.”

It was not how often but how hard they trained that produced the measurable change. They define high-intensity training as the point where a subject's HR during intensive periods is 85-95% of HRmax. They found that VO2max increased by 11.9 % after an average of 23.4 training sessions during the 12-week period for all subjects. They also found that when intensity that was greater than 92 % of their HRmax during the high-intensity periods, the effect was even greater.

This high intensity interval training works for those with healthy hearts as well. It can be conducted on various type of aerobic equipment or it can be done with interval strength training – a series of intense strength training exercises with little rests in between.

There are an infinite number of possible high intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts that can be performed. They cannot be both long and intense. Done right they will be brief and intense. You will have to build up to this. AtAustin Personal Training and at New Orleans Fitness Trainers we can help you gradually build up to a high intensity regime that is safe, effective, and efficient for your age and condition. You need not spend hours in the gym to feel better, look better, and perform better.

Other heart healthy blog entries:
1. The Heart Can Benefit From Brief Intense Exercise

2. Conventional wisdom and the benefits of strength training for cardiovascular health and weight loss

3. Brief, Intense Exercise Can Benefit The Heart

4. High-intensity exercise better at improving metabolic syndrome risk factors

Studys Shows That HIT Exercise Lowers Blood Pressure

From this study, High-intensity interval training and hypertension: maximizing the benefits of exercise?:

"Several studies have shown that high-intensity interval training (HIT), which consists of several bouts of high-intensity exercise (~85% to 95% of HRMAX and/or VO2MAX lasting 1 to 4 min interspersed with intervals of rest or active recovery, is superior to Continuous moderate-intensity exercise training CMT for improving cardiorespiratory fitness, endothelial function and its markers, insulin sensitivity, markers of sympathetic activity and arterial stiffness in hypertensive and normotensive at high familial risk for hypertension subjects. This compelling evidence suggesting larger beneficial effects of HIT for several factors involved in the pathophysiology of hypertension raises the hypothesis that HIT may be more effective for preventing and controlling hypertension."

I have been on high blood pressure medication for over 30 years. For the past few years it has taken two blood pressure meds to keep my blood pressure under control. My doctor agreed to take me off one of the meds as long as I monitored it, and I started to exercise again after an eight month hiatus.

I did strength training and did sprint training on a recumbent bike. Both were done in a high intensity fashion - periods of high intensity work with short recovery periods in between. Both acheive 85% to 95% of a heart rate maximum.

I have been checking my blood pressure several times a day for the last six weeks. I shared the numbers with my doctor and he is pleased. We even discussed the possiblity of cutting back the dosage of the remaining medication.

Done correctly both, HIT strength training and HIT using aerobic equipment, will get one's heart rate up near the maximum for one's age. We can show you how to both at Austin Personal Training and at New Orleans Fitness Trainers. Both are safe, effective, and efficient. Using such a program you can expect to feel better and have a dramatic improvement in your health.

Getting to your target heart rate with resistance training

The client was 58 and very fit. She was wearing a pulse meter on her wrist. Ninety seconds into the workout her pulse was 148 which is approaching her maximum for a person her age.

One method of determining one’s maximum heart rate is to subtract one’s age from 220 bpm. Using this method this client’s maximum heart rate would be 162 bpm.

We began the workout with the leg press using a heavy weight and slow initial movements. The leg press involves large muscle groups and can get one’s heart rate up in short order. The slow starts minimize force associated with injury and allow one to warm up safely with the heavier weights. The warm up is in effect incorporated in to the first set using a challenging weight. After a minute she was breathing hard and I told her to move faster. At this point her muscles were warmed up and appreciably weaker. Warmed-up weaker muscles are unlikely to generate enough force to cause injury as long as good form is maintained. Her attempts to move fast did not amount to much at that point in the set, but it did allow her to keep moving and achieve a deeper fatigue.

One of the goals or strength training is to expose the muscles to more work that they are used to handling. Performing a set in the manner can safely achieve that end. In most instances there is really no need to sap one’s energy to do a duplicate set. Effort, energy, and concentration can be devoted to the next exercise or muscle group.

Upon completion of the set she quickly moved on to the next exercise. Everything is pre-set; there is no need to dawdle. There is often a lot of standing around in a gym. Often times there is more time resting between sets than there is actually exercising. Not so with High Intensity Interval Training, HIIT. This is the type of training we do at both of our facilities -New Orleans Fitness Training and PersonalTraining in Austin.

As self protection the body adapts to the demands placed on it if given adequate time to recover. In her case she came back stronger and more able to withstand the sustained cardio demands. People of any age can do this workout and can build up to at their own pace. Our oldest client is 93 years old.

More information on the subject of cardio and strength training:

Cardio, anaerobic, and aerobic exercise explained

Blog entries regarding the heart healthy benefits of strength training

The heart benefits of weight training

The results From this study Get Heart Healthy by Lifting Weights :

Resistance training is more beneficial than many believe," says lead researcher, Dr. Scott R. Collier. The resistance exercises produced a different pattern of blood vessel responses than the aerobic exercise, suggesting that the former may have important and unique benefits for cardiovascular health. The resistance exercise produced greater increases in blood flow to the limbs—even though it also caused small increases in central arterial stiffness. In contrast, aerobic exercise decreased arterial stiffness—but without an increase in blood flow.

Resistance exercise also led to a longer-lasting drop in blood pressure (as much as 20 percent) after exercise, compared to aerobic exercise.

High Intensity Interval Training HIIT utilizing strength training exercises is the type of training we do at Austin Personal Trainers and New Orleans Personal Training. The demanding work strengthens muscles, and it heart health as well.

Past blog entries dealing wht the heart health benefits of strength training:

1. The Heart Can Benefit From Brief Intense Exercise

2. Conventional wisdom and the benefits of strength training for cardiovascular health and weight loss

3. Brief, Intense Exercise Can Benefit The Heart

4. High-intensity exercise better at improving metabolic syndrome risk factors

Lowering metabolic syndrome risk factors, which type of exercise is most effective?

A study designed to test the efficacy of exercise in lowering metabolic risk factors consisted of three groups.  One group used a less-intense regimen called “moderate continuous-training” (CME). Another group did not exercise, and the third group used a high-intensity aerobic-interval training for four months.
From this article High-intensity exercise better at improving metabolic syndrome risk factors the results:

“• Short bursts of high-intensity exercise, rather than longer spells of moderate-intensity, exercise may improve the health of people with metabolic syndrome.

 • Once previously sedentary people with metabolic syndrome can comfortably exercise at a moderate intensity, they could consider more vigorous exercise, if they can do it without adverse symptoms, according to American Heart Association spokesperson.”

This study involved high-intensity aerobic-interval training. For more bang for you time one can obtain the positive heart benefits, have a positive effect on your metabolism, and also increase strength at the same time with high intensity interval strength training. High intensity interval strength training can increase metabolism four ways.

The type of strength training we do at New Orleans Fitness Trainers and atAustin Fitness Trainers is high intensity interval training (HIIT). It is a full body workout where a series of strength training exercises are performed with little rest between the exercises.  Strength training has more to offer than stronger muscles and bones; it is a heart healthy and beneficial to your metabolism as well.

The Heart Can Benefit From Brief Intense Exercise

From this Science daily article Brief, Intense Exercise Can Benefit The Heart, Study Shows:

"More and more, professional organizations are recommending interval training during rehabilitation from diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, peripheral artery disease and cardiovascular disease. Our research certainly provides evidence that this type of exercise training is as effective as traditional moderate intensity training," says MacDonald. "We wouldn't be surprised to see more rehabilitation programs adopt this method of training since it is often better tolerated in diseased populations".

Six weeks of intense sprint interval exercise training improves the structure and function of arteries as much as traditional and longer endurance exercise with larger time commitment.

Short bursts of high intensity sprints--known to benefit muscle and improve exercise performance--can improve the function and structure of blood vessels, in particular arteries that deliver blood to our muscles and heart.

This type of training mentioned in the article is called high intensity interval training (HIIT). With HIIT you really can get more out of exercising less. This training can be incorporated into strength training sessions as well. HIIT is the type of strength training we do at both of our facilities: New Orleans Fitness Trainers and Austin Fitness Trainers.

Some of the benefits associated with high intensity interval strength training beside a healthy heart are:

Improves athletic performance
Increases metabolism
Preserves bone density
Lowers anxiety
A Ninefold Improvement in Fat Burning
Improves cognitive development

Healthy Hearts and Strength Training

Is strength training safe for cardiovascular health and is it healthy? You might be surprised by the results of one study. From this study, Strength Training Early After Myocardial Infarction, comes this quote:

“For the three treatment groups, 30 of 42 subjects had one or more cardiovascular complication (arrhythmias, angina, ischemia, hypertension, hypotension) during the aerobic exercises as compared to only 1 subject with complications during the resistive exercises.”

 An interesting result that speaks for itself - 30 complications for aerobic rehab versus one for resistance exercise rehab.

Another quote from the study:

“In selected patients, low-to-moderate intensity strength training performed early after infarction is effective and may have lower rates of cardiovascular problems than aerobic exercise.”

For recovering patients resistance exercises need not be very demanding to be productive. At New Orleans Personal Trainers at Austin Fitness Trainers we follow a simple rule: Perform a little more exercise than you are used to handling and then rest and recover adequately. This applies to advanced athletes and recovering patients. For the recovering patients it will not involve much to take them to a point of exercising beyond what they are used to handling. For the advanced trainees doing a little more than they did last time will be difficult but doable. Both groups will improve but the recovering patients often show the most profound improvement, as they start at a much lower base line.

Our workout program involves circuit resistance training. There is no resting between exercises, so there is a cardiovascular component. Each week recovering patients come in a little stronger and each week we increase the weights lifted by small increments. After a few months the recovering patients are dramatically stronger.

Aerobic activity has been stressed as necessary for cardiovascular health. This cannot occur if the muscles are too weak to allow adequate aerobic activity. The muscles drive the heart not the other way around. Also strength training has been shown to lower blood pressure. In the end we will not be put in a nursing home for being out of breath; it is because we are too weak to carry out daily activities. Remaining strong is good for the heart.

Muscular Heart Failure Patients May Have a Better Chance at Survival

From this Science Daily Muscular Heart Failure Patients May Have a Better Chance at Survival, Study Suggests:

“University of Alberta research has discovered heart failure patients with more muscle have the potential to increase their length of life.”

I would also suggest that even those who did not experience heart failure and have more muscle will have greater potential to increase their length of life. As this blog is fond of saying people are not generally put in nursing homes forbeing out of breath; it is more likely they are too weak to handle day-to-day activities or their weakness make them prone to failing and injury.

It is never too late to increase strength and muscle. Our oldest client at Personal Training Austin TX is 92 years old. Our oldest client at New Orleans Fitness Trainers was 91 years. old. Increasing strength will reverse more of the bio-markers of aging than any other form of exercise.

For improving metabolic syndrome risk factors try high-intensity exercise.

From this article High-intensity exercise better at improving metabolic syndrome risk factors;

• Once previously sedentary people with metabolic syndrome can comfortably exercise at a moderate intensity, they could consider more vigorous exercise, if they can do it without adverse symptoms, according to American Heart Association spokesperson.”

• Short bursts of high-intensity exercise, rather than longer spells of moderate-intensity, exercise may improve the health of people with metabolic syndrome. 

One group used a less-intense regimen called “moderate continuous-training” (CME)Another used a high-intensity aerobic-interval training for four months. One group Another did not exercise’

For the most benefit for your time spent exercising one can obtain the positive heart benefits and increase strength at the same time with high intensity interval strength training. High intensity interval strength training is by it nature primarily anaerobic but it can be profoundly cardiovascular. See- Cardio, anaerobic, and aerobic exercise explained.

The type of strength training we do at New Orleans Fitness Trainers and at Austin Personal Training is high intensity interval training (HIIT). It is a full body workout where a series of strength training exercises are performed with little rest between the exercises. With this type of personal training there is a significant cardiovascular effect along with the potential benefit of lower blood pressure. This strength training protocol has also been shown to be effective for rehab for those who have heart conditions. Strength training has more to offer than stronger muscles and bones; it is a heart healthy form of exercise as well.