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10
GUIDELINES
STEPS TO GETTING STARTED
> Muscular Strength
The new guidelines have added resistance training since the ACSM recognizes the increasing
importance of maintaining strength as a health benefit as we get older. The rationale for the addition
of strength training to the guidelines is a result of a ten year follow-up study on master runners (along
with other studies). Those who continued to train aerobically without upper body exercise maintained
their body's oxygen transporting capacity over the years, but lost about 4.5 pounds of lean body mass;
those who included strength training in their program maintained their lean body mass along with their
aerobic capacity after 10 years of aging.
The guidelines also show where consistent resistance training helps maintain bone and muscle mass as
we get older. For women, strength training (along with the aerobic work) may also protect against post
menopausal bone loss and osteoporosis in their later years.
The guidelines recommend that two strength training sessions per week should be added to your
workout schedule. We recommend three sessions a week during the off-season and two sessions a week
for maintenance during the in-season. The new ACSM guidelines recommend one set of eight to 12
repetitions of eight to 10 strength exercises of your major muscle groups per session as the minimum
requirement. A complete detailed strength training program will be outlined in a later section of this
book. If weights or other resistance training devices are not available, add calisthenics to your program.
> Cardiovascular Fitness
The new statement, published in 1991, repeats the four recommendations on duration, intensity,
frequency and various modes of aerobic activity, with slight changes. The duration is now 20 to 60
minutes, versus a minimum of 15 minutes in the past.
Intensity of exercise can be determined by two methods. The first is the familiar use of target heart
rate. The guidelines state that you should aim to work at 60 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate
(max HR = 220 - your age) or 50 to 85 percent of your maximal oxygen capacity (determined by doing a
stress test on a bicycle ergometer or treadmill at a medical facility).
Duration is dependent upon the intensity of the activity; for those who like to work at a lower
intensity they should work out longer. Low to moderate intensity cycling, stepping, walking, or
cross-country skiing is best for most adults, because higher intensity workouts can lead to increased risk
of injury and it is easier to adhere to the exercise routine. Beginners can achieve a significant training
effect from low intensity workouts. If you're already fit and want to improve, gradually increase your
intensity.
The type of activity, once again, should include anything that uses large muscle groups, and is rhyth-
mical and aerobic in nature, such as cycling or running. Other activities could include stair climbing,
cross-country skiing, walking, etc. These activities need to be carried out three to five days per week.
> Training Effect
Duration, intensity and frequency of training stimulate the aerobic training effect. Any training done
below the ACSM guidelines will not be sufficient enough to give you the aerobic training effect. If you
are exercising more than the recommendations, it will not significantly increase the aerobic training
effect, though athletes training for competition need to exercise more to be competitive. It is important
to remember not to over do it; your body needs adequate recovery from a hard workout.
In general, endurance training for fewer than two days per week at less than 60 percent of maximal
heart rate, for fewer than 20 minutes per day, and without a well-rounded resistance and flexibility
program is inadequate for developing and maintaining fitness in healthy adults. It is just that simple.