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Aerobic Fitness

Might as well cut right to the chase. Stephen Seiler's site is not an easy introduction to the topic; it gets into the physiological brass tacks at the heart of the matter.

We carried on quite a conversation about cardio fitness a while back. Once you glean through that, you'll be all set because we discussed: how much cardio? HIIT, High Intensity Interval Cardio Training, Interval Cardio Sample Workouts, Pushing Cars for Cardio Work, Stair Climbing for Lean Legs, Indoor "Spin" Cycle Training, Jogging and Sprint Training, Outdoor Cycling and Cardio on an Empty Stomach?

And we followed that up with a meaty discussion on HIIT (interval training), with examples of intervals, heart rate monitor use and sample training methods, and Byron answers more Tabata questions here.

• The most talked-about interval cardio workout is what's known as the Tabata Protocol, in its simplest form: 6-8 20-second very hard intervals with 10-second rest periods. From The Tempus Clinic we get this Tabata Protocol description.

• Men's Fitness offers this article detailing the Tabata Protocol.

• This link takes you to the actual research studies comparing the Tabata, Tremblay and Girandola studies.

• Here we find the Ripped Clarence Bass discussing interval cardio in Forget the Fat-Burn Zone.

• In this article, Clarence considers Richard Winett's switch from the Tabata Protocol to GXP (Graded Exercise Protocol).

• And let's ask Dr. Winett to help you sort out your workout combinations: cardio vs resistance training.

• This page will describe the best way to train the cardiovascular system -- with a heart rate monitor -- and gives an overview. And this page from Cycle Performance Tips gives more detail into heart rate training.

• The late coach Pat O'Shea used interval training for his training, and that of his athletes. Cyclists will improve greatly by using his anaerobic training approach.

• Again from Cycle Performance, let's take a closer look at interval training and how to put this together into a weekly training program.

• Want more? The book Precision Heart Rate Training by Edmund Burke is your next step.

• Jay Blahnik is the best spin/cycle interval training video instructor, as you'll discover in this precision heart rate training video.

• Sally Edwards tells us how to get started with heart rate monitor training.

• And drop on over to the Crossfit & GPP section here in the wiki for more on cardio fitness.

• Over on PubMed you'll find three reports of interest: Impact of high-intensity exercise on energy expenditure, lipid oxidation and body fatness; Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism; and Metabolic profile of high intensity intermittent exercises. These will give you the research documentation of pretty much everything discussed above.

• * Here's a real good article by John Christy regarding how to incorporate conditioning into your overall strength/size training plan.