Aerobic Training for
Massage Therapists
See also: Sports
Massage
Aerobic Training Builds aerobic fitness which is the
body's ability to take in, transport and use oxygen. Aerobic Training is work
done at an intensity that puts stress on the athlete's respiratory and
cardiovascular systems.
Beyond this stress level is the aerobic threshold,
the point at which the athlete goes from aerobic training (having enough oxygen)
to anaerobic (not enough oxygen to sustain the activity).
During Aerobic training, an athlete uses their heart rate
or breathing as a guide to proper intensity. If the training heart rate is
more than 80% of the maximum heart rate, they are considered to be outside of
the aerobic threshold. If the training creates the sensation of not being
able to take in enough air ( creating a need for rapid breathing), the athlete
is considered to be above the aerobic threshold.
Proper aerobic training has the following effects:
- strengthens the heart muscle
- enlarges arteries to carry more blood
- increases the number of red blood cells so that more
oxygen can be carried
- increases the number of mitochondria which increases
the rate the cells pick up and use oxygen from the blood
- increases the cell's ability to create ATP which is the
essential protein for metabolism
Aerobic training should be activities that are performed continuously for a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes at a level of 70% to 90% of maximal heart rate; no less than three times a week.
The goals of the athlete will determine the frequency, intensity and duration of
the training.
As aerobic fitness increases, the athlete can increase the
load to stay within the aerobic training parameters.
Aerobic Capacity
Aerobic capacity is the ability to work using oxygen in combination with fats and carbohydrates as fuel sources to produce energy.
At low-aerobic levels, fat is the primary fuel source. At high-aerobic levels, glycogen—stored carbohydrate in muscle—predominates as a fuel source.
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