Gassing out during cardio drills

[kenzo242]

You need to increase you intensity by doing intervals. Jog a 1/4 mi and sprint 40 yards or some other distance and do that for 15-20 minutes the 1st week and increase by 5 minutes each week thereafter. When you sprint make it an all out effort each time. Your aerobic capacity will increase in a couple of weeks and your cardio classes won't seem as bad. However, if you're instructor is doing their job, those classes should always be asskickers. LAte

[paolo27th]

Originally Posted by pliftkl

You don't have problems in what sense? You clearly have problems. If you can't run for an hour, you aren't good at long slow distance running. A 2km run is something that might warm you up, but isn't going to produce a lot of adaptation in your cardio system.

If you are serious about fixing this problem, get a heart rate monitor, and figure out the following:

1. What your resting heart rate is
2. What your heart rate is when you are jogging
3. How long it takes for your heart rate to return to near-resting heart rate after the above run.
4. What your heart rate is at the end of the conditioning rounds that you do
5. How much your heart rate has gone down after a minute

If your resting heart rate is already great, then I agree with the advice that you should focus on anaerobic activity. However, from your description of your running, I'd guess that your cardiac output is poor, and you should fix this first.

+1
If you can`t run 10k`s at a decent pace you can`t really say you`ve got no probs with running - not that you should run 10k every day, but you should be able if you wanted to.

[Ian Coe]

Originally Posted by dongjinkim

A bit of background on myself:

I'm currently an older member of a local Tae Kwon Do club.

I enjoy jogging (I can do 2km easy, 5km with effort, and 10km with a few weeks training). So I don't have problems as long as it's a slow continuous pace.

The problem I have right now is that our cardio classes are "go full out for a few minutes", then rest for 1 min, repeat ad nauseum. The younger guys in the club seem to have no problem with this.. and my face is almost purple after 20 minutes of drills (not to mention my sloppier techniques). I suspect it's more of a getting enough oxygen than it is a muscle issue right now.

Are there any exercises I can do to improve my cardio in this type of "sudden burst, pause, sudden burst etc" exercise drill?

That is an aerobic conditioning issue you have there.

You need to start hitting the trails/roads a bit more.
Get a heart rate monitor and run in the 130-150 bpm range 2-3 times a week (unless you have joint problems, then find something else and run once a week if you can, on grass or something forgiving).

[dongjinkim]

Originally Posted by pliftkl

You don't have problems in what sense? You clearly have problems. If you can't run for an hour, you aren't good at long slow distance running. A 2km run is something that might warm you up, but isn't going to produce a lot of adaptation in your cardio system.

If you are serious about fixing this problem, get a heart rate monitor, and figure out the following:

1. What your resting heart rate is
2. What your heart rate is when you are jogging
3. How long it takes for your heart rate to return to near-resting heart rate after the above run.
4. What your heart rate is at the end of the conditioning rounds that you do
5. How much your heart rate has gone down after a minute

If your resting heart rate is already great, then I agree with the advice that you should focus on anaerobic activity. However, from your description of your running, I'd guess that your cardiac output is poor, and you should fix this first.

I've already stated that I am able to run for an hour (at a 10km/hour pace), albeit with a few weeks prep, so I don't feel that is the defining problem with me. Maybe you could clarify what you mean by "running", as I'm not doing this at a competitive level.
If you mean that I should be able to pull off 10km as part of a regular routine w/ little preparation, then no I am not at this level, though I suspect that most of my fellow club members aren't either.
I will look into the resting heart rate though, thanks.

[dongjinkim]

Originally Posted by kenzo242

You need to increase you intensity by doing intervals. Jog a 1/4 mi and sprint 40 yards or some other distance and do that for 15-20 minutes the 1st week and increase by 5 minutes each week thereafter. When you sprint make it an all out effort each time. Your aerobic capacity will increase in a couple of weeks and your cardio classes won't seem as bad. However, if you're instructor is doing their job, those classes should always be asskickers. LAte

I think this is a good idea, as I can incorporate the drills into something I already enjoy doing.
Thanks.

[pliftkl]

Originally Posted by dongjinkim

I've already stated that I am able to run for an hour (at a 10km/hour pace), albeit with a few weeks prep, so I don't feel that is the defining problem with me. Maybe you could clarify what you mean by "running", as I'm not doing this at a competitive level.

Being able to run for an hour isn't a competitive running thing, it's a cardiac adaption thing. If you would have to train for a few weeks to be able to do that run, I'd argue that you aren't particularly fit from a running perspective. If that's the case, I think you should focus on developing the basic aerobic fitness such that you could run 10km on any given day (even though you would not do this every day).

If you mean that I should be able to pull off 10km as part of a regular routine w/ little preparation, then no I am not at this level, though I suspect that most of my fellow club members aren't either.

You mention that you are an older member of your club - that means that you need to be even more attentive to cardiac base than the young people who will have much better recovery ability than you do.

[paolo27th]

Also, if you have a conditioning problem... How to finally solve your conditioning problem

[DrBdan]

Take a look at this thread if you haven't already:

How to finally solve your conditioning problem

It's pretty long but full of good info. It's also worthwhile to read a few of the other threads that EZA has posted in.

Your aerobic system plays a large part in energy production at all times so developing your aerobic capacity and power will help with your overall endurance and power.