An increase in stamina, low chances of heart disease and control over high blood pressure are all benefits of cardiorespiratory fitness. Cardiorespiratory fitness, also known as cardiorespiratory endurance, cardiovascular fitness, and cardiovascular endurance, improves oxygen levels in the lungs and heart when we are doing anything that involves physical exertion.

Cardiorespiratory fitness refers to how well your body can perform when you are exercising. If your cardiorespiratory fitness is on point, you can endure long, physical exercise without getting tired. Read on to learn more about cardiorespiratory fitness, the exercises that can help you improve it, as well as the risks involved.

What is cardiorespiratory fitness?

Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) refers to the ability of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems to deliver oxygen during prolonged physical activities. “It is an important sign for overall health and heart function,” explains cardiologist Dr Chirag D.

According to research published in Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Abdominal Obesity, cardiorespiratory fitness can be determined by gender, age and genetics, as well as, the relationship between your health and physical activity. Strong CRF allows you to perform daily activities with more ease, reducing fatigue during tasks like climbing stairs or carrying groceries. It also helps you recover faster from exercise, allowing you to get back to your workout routine sooner.

What are the various endurance tests for cardiorespiratory fitness?

Your cardiorespiratory fitness can be measured through some tests.

1. VO2 Max Test

This test measures the maximal uptake of oxygen in a high-intensity exercise. In this exercise, you get on a treadmill or a bike and increase your intensity every few minutes, until you are exhausted. This method is touted to be the most accurate one, states this research, published by the University of Virginia.

2. 6-Minute Walk Test

This test evaluates sub-maximally distance covered within six minutes. This test is low risk and is useful in assessing adults who have love cardiorespiratory fitness, states this study, published in Pulmonology.

3. Treadmill Stress Test

This test monitors heart rate during increasing intensity levels on a treadmill. This test is usually done in a lab, where electrodes are put on the patient’s chest, and these are then connected to an ECG machine. This makes a record of all heart activity, including blood pressure and heart rate, states this study, published by the National Institute of Health.

What are the causes of low cardiorespiratory fitness?

Various causes are associated with low respiratory fitness levels. Some of these are as follows:

• Sedentary lifestyle: No regular exercise and sedentary desk jobs can lead to cardiorespiratory fitness levels dropping. No exercise often leads to fatty material in your arteries. This can cause serious problems, including a heart attack. Exercise is beneficial for cardiovascular health, states this study, published in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine.
• Chronic diseases: Illnesses like heart attack, diabetic condition, and lung problems can also lead to a drop in cardiorespiratory fitness. This disease can also cause pain and fatigue.
• Obesity: The burden of excessive body weight on the heart and lungs can lower cardiorespiratory fitness levels. It may also lead to cardiovascular diseases and needs to be worked on at once, reports a study, published in the Journal of Obesity.
•  Aging: Gradual deterioration of body strength and muscle mass over time. A study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, states that cardiorespiratory fitness levels decrease with age.

How can you improve your cardiorespiratory fitness?

There are various ways to work on your cardiorespiratory fitness levels. Here are a few ideas that you can try out.

1. Regular aerobic exercise

Regular exercise such as walking, running, and cycling improves the performance of both the heart and lungs. A study, published in Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, states that adults should do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 60 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week, as recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Heart Association (AHA).

2. Interval training

Endurance can be enhanced through fluctuating intensities between highs and lows. High-intensity interval training is a form of exercise where you have short periods of intense and explosive movements, followed by low-intensity exercise or even rest. This helps control obesity and increase cardiorespiratory fitness levels, states this study, published in Frontiers in Public Health.

3. Healthy diet

Nutrient-rich foods support overall physical health and energy levels. A study, published in Nutrients, observed the impact of a healthy diet on a group of Korean adults from 19-64 years. The VO2 Max test was used to determine the cardiorespiratory fitness levels. It was seen that adults, in the age group of 19-34 years, reported high CRF levels.

4. Consistency

Regular, sustained effort is crucial for long-term improvements. Make sure that you continue to do the above-mentioned things regularly to see a change.

Cardiorespiratory activities

You can try some cardio-respiratory activities that help elevate your breathing and heart rate for an extended period of time, suggests fitness expert and Fit India Ambassador Wanitha Ashok.

• Brisk walking
• Running
• Jogging
• Cycling
• Swimming
• Aerobics
• Dance
• Zumba
• Jumping rope
• Stair climbing
• Treadmill
• Stationary cycling
• Cross trainer
• Circuit training
• High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
• Kickboxing

What to keep in mind while doing CRF exercises?

Make sure to keep these things in mind when you practice cardiorespiratory fitness:

• One should start slow and gradually build the workout in terms of duration and intensity.
• You should not push yourself and listen to your body.
• Hydration before, during and after the cardio respiratory exercises is advised to replace the list water in the form of sweat and to prevent giddiness and nausea.
• It’s not advisable to do cardio respiratory exercises in the hot Sun, the best time to workout is early morning or evenings. In cold temperatures it’s advisable to be dressed in layers.

What are the risk factors related to cardiorespiratory fitness?

Low cardiorespiratory fitness, linked to an inactive lifestyle, weakens your body’s ability to use oxygen during exercise. Age, genetics, and certain medical conditions can also contribute. Additionally, high lipid values, high blood pressure, higher heart rates, higher waist circumference and higher body fat percentages can affect cardiorespiratory fitness levels, states this study, published in Scientific Reports.

Regular physical activity is key to improving your CRF. Even small increases in activity can significantly benefit your heart, lungs, and overall health.

The first time Olympia Cure tried a pair of rebound boots—a ski-boot-like shoe with a flexible, plastic oval attached to the bottom—she “felt like a kid on a trampoline.”

Soon after, Cure, a fitness enthusiast and part-time roller skating instructor in Chicago, launched Chainless Movements, a group rebound class that resembles step aerobics on space-age stilts. Since December, she says, she’s lost five pounds, and her endurance has increased.

A 2019 ClassPass survey found that participation in non-traditional fitness classes, such as trampoline workouts, bungee fitness, and dance cardio, increased by 82 percent compared to the previous year.

But to some, classes like Cure’s—plus a swath of other trendy group workouts like bungee fitness, trampoline jumping, and drumstick routines—have become the subject of ridicule. On sites like YouTube and TikTok, millions have posted videos with the running joke, Middle Aged Women Doing Anything But Working Out. 

Traditionalists sometimes view unconventional workouts as fads lacking scientific backing, while proponents argue that these new methods can enhance motivation and make exercise more accessible and enjoyable. 

Yet, with a glut of information and limited time, choosing the best way to work out can be daunting. Research alone suggests one should forego the flying bungees. But what about exercisers disinclined to hit a weight bench or intimidated by CrossFit? Is there any such thing as a perfect workout? Here’s what the experts say.

It’s all about exercise “buckets”

Though there are few large, high-quality studies on trampolining and other fitness trends, the studies that do exist suggest it improves balance, cardiovascular fitness, and pelvic floor musculature. It is also gentler on the joints and often has a lower perceived level of exertion since it is generally more fun. 

However, the value of weightlifting and high-intensity cardio for weight loss has been around for years. A recent study found that lifting reduced women’s cardiovascular mortality by a whopping 30 percent. 

(Lifting heavy weights is for middle-aged women too.)

But Mike Roussell, author of Strength: The Field Manual and a nutrition expert, says it’s more about ticking certain fitness boxes than one particular workout.

“You need cardiovascular training, and you need resistance training, and having both is the ultimate fitness résumè,” he says.

In the cardio “bucket,” Roussell says, aim for low-intensity cardio—low enough to hold a conversation while you move—and bursts of high intensity. Low-intensity cardio strengthens parts of the heart, lowering blood pressure and resting heart rate. In high-intensity cardio, the heart pumps more intensively and forces the body to use different kinds of fuel, called metabolic flexibility, which boosts longevity and disease prevention. 

Then there’s the resistance “bucket.” Building strength and power contribute to longevity, says Roussell, partly because lean body mass helps prevent falls and fractures later in life and makes it easier to maintain muscle later. “It’s just like your retirement savings,” he says. “You’re going to spend it, but at least you have it there.” 

(Here’s what lifting weights does to your body—and your mind.)

As if that weren’t enough to make the barbell-averse reconsider, resistance training has also contributed to brain health.

“It’s like physical Sudoku,” says Stacy Sims, an exercise physiologist with expertise in women’s athletics. “Wordle and Sudoku are good for neural pathways. But you could do resistance training and get a bigger bang for your buck because you get better muscles, better metabolic control, and brain health.”

Sims recommends thinking of resistance training in terms of three movement planes: quad-dominant/glute-dominant (think squats), push-pull upper body (bench overhead press), and posterior work (deadlifts and Cossack squats). 

“Then you’re looking at the functionality of the different planes of movement and the different exercises that you can put in there, depending on what people are doing in their lives,” she adds.

Evolution of fitness trends

This isn’t the first time a trendy workout has faced criticism. In the early 20th century, calisthenics and gymnastics were sometimes considered too basic and rigid, unsuitable for all populations. The 1950s and 1960s brought home workouts into the spotlight, but programs like Jack LaLanne’s were criticized for their simplistic approach and lack of personalized guidance, potentially leading to injuries. 

The aerobics boom of the 1970s and 1980s, popularized by Jane Fonda, faced criticism for its high-impact nature, which could cause joint injuries. At the same time, bodybuilding was scrutinized for promoting unrealistic body images and the use of steroids.

(The exercise phenomenon born in a prisoner-of-war camp.)

In the 1990s, step aerobics and spinning were noted for the risk of repetitive strain injuries, and yoga and Pilates were sometimes dismissed as too gentle or ineffective for weight loss. The 2000s saw the rise of functional fitness with CrossFit, which faced criticism for high injury rates and intense workouts, as did boot camps and HIIT for being potentially dangerous for beginners.

From the 2010s to the present, boutique fitness studios have sometimes been seen as elitist due to their high costs, while digital and at-home workouts raised concerns about a lack of personalized guidance. 

Finding balance

For both Sims and Rousell, the best workouts are those that take real life into account. Roussell calls it “the gray area”—where fitness and nutrition goals meet things like business travel, parenting, and parties. 

Instead, he says, the secret to success is embracing the nuances and realities of one’s real-life demands. Start with what you enjoy, and add whatever exercise components you might be missing. 

(Walking is the sixth vital sign. Here’s how to do it right.)

“We have to look at that motivation component,” says Sims. “If someone likes to walk, I tell them to put a weighted backpack on because that’s going to give you extra load that you have to push against. You’re still doing what you love, but you are getting some resistance training component to it.”

For Olympia Cure’s rebound students in Chicago, the motivation factor has opened the door to regular fitness. 

“A lot of the residents said they don’t have affordable fitness options around us that would trick the mind,” she says. “They want to do something that makes them think, ‘I’m not really exercising. I’m just having fun.’”

Planet Fitness is giving teenagers an opportunity to stay fit while classes are out for the summer.

For the fourth year in a row, the fitness chain is bringing back its High School Summer Pass Program to help high schoolers “to promote youth health and wellness and improve the physical and mental health of millions of teens,” the company said on its website.

Under the program, teenagers 14 to 19 years old will be able to exercise at any of more than 2,400 Planet Fitness locations from June 1 throughout Aug. 31. To register, all teens have to do is visit the Summer Pass page on the Planet Fitness website and fill out the requested information. Anyone under 18 years old must register alongside a parent or guardian – whether they choose to do so online or in-person.

Summer Pass participants will have access to free workouts designed specifically for high schoolers by downloading the Planet Fitness app.