In the view of many recreational athletes, cardio conditioning is cardio conditioning. They make no differentiation between sports conditioning and general cardiorespiratory training. The concept of specificity in fitness however, explains that in order for your training to be effective for sports conditioning, it has to be specific to the type of conditioning you seek to achieve. While cross-training offers some benefit, it is not a panacea for training.
General Cardio
General cardio conditioning can be defined as any traning method that increases the body's ability to take in and process oxygen. Cardio training not only increases the efficiency of the respiratory system, but also improves the body's ability to burn body fat stores. This makes it a popular weight-loss strategy for individuals interested in body composition changes. Cardio is generally trained through the use of what is referred to as "long, sustained duration" work. It may be cycling, jogging, or even "mall walking," as long as it elevates the heart rate above normal for a minimum of 20 minutes.
Aerobic Conditioning
Aerobic, or "oxygen consuming" conditioning is any form of conditioning that allows the body to use oxygen as a fuel source to burn energy. Long, sustained duration work is the most popular form of aerobic conditioning, and is the cross-over between fitness cardio and sports conditioning. Aerobic conditioning should be performed at an intensity level of between 55 percent and 65 percent of the athlete's maximum heart rate. Aerobic conditioning is generally used to develop a baseline of fitness for athletes, as well as being the choice of training for general fitness.
Anaerobic Conditioning
Anaerobic conditioning is cardio traning that uses the body's natural lactic acid stores as fuel, rather than oxygen. It is characterized by higher intensity levels than aerobic conditioning. The athlete's target training heart rate should be within 65 percent to 90 percent of maximum heart rate. While sprints and other high-speed running are popular forms of anaerobic conditioning, more sport-specific methods are also available, depending on the athlete's sport of choice. That is the concept of specificity.
Specificity
Specificity in fitness refers to the concept of using exercises that replicate the movements and energy demands of your sport. A swimmer or boxer may do running for aerobic conditioning to build baseline fitness, but will gain better sports conditioning benefit from something closer to the chosen sport. While a swimmer may need to do pool sprints, keepling his heart rate up, a boxer will get little benefit from the same exercise. He will be better served by working on sparring or heavy bag striking, since that's the activity he participates in.
Cross Training
Despite the importance of specificity, cross-training does offer some value in sports conditioning. A boxer doing roadwork, or jogging, will gain benefits on a cardio level, as well as the conditioning needed to maintain his energy levels over the many rounds of a boxing match, since his heart rate will vary from a sustained aerobic heart rate to short bursts in the anaerobic zone as he presses the attack in a bout. While he can achieve both types of conditioning just with boxing work, most athletes will find that cross-training for aerobic fitness will pay off in reducing both physical punishment and mental boredom.
References
- "High Performance Sports Conditioning;" Bill Foran; 2001
- "Athletic Development;" Vern Gambetta; 2006
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