Walking is the most functional mode of cardiorespiratory activity for the beginner. This mode relates best to activities of daily living and yields a wealth of information concerning the member’s posture and walking pattern, as well as providing an opportunity to educate.

Walking on a treadmill seems simple. Yet it can be quite difficult for some beginners due to their inability to maintain the balance essential for proper walking mechanics and injury prevention. When walking on a treadmill, have the member focus on maintaining the center of gravity with each step. Have him or her stand tall (chest up), look straight ahead, and keep their head from bobbing up and down. This helps maintain balance and posture during the activity. Walking on a treadmill should look and feel as if walking down the sidewalk.

Members who have never walked on a treadmill may feel the need to hold onto the handrails in the beginning. When this happens, don’t allow them to compromise posture and mechanics. Have them maintain contact with the rails with as little pressure as necessary to keep up confidence. The member should soon be able to walk with only one hand contacting a rail and eventually without holding on at all. Be sensitive to those who don’t know how to walk on a treadmill; some need little instruction while others will require a great deal. Obviously, there are those who will always have to maintain some kind of contact due to functional circumstances. Don’t let that keep you from challenging their posture and ability to improve.

An individual’s running action is formed somewhere between the ages of two and eight. Many people establish a natural, almost faultless action, while others have a very inefficient and potentially injurious technique. Every human is built on the same basic set of biomechanical functions. No two bodies, however, have the same interaction of parts. Some have unusual running forms that naturally offset any musculoskeletal asymmetries and shouldn’t be changed. For example, Bill Rogers, a world-class runner, flails his right arm to compensate for a short left leg. No one would change his form.

By working with a runner’s basic form as dictated by the biomechanical structure, certain modifications can be made to enable the runner to function more efficiently. Running should be relaxed, flowing and rhythmic. After a while, your member should simply fall into his or her own running style.

For the beginner, running is like walking. As the foot strikes the ground, the outside of the heel should make the initial contact. The foot then rolls lightly inward onto the ball—with the knee slightly bent to absorb shock—and then lifts off from the big toe. This is termed the heel-ball footstrike. The heel strike shouldn’t be excessive because it causes too much shock to the body and may lead to injury. You might hear runners who hit with footstrike sounds like "boom-slap, boom-slap." Runners should land gently on the heel and then allow the forefoot to come down quietly as the body rolls over the foot and pushes off the ball. The difference is in the impact.

The beginning runner’s body angle should be straight. Bill Bowerman, former track coach for the University of Oregon, believes that erect posture is most essential for a smooth running style. He always cued his runners to "run tall" which means the back is straight and comfortable with the head up and the eyes straight ahead. A forward or backward lean can place an extra burden on the legs and back. The shoulders should "hang" in a relaxed way parallel to the ground. Allow the chin to drop and flap, as if talking; this keeps the jaw and neck muscles relaxed. The arms should be carried low, between the waistline and the chest. It’s important to concentrate on relaxing the shoulders, elbows, wrists, and hands as the arms swing naturally, balancing the leg action.

Many ask, "How should I breathe while running?" With cardiorespiratory exercise, just open the mouth and suck in all the air needed. Simply follow the two basic rules: 1) Breathing should be relaxed, and 2) "belly-breathing" principles should be applied. Most of us breathe backward. We tend to suck the stomach in and breathe from the chest. With proper abdominal breathing, the belly expands as you breathe in and flattens as you breathe out. The expansion of the abdomen indicates that the diaphragm is fully lowered, inflating the lungs to there fullest and allowing a more efficient intake of oxygen. Improper breathing is known to cause the dreaded side ache.

Instructing an individual on his or her personal running style is difficult. For the most part, people are born with a certain style that adapts as the individual’s body changes. The best we can hope for is to clean up bad habits and educate members to make their individual styles more safe and efficient. The running form discussed here is meant for beginners, heavy runners and for a pace slower than the seven-minute mile. Proper running form is significantly different for other goals such as sprinting or more advanced distance running.

The first two exercise modes already discussed (walking and running) are weight-bearing exercises. The member has to deal with the impact of the body mass against the ground or surface. This has positive ramifications for affecting bone mass as well as challenging postural stability. Cycling is considered non-weight bearing which is not a negative but we must be aware of the difference as it relates to everyday living and how it impacts the body. Cycling is perfect for those who are restricted from walking or running or for a quality mode change.

To make cycling as safe and efficient as possible for our members, we must consider the setup of the bike and the position of the body. The main consideration in the setup of the bike is proper seat height. Seat height is important because it influences the range of motion of the hip, knee and ankle during pedaling, as well as the lengths of many of the muscles activated. These factors, in turn, affect lower-extremity joint forces as well as cycling power. The knee is most likely to be affected because the more flexion there is, the greater the pressure at the patella. The load or force of work being produced then multiplies the pressure. Setting a bicycle seat at an improper height can easily cause knee pain. The seat is at the proper height when the knee is only slightly bent or flexed at extension (when the crank is at the bottom of the stroke).

Another area of importance is the position of the feet. The optimal foot position on the pedal is in the middle of the arch. Try to keep the force of the downward stroke in this area of the foot. The spine should be kept in neutral alignment at all times. When performed correctly, stationary cycling is considered a safe mode of cardiorespiratory activity.

It’s not practical to discuss proper mechanics and body position for all possible cardiorespiratory exercise modes. As a responsible trainer, make sure you conduct the necessary research or call our office if you are unsure of or have questions regarding various modes.

The following table lists some different exercise modes. Though some of the activities may be part-time anaerobic (e.g., basketball), they all contribute to cardiorespiratory fitness.

Cardiorespiratory Modes