Medical-Fitness Technician
Certification Course
Part D: Medical-Fitness Training
Learning Modules: 35-​38
Learning Module 37:
Therapeutic Aerobic Training
Walking / Jogging / Running​
Study the Learning Module and take the Quiz.
Leraning Objectives
  • Understand the relationship between intensity and duration of aerobic exercise.
  • ​Know how to apply the aerobic training protocol.
  • Know how to log and track aerobic training sessions.
  • Know how to set aerobic training goals.
Introduction
One of the primary goals of Therapeutic Fitness Training is to achieve and maintain an optimal level of Aerobic Capacity. An aerobic exercise should be part of every daily exercise routine. Aerobic exercises are mainly used to condition the heart, lungs, and blood vessels, but they also help condition the muscles, bones, and joints. The ideal aerobic exercise for cardio-pulmonary-vascular and full-body conditioning is walking/jogging.

Aerobic Exercises:
  • Involve full-body movements: walking, jogging, rowing, cycling, swimming.
  • Must be sustained for at least 5-10 minutes in order to obtain aerobic conditioning benefits.
  • The intensity of the movement must be at a low enough level to allow continuous physical activity for an extended duration.
  • The health benefits of multiple shorter sessions (5-10 minutes each) are cumulative.
  • Longer total (cumulative) daily durations of 20-60 minutes are ideal for conditioning purposes (dose-dependent).
  • Multiple shorter sessions provide the added benefit of maintaining higher levels of nitric oxide, which helps protect and repair  blood vessels, improve blood pressure, and lower cholesterol. (Optional: Read Research Abstract.)
  • The appropriate intensity level for a given duration depends on the individual’s fitness level.
  • For most lower-fit individuals, aerobic capacity is best developed by walking as far as comfortably possible in 10 minutes 2-3 times per day, 6 days per week.
Optional Research Abstract
1.  With Distance Constant, as Intensity Increases, Duration Decreases

Aerobic Capacity progression in Therapeutic Fitness Training is demonstrated by decreasing duration (time) for walking/jogging a given distance due to the ability to sustain an increased level of intensity (faster speeds).​​
2. Outdoors vs Indoors

Selecting a safe and convenient place and time to exercise on a daily basis is necessary before beginning a Therapeutic Fitness Training Program. 
  • An indoor treadmill solves the potential problems regarding travel, weather, lighting, and environmental hazards (traffic). 
  • Indoor exercise does not provide the health benefits of fresh air, sunlight, open spaces, and changing scenery. 
  • Consider using an outdoor course for aerobic exercise sessions in fair weather during daylight hours and using an indoor treadmill for aerobic exercise sessions in poor weather or during dark hours. 
  • Whenever reasonably possible, outdoor training is strongly recommended.
For outdoor Aerobic Training purposes, download the free version of the "MapMyWalk" app onto your smartphone. You will not need the app if you train indoors on a treadmill that measures time and distance. ​
Get the App through your App Store or Google Play.
3. Aerobic Training Protocol

Follow the instructions below for each Aerobic Training session: 
  • Set and save a 5-minute “Timer” using the timer feature of your smartphone’s clock. 
  • After a brief dynamic warm-up, start the 5-minute timer (with a 5-second delay).
  • Also press the "Start Workout" button on your "MapMyWalk" App.
  • Start walking from the Starting Point.
  • Set a comfortable pace knowing you want to keep walking/jogging for 10 minutes. 
  • If you are not having to breathe too heavily or deeply, speed up – walk faster or jog. 
  • If you are breathing too heavily or deeply – getting “out of breath,” slow down – jog slower or walk or walk even slower. 
  • If you can’t catch your breath while still walking slowly, stop and rest – standing or sitting – until you are breathing comfortably.
  • When you are adequately rested, resume walking/jogging at a more comfortable pace. 
  • Do not stop the timer or pause the app, even if you stop to rest.
  • Keep walking/jogging/resting until the 5-minute Timer sounds, and turn around.
  • As you turn-around, re-start the 5-minute Timer.
  • Re-trace the same distance during the second 5 minutes that you walked/jogged during the first 5 minutes. 
  • When the Timer sounds again, pause the recording on your "MapMyWalk" App, and stop walking/jogging.
  • If you paced yourself properly, you should be very close to your Starting Point -- the distance of the first 5 minutes should be equal to the distance of the second 5 minutes.
  • Finish the recording on your "MapMyWalk" App and Save your Aerobic Workout.
  • Cool-down by casually walking for 1-2 minutes so that your heart and respiration rate slow down gradually.
  • Use the Distance displayed on your "MapMyWalk" app for how far you walked/jogged during your aerobic training session.
  • Log the Duration and the Distance for each of your Aerobic Training sessions using the form linked below.
Download & Print
Logging Instructions:
  • Print an Aerobic Training Log sheet for every 4 weeks of training.
  • Write your Name and the START Date for the next 4 weeks of log entries.
  • Column 1 is the Week # of your continuous Aerobic Medical-Fitness Training.
  • Column 2 is the Day of each week: Sn (Sun), M (Mon), Tu (Tue), W (Wed), Th (Thu), F (Fri), St (Sat)
  • Columns 3-5 are split ( / ) for the Duration in Minutes and the Distance in Miles for each Session every day.
  • Column 6 is the total Duration in Minutes for all the Sessions that Day.
  • Column 7 is the total Distance in Miles for all the Sessions that Day.
  • Weekly Totals are for adding the Total Duration in Hr:Min and the Total Distance in Miles for all the Days of that Week.
  • 4-Week Totals are for adding the Total Duration in Hr:Min and the Total Distance in Miles for the previous 4 Weeks.
  • Be sure to indicate if a Session was NOT done, so you will know it was not left blank accidentally.
  • You may want to indicate the reasons for missed Sessions and missed Days (dentist, travel, sick, etc.)
  • Be sure to indicate which day is your REST Day. (You may want to note your recreational activity on your rest days.)
  • Progression Summary is a brief statement that describes your improvement in Aerobic Capacity over the 4 weeks and from start-to-current or from current-to-goal.
4. Aerobic Training Goals

The basic Aerobic Fitness Training Goal is to:
  • Walk/Jog 10 minutes per session (Duration)
  • 2-3 sessions per day, 6 days per week (Frequency)
  • At a pace of 1.5 to 7.5 miles per hour (Intensity)​
  • For a Distance of 0.25 to 1.25 miles per session.
Write your client's specific Aerobic Exercise Rx
  • For client's in the Maintenance Stage, use the F.I.T.T. Formula that corresponds to his/her Aerobic Fitness Score.
  • ​For client's in the Action Stage, use the F.I.T.T. Formula that corresponds to 1 fitness level above his/her Aerobic Fitness Score.
Part A: Frequency - Your client can follow the instructions below to his/her Frequency of Aerobic Fitness Training.
  • Establish your fixed weekly rest day week-to-week.
  • The biblical 7th Day Sabbath (Saturday) is strongly recommended as the weekly rest day.
  • A rest day means no formal Aerobic Training.
  • Outdoor recreation, such as walking or hiking, is still recommended on the rest day.
  • Schedule as many 10-minute Aerobic Exercise sessions per day (1-3) on as many days per week (3-6) as you can.
  • Note: The client will easily learn how to use the Timer and "MapMyWalk" features on his/her smartphone to measure the Time and Distance during each Aerobic Exercise session. (Protocol described above.)
  • Gradually increase the weekly frequency of your Aerobic Training sessions as tolerated.
  • Example: 1 session per day, 3 days per week x 1 week. Then 4 days per week x 1 week. Then 5 days per week x 2 weeks. Then 6 days per week, and then continue 6 days per week thereafter.
  • If you miss a session on one day, try to make up for the missed session on another day, even if you have to "double up" by doing two 10-minute sessions back-to-back, but do not switch the missed day with your rest day, because that can disrupt the physiological training benefits of the weekly cycle.​

Part B: Intensity - After your client establishes a consistent weekly Frequency of 6 days per week for his/her Aerobic Exercise sessions, your client can follow the instructions below to gradually increase the speed (Intensity) that he/she currently walks/jogs to the speed and distance that you prescribed.
  • Walk/Jog as fast as you comfortably can without having to stop and rest during the 10-minute Aerobic Exercise session.​
  • Log your sessions, including the Time and Distance, and track your progress towards your Aerobic Fitness Goal.
  • Try to increase your speed ​week-to-week just enough to beat your previous week's Distances until you reach your goal.
After reaching your Aerobic Fitness Goal by consistently Walking/Jogging the prescribed Distance in the prescribed amount of Time for a few weeks, schedule a Follow-Up Med-Fit Assessment to up-date your Exercise Rx according to your improved Aerobic Fitness Test Result.
Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) - Your client might wonder how he/she will ever be able to walk/jog faster without getting out of breath. As your client trains and becomes more fit, he/she will notice that his/her comfort level (RPE) remains constant (5-6) session to session, even though his/her speed and distances are increasing over time. This is personal, demonstrable evidence that the Aerobic Fitness Training Program is effective and your client's health and aerobic fitness are improving.